Name: Garrett Summitt
Major: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Musical Theatre
Year: Junior, Transferred from Pensacola State College
Hometown: Pensacola, FL
On April 14, UWF’s cast of the iconic play Romeo & Juliet will take the stage of the Saenger Theater. Portraying the reckless young heartthrob at the show’s helm is our very own Romeo, Garrett Summitt.
But back off, ladies. He’s taken.
Garrett credits his long-term relationship with fellow performer Cassidy Beal for helping him define what love is, something that means a great deal to him.
“Above all things, I believe in love,” Garrett said when asked if he considered himself a romantic. “The greatest thing you’ll ever know is to love and be loved in return.”
Garrett and Cassidy, photo courtesy Garrett.
But his romanticism comes with a catch: realism. Love takes a little bit of blind trust, and loving as hard as Romeo does takes a bit of naivety too, according to Garrett, some risky characteristics to embody. He doesn’t see that as a weakness, though, and cites naivety as a trait he shares with Romeo, along with rebelliousness, stubbornness, and a healthy dose of charm.
Garrett is only just getting started when it comes to digging into his character, but also in figuring himself out. When I asked him to tell me about who he was, he was thoughtful, taking long pauses to contemplate an honest answer.
“I am surrounded by people who understand me,” Garrett reflected. “Which is helping me to understand myself.”
He even consulted his friends who were sitting nearby to get their opinions on how to respond to one of my questions: What makes you special?
Aletta Kemp and Kayla Fay, students of the Theatre Department who have worked alongside Garrett, were happy to help.
Kemp quickly contributed that Garrett was upbeat and optimistic. She compared him to Fred, the chipper nephew of Ebenezer Scrooge he recently portrayed in UWF’s production of A Christmas Carol.
Kayla Fay labeled Garrett as genuine, a compliment that flattered him visibly.
“I don’t know if I could aspire to be anything else,” Garrett said, elated by his friends’ opinions of him. Sincerity ranks highly on his list of desirable traits, and factors into his concept of success. “If people can’t take you at face value, you’re already lost at that point.”
His peers did supplement their flattery with comments about Garrett’s goofy nature, which was evident throughout our discussion.
He even injected some humor when discussing the pressure he was under working on a show as well-known as Romeo & Juliet. He said it’s intimidating… like the time he played Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar. Between my laughs, I managed to ask if those two characters were at all comparable in fame.
“I think the Bible has sold more copies than [Romeo & Juliet],” Garrett joked, “But I’m not sure.”
As someone who tries to have fun with everything he does, he is eager to get to work on the show. Garrett mentioned that he is looking forward to collaborating with his friends, new and old, in the Theatre Department during this project, and that there are likely some surprises in store.
“There may be leather,” he teased of his costumes for Romeo & Juliet, which makes him both excited and scared.
Photo courtesy Garrett.
His fun-loving nature transcends the stage, though, too. In his free time, Garrett can be found working at a movie theater, which reflects his love for cinema. A dream of his since childhood has been to make movies, in some capacity or another, whether it’s in front of the camera or behind it.
His diverse passions also include mixology; a talent he plans to utilize when he moonlights as a bartender after graduation.
One may spot Garrett with a guitar, as well, lifting someone’s spirits by serenading them with his rendition of the Jackson Five’s hit, “I’ll Be There.”
Photo courtesy Garrett.
It looks like we’ve got a real Renaissance man on our hands.
You can catch a glimpse of Garrett Summitt’s talents on April 14 and 15 at the Saenger Theater in UWF’s production of Romeo & Juliet.