Shirley Chen â22 discovered her love of theater through high school plays â but that happened long before she ever acted in one. As a kid, sheâd sit in the audience of her older brotherâs performances, awestruck by the magic of the show and the bonds between its actors. âSeeing all the cast members in all their wardrobe and their sweaty faces coming out, and people are handing them flowers,â Chen said, âthey've done this together and really connected, and I felt that connection to them as an audience member. There's huge camaraderie... I was always drawn to that.â This camaraderie is explored and tested in writer-director Danny Maddenâs 2021 coming-of-age film, âBeast Beast.â In it, Chen stars as Krista, an aspiring actress navigating friendship, creativity, and loss in high school. Though the film just debuted in theaters in April, itâs a long-time labor of love for Chen, who first auditioned for the role of Krista as a student at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA).