You may recognize this SAU student as Roxie from Chicago, or as an active staff writer for The Buzz. Kelsey Francis transferred to SAU at the beginning of this year, but she has truly made her mark.
Catch up with Kelsey and learn what she loved most about SAU!
What is your major?
Journalism
What clubs or activities are you apart of at SAU?
I write for the Buzz and the monthly eNewsletter for the theatre department. I also participated in two choirs, three shows and other theatre-related activities.
What do you enjoy most about theater?
It’s another artistic way I get to express myself. I love diving into a new character and finding out what I have in common with her, as much as I enjoy seeing what’s different. It can be challenging to own a character nothing like yourself and sell it, but that challenge is half the fun. And, being able share my passion with an audience and give them a show they can enjoy is a really great feeling.
How did you prepare for your role in Chicago?
Practice! It’s a musical that is very heavy on dancing, singing and acting. I had played Roxie once before, and I was adamant about creating a fresh version of her character for this show. The director (Cory Johnson) was a tremendous help to me on that endeavor.
What are you post-grad plans?
I will be freelance writing for the Quad-City Times, working, and hopefully getting my food blog up and running really soon.
What is your favorite SAU memory?
I think being in Chicago has to be my favorite memory. It was an incredible experience. Everyone—actors, technicians, and directors—really gave the show a lot of attention and put their best foot forward, so we were able to turn out a great production. It reminded me of the thrill I get when performing a musical, especially one with such stylized choreography. I loved it and was so sad when it was over.
At SAU, was there a teacher or person that inspired you?
I couldn’t pick just one. I had many professors, in many departments who inspired me for different reasons. What inspired me the most was that all of them are so passionate about what they do, and will do everything they can to help their students. That commitment made my experience at Ambrose just that much more positive.
Even though you will be close to SAU, what will you miss most about SAU?
I’ll miss Galvin in its entirety. I will totally miss the theatre department, and running into Eileen and Lynne in the lobby all of the time. But I’ll also miss the awesome students and faculty from the Communications Department. There are classes I would like to have taken that I never had time for, and I learned so much in one year, I can only imagine how much more I could have learned if I could be here longer.