Meet Christine Miyashiro, a freshmen at American University double majoring in Musical Theatre and Political Science. This weekend, she will be joining the cast of Spring Awakening at Greenberg Theatre. Her Campus American University sat down with her to learn more about her experiences with theatre at AU, working with the cast, and ways to get involved on campus.
Her Campus American University: When did you first become involved with theatre?
Christine Miyashiro: Probably when I was in kindergarten. I started doing stuff back home in Sacramento, just like little variety shows and stuff. And then when I got older, I switched companies and then I started doing whole musicals and stuff like that. Then I also clogged, which is like tap dancing, back home, and so when I was with that group, we would perform on the news, or we would perform at the state fair a lot.
HCAU: What other performances have you been involved with at AU?
CM: I was in the New Student Showcase, which is called Overture, this past semester. It’s for all the people who join the Department of Performing Arts at AU, it’s like their “Welcome to AU!” And that was great that how I met a lot of really great friends, and then on top of that I also was a part of AU Players’ production of their Musical Theatre Cabaret, and that was really cool because AU Players is all student run, so our music director, our artistic director, they were all students, and I thought that was really cool. I’ve never experienced something like that before, and the amount of talent and organizational skills that they had together was really exciting.
HCAU: What have you enjoyed most about this production of Spring Awakening?
CM: The collaboration between the artistic staff and the actors. Like we just understand each other, and really respect one another, so that creates a really environment to create art.
HCAU: How has your experience been working in a show with such a small cast?
CM: It’s been amazing. I’ve never experienced something quite like that before. When the cast list came out and there were six women and seven men on that list, I was like “Wow…that’s not that many people!” I was very intimidated at first, but then once you get into the rehearsal process it’s really neat to have an intimate space like that, and form relationships with everyone, and really good relationships.
HCAU: Why should AU students go to see Spring Awakening?
CM: I think Spring Awakening is a really interesting show in that it covers a lot of topics that college students face now: it’s a very relatable show. Even though it’s set in turn-of-the century Germany, the things that the people in the show are dealing with are very similar to issues today. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case with all musicals. And also it’s really unconventional in that it’s a rock-pop style musical, and you do not see that every day, that’s something that even I, someone who’s always done musical theatre, has never experienced.
HCAU: What other opportunities are there for AU students who want to be involved with theatre?
CM: There’s the student organizations AU Players and Rude Mechanicals, which does more Shakespeare. And then if you want to get more involved in the department shows, anyone and any major can audition for the department shows. While the auditions for this semester have ended, you can still audition for the shows next fall. And the Performing Arts Department really value getting other majors to auditions, they love it because they add a great perspective to the rehearsal process. You can also stage manage, do lighting, sound, and they’re always looking for volunteers at the costume shop. It’s so easy to get involved, there’s lots of opportunities. Even for people with no experience!