Photo credits to Stephen Brown ’17.
Ever wanted to get an inside look at how a musical comes together? Look no further! Here, I’ll be interrupting actors, musicians, and crew to ask about their experiences in the theater, all during the stress of opening night. Stress is the best catalyst for spontaneity, no?
What do you love most about the theater?
Jay Hauser, sophomore: That moment right after the curtain is down and right before bows start, when you think, “we’ve done it.”
Aubryanna Tayman, first year: Regardless of who you are, there will always be a role for you in the theater.
Anna Salmonsen, junior: Jon Stiles.
Hayden Hall, sophomore: Jon Stiles.
What’s your favorite kind of role to play? Dramatic? Funny? Other?
Emma Lewis, first year: usually I’m typecast as either the ditz or the controlling mother, but sometimes the mother ones are fun because it’s like, emotional manipulation. Those are my favorite Shakespeare monologues to do.
Hayden Hall: Pillsbury brand rolls, the flaky kind.
Eby Buescher: A romantic role.
Heather McConnell, senior: I’ve never been able to play a straight-up villain, and that’s the one thing that sticks out. I want to do that so badly. My ideal villain would be Heather Chandler
What would be your dream show to direct?
Steven Wojcik and Andrew Cowan, juniors: Our show is gonna be called “Tiger in the Rough”, with book by us and music by Jacob Ryave, and choreography by the cast. They’ll just do whatever they want. It’s “Wolf of Wall Street” meets golf. It’d be a satire about golf and how much he likes sex and also tackle race, tastefully. We’re not claiming to have the hot take on race, but it’s in there. It’s part of the story.
And me? I’ve spent 133.75 hours (yeah, I did count to the nearest hundredth) in the theater this semester alone, building sets, painting them, loading them into the Majestic, hanging and focusing the lights, and now preparing microphones and helping with mic checks. I’m tired. I’m barely keeping up with class readings. I skipped dinner to run mic checks tonight. But I love the theater, I’ve been a part of it since I was three years old, and I wouldn’t want to spend my senior year any other way.
If you’re interested in tickets or frustrated by the fact that I didn’t name anyone’s role in this article (which I did on purpose) please click here to buy tickets and see our wonderful production. Gettysburg College students get a $5 discount with ID.