Age: 21
Year in school: Junior
Major: Public Health
Campus Involvement: Stage Notes Musical Theater Club Treasurer
HC: Why did you choose UW?
UW was a wonderful choice for me because I am from Spokane, and I wanted to stay close enough to home that I could visit every once in a while but far enough away that I could still gain some independence. I also love that Seattle offers so many employment opportunities as well as exciting things to do both outdoors, and indoors (when it is rainy, of course). Seattle offers the ability to hike, go out on the water, etc, but it also gives you a little bit of that big city feel, which was a fun change for me.
HC: Favorite thing about UW?
I love that although it is a huge campus, there is still the opportunity to be a part of a smaller, close-knit community. I also love that it is located in beautiful Seattle, where there are so many fun opportunities!
HC: Favorite hangout spot in Seattle?
I really love the Fremont and Ballard districts! They have so many yummy places to eat (La Carta de Oaxaca is AMAZING if you like delicious tacos), and it is fun to walk around on the weekend during the spring and go to the outdoor markets! The Seattle waterfront is, of course, another incredibly fun place to go.
HC: Please talk about your involvement in the Stage Notes Club. What was your path up to becoming a director? Is this the first production you have directed?
I signed up for the Stage Notes mailing list at the student activity fair during my freshman year. I was so excited to see that there was a club for people who weren’t necessarily in the drama department yet but still had a passion for musical theatre. I then tried out for their first spring musical, Footloose, and was so excited to be a part of that show. During my sophomore year, I remained involved with Stage Notes and was incredibly happy to be a part of their second musical, Seussical. Following Seussical, I decided that I would really love to be able to direct (which I had never had much experience with), and what better timing than in college with an incredibly talented group of people that I was lucky enough to become buddies with? I then proposed the show to the club and was lucky enough to be chosen to direct!
HC: How did you end up choosing Legally Blonde as your first production?
I saw Legally Blonde: The Musical with my family and one of my best friends in high school, and I was totally hooked after that! I always thought the movie was hilarious, but the show has so much more creative humor and heart to it. It was also a great show because it has lots of featured roles so that everyone can get a chance to shine on stage! Legally Blonde also has many female roles, which is wonderful for a club that has more women than men (although this year we were so [lucky] to have a bunch of awesome guys as well)!
HC: Can you list some of your overall responsibilities as director?
As the director, I am responsible for casting the show, pulling together the production team 33ewewwwwwwww and creating the show’s overall vision! It is my responsibility to ensure that all of the blocking and staging runs smoothly, and to serve as a support for the choreographers and the musical director. My own personal goal as a director was to be someone that the cast can feel comfortable to work with and talk to under any circumstances.
HC: What are some of your greatest challenges as a director?
One of my greatest challenges with this show was trying to become more assertive, which is an important quality for a director to ensure that everything gets done in an appropriate manner! Prior to this show I tended to have difficulty voicing my option in certain scenarios, and I was certainly not an assertive person. This show has taught me the importance of voicing my opinion and to become much more assertive when necessary. However, this doesn’t mean that I need to be rude about letting people know what I need from them, but doing it in a respectful manner that does not overwhelm the people in the cast. I am a firm believer that being rude does not get you very far and only detracts from your relationship with those around you. I have tried to incorporate this into my directing.
HC: How much of a time commitment has this been for you? Is it difficult balancing school and life in general?
This has been quite a time commitment, but even though directing is incredibly stressful at times, I have enjoyed every moment of it! I care about this show so much, want to do everything that I possibly can to help the cast have an amazing show, so I think that makes me prioritize the show over school at the moment, but I think it is certainly worth it!