How did you become interested in theatre?

I've always been involved in the performing arts as far back as I can remember. In elementary school, I started singing in choirs and performing arts events, and then it spilled into doing stage plays. When it was time to go to college, however, I wasn't committed to doing theatre. I thought it was something nice and fun to do, but I instead went to undergrad for film studies and minored in theatre. I thought I was going to be a film critic—I loved watching films and critiquing films. It was a wonderful experience, but something was just missing. I found that there was a magic to theatre that I just wasn't getting in film, so I decided to go to grad school for theatre. I wanted to use theatre to change the world and to change people's lives for the better. So I ended up getting a degree in educational theatre, and I made sure that I got a teaching certification, too. And while I was doing all that, I started to discover that I really loved directing theatre. I've always loved being on stage, but there is something about directing creatives and bringing the story to life. 

 

You play a big role in the production of Revels. What’s your favorite part of the production?

It might sound strange, but I love that first Friday before Revels officially kicks off, and all the students come into Kiggins at 3:45 p.m. to read the script for the first time. They know their roles, but they have no clue how it has been written into the show. So the best part is hearing them read their lines, gasping, laughing, just having all of these unfiltered reactions—the way they celebrate each in that moment is so special! 

 

How do you help students find their own voice within your acting classes and within the other plays?

I'm very open to having students brainstorm and share their own ideas of how the character moves through the story in terms of what their motivations are and what their backstory is. It's something that we work on together—I don't just give it to them. I always allow for strong suggestions to be aired out in this space, judgment-free. I also let them know that, despite their personal opinions, everyone in a theatre production has a distinct role, and we all need to let each other play our parts. And as an actor, a lot of times your role, for lack of a better phrase, is to let yourself be manipulated and told what to do. But being a smart actor is asking, ‘What is the thought process behind that?’ And I think that definitely gives them space to explore and grow as a performer. 

 

How do you choose which plays to produce?

I love pieces that encourage the audience to have dialogue and discussion and make them question the way they think about things. I also like to do plays that our students can relate to, and that allow them to connect to what's going on in the world. Watching a character go through something similar and come out on the other end of it—it's important for them to see themselves in the character as they themselves brave through life's challenges. So, every way that I've staged a play here has always been something a little different. You never know what you're going to get in terms of how we're putting the production together and how the story is being told. 

 

You are a member of the Civic Discourse Task Force. What was your motivation for joining, and how do you see this task force positively affecting the student body?

I really just wanted to be in a space where I could talk to other like-minded folks about how to have tough conversations. One of my personal mottos is ‘Let's get comfortable with being uncomfortable.’ Comfort doesn’t promote change, and I felt that joining Civic Discourse was a proactive way for me to arm and educate myself in how we can actually do our students a service. I think it's still very new for me, but I'm getting more insight into the overall picture of how students might be thinking or feeling about different situations. What are the seeds that we're sowing now? How will they actually grow? And that's what is exciting for me.