You’re currently a student at Otterbein! I was wondering if you could share what being a theater student during the age of Covid-19 has been like!

-

If I'm going to be honest, being a theater student during the age of Covid-19 is tough. Because of all the restrictions, we cannot really do what we're training to do: We cannot perform in person. Performing online/virtually is a very different experience. You don't have the same connection with your audience, and you cannot look at your scene partner. Most of the time in our acting classes you can't even use your full body because you would go out of the camera frame. We're trying to translate theatrical acting to camera, which by the nature of the style does not always work; however, there are some benefits to working online. Because the camera is so close to your face, you can really see everything. It's easier to work on specificity and subtlety in your work. Also, it's amazing practice for filming self tapes. Normally, Otterbein does not take a lot of time in the curriculum to address self tapes, but due to the Covid-19 restrictions we are required to work behind a camera. My motto throughout the entire process has been "You don't have to be an optimist, but you should look at what benefits you can take from a bad situation." Be flexible. You may not be able to perform in person, but this is the perfect time for working on video reels, websites, revamping your audition book, and coming up with creative solutions.

-

How does this year at school differ from the years in the past?
Well, for one thing I'm actually not at school. I decided to stay in my home of Houston, TX this semester, and complete all of my classes online, so I guess the biggest difference is all of my classes are online, and I haven't seen my classmates on anything other than Zoom. I take all my classes at home. I purchased a small marley floor for my dance classes that I have down in the middle of my living room. I'm assisting the choreographer of our dance concert via Zoom, so every night for rehearsal our stage manager in Ohio has me on her computer and shows me what's going on so I can give notes and talk to the cast from Texas. In some ways, I think it would be easier to answer what is the same from years in the past. We still have all the same amazing, hard-working faculty doing their best to make sure we're ready for the industry when we leave, and we have the same talented and committed students working their butts off to be a little better than they were the day before.

-
-What are you hoping to do as your senior year internship next year?

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure yet. I've heard great things from my friends (now Otterbein alums) about the benefits of working in a casting office because it gives you an unique insight into what casting directors are looking for from behind the table; however, as an aspiring dancer/choreographer, I would also be very interested in assisting a choreographer. I'm very open, and I think I need to be. We don't know what opportunities are going to be open when I go on internship. I would be surprised if a lot of people were looking for interns right now because of the pandemic. Obviously we hope everything will be back to normal by next year, but no one really knows.