MTA Backstage Blog
Theatre Is My Sport
Written by Sara Wade
Edited by Gabe Smith
In the South, if there is one thing we know, it’s how to celebrate sports. We show up in team colors. We shout as if we are cheerleaders. We organize who is bringing what to the tailgate. We stand out in the blistering heat to show support. We build community around this team, this school, this organization…because we care. But what if it’s not a field or a court, but a stage? What if the uniform is a costume and the cleats are character shoes?
Theatre is my sport.
It may not have the “Friday Night Lights” feel, but it has the Opening Night feel. It may not have the choreographed marching band, but it has the live orchestra who have rehearsed for just as long. We may call it rehearsal instead of practice, but it requires as much dedication, discipline, and repetition. The choreographed movement of a dance number can be just as thrilling as a football play, and an improvised moment of a production can be just as impressive as that quick adjustment to earn that winning point in a game. When people think of a team in the South it can lean more towards sports, but the director, actors, stage manager, technical crew-that’s a team as well.
Down here we often hear that art is an elective. It’s a hobby. We may hear that theatre is fine to do, but we should make sure to do something that will build trust, teamwork, and community. I can honestly say that I have never pushed myself harder or connected better with others than when I am in that rehearsal space or on that stage with my team. That is not just something I “busy myself with until it’s time for real life.” That is real life.
We warm up, we train and we condition like athletes. We analyze scripts, blocking and character development like a football team studies a new play or the pattern of their opponents. In sports, when one person drops the ball, the whole team feels it or when one person makes that winning goal, the whole team feels it. We feel it too in our sport. As a team, you have to be in sync, alert, and ready to pivot when things “go off-book”. For every person (child or adult) who finds their place on a field, there is another who finds their place on a stage. For every community that gathers in the stands, there is another who gathers in an auditorium to witness something just as magical.
I may not have the traditional trophy case. But my trophies are the posters on my wall from each show I participated in, signed by my team. A production may have a shorter lifespan than a football season, but I have teammates who continue to lift me up, push me, and have the same amount of love for the craft.
Theatre is my sport.
The Roles that Raises Us
Written by Sara Wade
Edited by Gabe Smith
Every thespian remembers that role. The one that just hits extra hard and changes them in a meaningful way. Maybe it was the first time underneath those bright lights or the first time they put that headset on. Or maybe the first time they shed their first tear in character. It’s different for everyone, but that’s the beauty of theatre. It not only creates entertainment– it creates growth in people.
At Mississippi Theatre Association, we believe theatre can truly change a person and can become a part of you. We asked our board members about the roles that raised them.
What was the role that “raised” you?
Olivia Carson, Secondary Division Chair
“The Role of STAGE MANAGER in Our Town by Thornton Wilder” says Carson. “It was my first experience with theatre, and I was immediately captivated. I discovered a passion for performing, developed meaningful connections with classmates I hadn’t previously interacted with, and gained a deep appreciation for the collaborative process of staging a production.” Carson credits her AP English Teacher, Betty Whitlock, for her start into theatre. “One day during class, she encouraged me to audition for the fall production of Our Town, where I was cast in the role of the Stage Manager. I participated in one more show under Mrs. Whitlock’s direction that year (2000-2001) and I’ve remained committed to the field ever since.”
Rachel-Kate Thaggard, Theatre For Youth Vice Chair
Thaggard credits her role as an ensemble member in a production of Hunchback of Norte Dame. “Very early in my highschool years, I was given the opportunity to perform as a soloist in a local Arts and Letters production of Hunchback of Norte Dame. I had only attended a few rehearsals before I was unfortunately hospitalized due to an intense diagnosis of anorexia” says Thaggard. “The director of the production visited me in the hospital and gave me a libretto, telling me that I would have a place in the production if I took steps toward recovery, and overcoming the voices in my head saying I shouldn’t. I wanted nothing more but to feel like a singer again, like an artist, like me. That role and production was the catalyst for my journey towards recovery, it was the first time I had used my voice and my passion in months, and it is just a small reminder of the power that theatre can have.”
Louis Codling, 10 Minute Festival Division Chair
Codling, aka Mr. C remembers his time as Pete in a production of Almost, Maine. Codling looks back at that memory fondly. “I was only a freshman and the only freshman in our festival play. I was very excited but nervous to be with the older kids. I was able to come out of my shell and fall in love with theatre and the Festival of MTA itself!” Codling is now a teacher at Lafayette High School and says “I now strive to give the same experience to my students”.
Sherri Marengo, Community Theatre Division Chair
Aida in Over the River and Through the Woods is the role Marengo credits that raised her. “I worked at learning Italian enough to get the accent right. It took a whole can of white spray to change my hair from red every night. This is a heavy dialogue script and it challenged me!” says Marengo. She goes on to say “The final scene when I am walking like the 90-year old I am playing comes to the rocking chair, using my late husband’s cane and wearing a black lace shawl? Tried to keep it together- the actor playing grandson was already crying, and the audience was sobbing. It was all I could do to get through it.” She states that if she ever got the chance “I would do it again”.
Whatever the role may be on or off stage it can have real value, teaching so many of us empathy, the importance of teamwork, joy, our own strength and so much more.
Now, we want to hear from you.
What was the role that “raised” you?
Debunking the Extrovert Myth
Written by Sara Wade
Edited by Gabe Smith
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard “Why are you acting shy? You’re involved in theatre!”, I could probably afford front row tickets to Hamilton….twice. When people think “thespians” they think big personalities, loud voices and always ready to burst into show tunes at a moment’s notice. Those folks do exist (and we love them dearly), but the truth is:
Not all theatre people are extroverts. Do we need to say it louder for the people in the back? NOT ALL THEATRE PEOPLE ARE EXTROVERTS. In fact, many of us aren’t.
Theatre involves a spectrum of people with many different roles involved. While a performance may be lively and full of energy, and while some of those actors may be similar to their energetic character … .sometimes offstage can be a different story. Yes –your favorite performer, who made you laugh until your stomach hurt or cry at their gut wrenching monologue– may be, you guessed it, an introvert.
“Can you be an introvert and do theatre?” Absolutely. Remember when I said theatre involves a spectrum of people with many different roles involved? “Acting” may be the first thing that comes to mind, but there are so many more ways to be involved that can quench the thirst for a creative outlet. Lighting design, costume design, stage managing, directing, marketing, the list goes on and on. Theatre is about the connection between the story being told and the audience watching, and introverts may gravitate to being a part of it (whether onstage or off) because it allows them to share something personal without being the center of attention, with creative freedom in an inclusive space.
Whether you recharge surrounding yourself with people or with a little bit (or lot) of private silence, there is a place for you in theatre.
Challenge: ask at least 10 theatre people you know if they identify more as an introvert or as an extrovert. They may say one, they may say both, they may say neither. It’s a spectrum. You may be surprised.