Wash U is an avid supporter of the arts, but few students are able to take such advantage of this fact as sophomore Robert Landis, who, with a little help from his Starbucks gold membership, manages to do it all. Launching himself into the theater department from Day 1 of college, Robert has appeared in the Performing Arts Department’s Hairspray (as a freshman) and numerous student theater projects as a talented actor, singer, and dancer. Robert can also be seen performing with his a cappella group, More Fools than Wise, and he has recently completed his time as Assistant Stage Manager for the PAD’s most recent show, The Night Season. Robert was able to find time in his packed schedule to discuss stage management, backstage secrets, and the worst 1980’s musical ever made.
Name: Robert Landis
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: The Woodlands, TX
Major: Drama
Her Campus: So, More Fools than Wise has their last big concert of the semester this weekend. What are you most excited about for the spring?
Robert Landis: I’d have to say that we’re expanding our music, we’re starting to do more jazz, which I’m really excited for, because I think it branches out to different audiences.
HC: And you’ve also done backstage work?
RL: Yes I did, I Assistant Stage Managed for Night Season. It was a lot of fun; got to bond with the crew since I was at rehearsals from day one. And by crew, I meant cast, sorry, I am the crew. It was also fun because I got to be involved with a show without having to perform.
HC: Is that still fun, when you don’t perform?
RL: Yes, I actually really enjoy doing backstage work. And that’s actually what I want to do with my degree more than acting. I want to go into Stage Managing.
HC: Is there a way for you to specialize in stage management within the Drama major?
RL: Well, you can specialize in acting or directing, or technical theater, but I think I’m going to work with Gina [Savoie] to see if we could make a focus or something; I don’t know. But we’re going to try. Or I’m going to try.
HC: Who was the most fun to work with?
RL: Charles Morris was the most fun to work with.
HC: And what theatrical projects happening next semester are you most excited about?
RL: Next semester? Well, I’m actually not going to be involved with anything next—oh! Well, this is semi-theatrical. I’m working with Mr. Wash U, I’m excited, it’s going to be a great show, we have sixteen fabulous candidates, and I’m excited for the show, it’s March 28 at 7pm in the Edison Theater. But otherwise I’m not involved with anything theater-related next semester.
HC: What’s the scariest thing about performing for you?
RL: I don’t get stage fright, but the moments before I go onstage, I always panic and, well, I don’t know if I should say this, but I have to use the restroom… But the moment I’m onstage and, like, I’m acting or whatever, I’m totally fine. And it’s weird; I can’t perform for small groups of people, but if I know it’s an audience that can’t really—you know, if I can’t see the audience’s faces, then it can’t really bother me.
HC: What’s your favorite role that you’ve ever played?
RL: Oh god, I don’t even know. In high school we did this really cheesy musical called Starmites. It’s a terrible, tacky 80’s musical. I was one of the four captains of the Starmites, and we all had really terrible names, and mine happened to be “S’up S’up Sensiboi.” Not making that up, that was my name. It was a terrible music, so much glitter. I had glitter in my hair for a month.
HC: I wish I had seen that.
RL: No, you don’t. But it was my favorite role, because it didn’t matter what I did onstage because nobody cared because it was such a bad musical.
HC: Do you have a favorite backstage story or tradition?
RL: This is something we did in high school. Before a show, if we had a small cast, we would all sit in a circle and we would give each other massages and tell them one nice thing as we massaged and we just went around the circle and then once we’d all finished, we’d turn around and compliment the person on the other side. So it was very nice.
HC: How hard was it to come up with nice things to say?
RL: Oh, it was so hard, people just had so many nice things to say about me, I was a celebrity then, too [laughs].
HC: I understand you have a Twitter [@lobertrandis]. Can you define yourself in a hashtag?
RL: Well, ok. My most-used hashtag is #sorrynotsorry. But if I had to define myself…oh this is hard… What about #YOLO? No, I’m kidding. Probably #sorrynotsorry would describe me.
HC: Any closing advice on how to become a celebrity?
RL: Are you allowed to swear? Ok, if you’re not allowed to swear, then… I don’t know. Twerk it. Yeah. Twerk it.