April 11th 2022
"You get what you get and you don't throw a fit" - Ginny Redmond
I was introduced to musical theatre/theatre in general when I was about seven years old. A family through my church at the time ran a summer community theatre group by the name of Swartz Creek Center Stage. They needed an extra cast member for their production in 2008. They knew of my background in dance, so they asked my mother if I could participate.
Shocker. My mom said yes of course. So, that summer, I played Billie the duckling in Honk Jr., and my love for theatre was born.
I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "Oh my goodness. Your acting is incredible" or "How did you learn to act like that"
The only reason that I know how to act is because of my background in theatre. If it were up to me, I would require every dancer to take an acting class or participate in theatre in some way, shape, or form. It is such a crucial element for anyone who is involved with the performing arts! In the dance world (especially in the ballet world), acting/storytelling is a big part in how we deliver the storyline of the ballet. It is extremely uncommon to speak or have narration to help, so we rely on the dancers' ability to act and use pantomime.
During my time at Wright State University, the dance majors were required to take an acting class as part of our requirements for our B.F.A. in Dance. I was so thankful for my background in theatre that I could pull from because for a lot of those students, that was their first exposure to any kind of acting. You don't even realize how useful it is until you find yourself relying on what you know or having to teach basic principles of acting to your students.
I was a sophomore in college when I participated in my first tap class. My world was flipped upside down because in order to tap correctly, you had to do the opposite of what you do in ballet. Okay, sure. You would think. WRONG. Try teaching beginning tap to a dancer who trained in ballet for sixteen years. It is not easy. I can't help but think of my college tap teacher Jeanette Pop (God bless her soul). She was so patient with me and thanks to her, I passed with flying colors. Teachers and professors influence their students more than they realize. I continue to learn that every day. A good teacher is not the best in the room, the most popular, or the most liked. A good teacher builds a trusting relationship with their students, creates a safe space for them to explore, teaches them based on their personal experiences, and nurtures their love of the performing arts. I am forever thankful for the teachers/professors who invested time into me because I would not be where I am without them.
I always forget how much of the performing arts world overlaps. In order to dance, you need to know how to act. In order to act, you need to know how to dance. In order to pursue musical theatre, you need to be a triple threat. It really is amazing how it all filters into each other. I wouldn't trade my upbringing for the world because I was exposed to every element of performing arts that I could get involved with: dancing, acting, singing, gymnastics, teaching, musical theatre, piano lessons, middle and high school choir, voice lessons, and choreography. I juggled it for a long time growing up, and ultimately I chose dance. However, a big portion of my heart will always be dedicated to theatre. It was one of my first loves.
This past March, I recently had the honor of choreographing for Fenton High School IB Theatre's production of She Kills Monsters! I forgot how much I loved being immersed in the theatre world. I adore working with high school kids because they are so collaborative and are always willing to try new things! Lori Thompson has done such a wonderful job with growing the drama department at Fenton, and I am so thankful she asked me to choreograph for her kids!
During my time at Center Stage, I had the opportunity to perform as Tinker Bell in Peter Pan Jr. in 2014! This also meant that I was able to experience being rigged and lowered to the stage at Swartz Creek Performing Arts Center when I was just 14 years old. I performed in: Seussical The Musical Jr., Alice in Wonderland Jr., Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Jr., The Wizard of Oz, and Camp Rock The Musical! It wasn't until Camp Rock that I started being able to help choreograph some of the numbers and really experience being a part of the technical team, rather than just performing. That was a crucial moment in my life because it further enforced that I loved being able to teach and choreograph along with performing. I was extremely fortunate to have experienced that before I got to college because most people don't.
The Thompson family has done so much for the Swartz Creek community in terms of the performing arts and community theatre. They are a big reason that the Swartz Creek Performing Arts Center was built in the first place. Before that beautiful facility was built,
Swartz Creek Center Stage was held in the gym of Mary Crapo Child Development Center. The Thompson family have impacted the lives of many people and have instilled a love of performing arts in everyone they come into contact with. I am beyond thankful for everything I have learned from them.
Parents, if I can encourage you to do anything, it is to put your kids in some sort of theatre group whether it's through school, community based, or even a summer camp. It teaches your kids discipline, time management, commitment, responsibility, and develops a lifelong appreciation of the arts! Your kids will learn how to deal with casting choices and that "a part is a part no matter how small" - Katie Thompson. They build friendships that last a lifetime and are exposed to almost all of the elements of the performing arts. If you are in need of any recommendations, please feel free to reach out!
"There's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait...just you wait" - Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton)
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