Senior Reflection

The Loyola Theatre program has helped me to form my future within the arts in a way that I had not anticipated. When I started at Loyola as a freshman, I was dead set on maintaining my interests as a theatre performer, but as the years went on, I found this interest taking a backseat to newer endeavors. I have always had an interest in literature and history, even to the point of adding a second major in English during my sophomore year. In my freshman year, however, my personal shift away from performing began. At the end of my first semester, I was asked to be a co-dramaturg on the spring semester production of Pride and Prejudice. I had never heard of dramaturgy before, so when I was told I would be doing historical research for the cast and audience’s comprehension, I knew it would be a great position for me.

From there, I began the Theatre History and Literature course cycle at Loyola. This selection of classes is truly what pulled me out of performance and honed my interest in theatre. I found myself to be very invested in the social and historical relevance of theatre in the makeup of human history. I am fascinated by the way art informs or imitates reality, so being able to see a glimpse of how art was formed at different periods of time became my primary interest throughout my sophomore to junior years. At this point, I began thinking more about my future in theatre and became set upon going to grad school for Theatre Performance and Practice, looking for integrative theatre and literature programs with the intent of eventually getting my Doctorate to teach theatre history at the university level.

This is still a plan I am interested in executing at some point, but the summer before my senior year, I had an internship that set me on a new path in theatre. Interestingly, when I applied to Loyola, it was as a Communications Studies major. I changed my major to theatre before even starting my first semester, but business and marketing are something I have always had an interest in. This past summer, I interned at a theatre company near my hometown of Portland, Oregon, as a Front of House staff member. In this role, I managed the concessions sales and inventory, trained volunteers, interacted with donors and patrons, and communicated directly with the organization's staff. Throughout the summer, I became increasingly interested in the management and general structure of running a non-profit theatre company. I was able to speak with the directors and higher-up employees of the company, hearing their insight and perspectives when approaching company management, making strong connections within the local Portland theatre world. I then took this interest with me into my senior year at Loyola, enrolling in a Theatre Management course that gave me a simulated experience in creating my own company in the Chicago environment. Additionally, I have been applying to internships in local non-profit companies and searching for jobs in the more business and everyday function side of the theatre world.

Shifting away from strictly performance was one of the biggest risks I have taken in my theatre journey. I had been performing consistently in musicals from the age of four to eighteen. Since coming to Loyola, I have still been able to engage with performance in a way that maintains my passion for it, while also not making it my whole world. I have been a part of a second-stage production, directing scenes, Legally Blonde mainstage, and Musical Theatre Rep. All of these experiences have reminded me what made theatre so compelling to me in my youth, while also allowing me to comfortably move beyond this one interest. My minor in Musical Theatre has been the perfect way to engage with performance at Loyola while also being able to build external interests.

My next steps beyond Loyola are still unknown to me, but as of now, I am looking for jobs in the non-profit industry. Ideally, I would love to work for a theatre company in the city, eventually moving into management, audience services, or community engagement. Through Loyola and internship opportunities, I have developed a passion for being involved in the lasting impact theatre can have on audiences. As a child, I was deeply affected by the power of live performance. I wanted to see myself on the stage, which pushed me to pursue a career in theatre. I thought for a long time that my career would be front-facing, serving as an actor on the stage, but as I have gotten older, I have become more inclined to be a more behind-the-scenes guiding hand in the magic of theatre. I want to help create and build the companies that can foster a passion for theatre in other children like myself. I am beyond grateful for the experience and guidance Loyola has provided me in discovering my own path in this field that offers so many opportunities.