COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Special thanks to our
DONORS!
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THROUGH OUR DONOR GROUP
THE CIRCLE
AND THROUGH ANNUAL GIVING
TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SC
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Mrs. Patricia Moore-Pastides
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List compiled from donations received at time of printing, November, 2015.
Scenic Designer.......................................................................BAXTER ENGLE
Lighting Designer.................................................................RACHEL SHEETS
Costume Designer..............................................................RACHEL HARMON
Hair/Wig/Make-up Designer...............................................VALERIE PRUETT
Sound Designer.................................................................DANIELLE WILSON
Props Master..................................................................................JANE HEARN
Stage Manager.................................................................HUNTER ROBINSON
Cast
Charles Condomine................................................................................JOSH JEFFERS
Ruth Condomine..................................................................................NICOLE DIETZE
Elvira Condomine.........................................................................CANDACE THOMAS
Madame Arcati..........................................................................MARYBETH GORMAN*
Dr. George Bradman....................................................................DeAUDREY OWENS
Violet Bradman.................................................................................ASHLEY GRAHAM
Edith................................................................................................LINDSEY SHEEHAN
There will be one intermission.
"Blithe Spirit" is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, INC.
The videotaping or making of electronic or other audio and/or visual recordings of
this production or distribution recordings on any medium, including the internet, is
strictly prohibited, a violation of the author's rights and actionable under United States
copyright law. For more information, please visit: www.samuelfrench.com/whitepaper.
*Member of Actor's Equity. This theatre operates under an agreement between the
University Resident Theatre management program and Actors Equity, the union of
professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
FROM THE CHAIR/CO-ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Seeing Possibilities - How Theatre Artists Think
In theatre, our roles are often fluid and we have room to explore
and discover, as well as magnificently fail. Especially in university
drama programs, young artists have opportunities to challenge
their perception of themselves and their abilities as they search for
their theatrical niche. — Scott T. Barsotti
People are often surprised at the variety of interests, skills, and training
acquired by our graduate and undergraduate students during the pursuit of
their academic degrees. Students focused on acting will also develop skills
in writing, directing, choreography, and producing. Design students will gain
valuable hands-on skills in scene construction, scene painting, computer-aided
design skills, patterning development, and fabric modification. The extracurricular training opportunities are as wide-open and boundless as the dreams
and imaginings of the students who wish to explore them. The exploration of
these "by-product" skills gives our students an enhanced edge over many other
applicants in the job market.
In 2011, researchers at Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation began studying
theatre artists’ aptitude for creative thinking and problem solving skills. The study
found, from playwrights to stage managers, that most theatre artists engage
in divergent thinking, a complex thought process involving two contrasting
concepts: ideaphoria (the constant flow of ideas) and foresight (creativity in
conceptual form). Divergent thinking is a rare aptitude combination, as most
people are classified according to one concept or the other. Those whose
aptitude scores show a trend toward the concept of foresight tend to think more
conceptually and are concerned with seeing whole-picture possibilities. For
those whose aptitude scores trend toward the concept of ideaphoria, evidence
shows a high level of articulacy in regard to maintaining communication
and generating the flow of ideas. This study led Scott Barsotti, author of the
HowlRound article, Are Theatre Artists Hardwired?, to ask, “As theatre artists,
are we driven by more than just creative ambition or personal interest? Are
we meant to seek out the collaborative art form of theater and the performing
arts, to find our community, to not only see possibilities but to also to create the
special world of characters and ideas?”
The undergraduate Spotlight Student we introduce to you tonight, Leroy Kelly,
is a perfect embodiment of the inspired curiosity that drives theatre artists to
explore all facets of the creative and collaborative process. You can read more
about his story in this program.
To read Mr. Barsotti's full article, visit www.howlround.com. For more information
on recent Theatre Alumni visit our website, www.artsandsciences.sc.edu/thea.
Enjoy the show!
FROM THE DIRECTOR
Stan Brown
Love doesn’t always end at the end of a relationship. Perhaps
it never ends at all. Once the heart has genuinely loved, in my
experience, there’s no going back. It’s “for-life” and probably
beyond. This seems to be the case for the Condomines in Noël
Coward’s Blithe Spirit.
As we move from one relationship to another, what “ghosts” do we take with
us? How, if necessary, might one secure an exorcism if a “ghost” or two won’t
leave or, at least, find rest? These central questions attracted me to Blithe Spirit.
I hope you enjoy watching Coward’s classic characters, Charles and his two
wives Ruth and Elvira, grapple with finding a functional solution.
Stan Brown
Director
Professor, Theatre Program
MEET OUR SHOW-RUNNERS!
Our Blithe Spirit backstage crew, all students in the THEA 121 Production Lab.
Standing, from left: Leroy Kelly (Sound Board Operator), Scott Koontz (Dresser),
Corey Robinson (Dresser), Cody Phillips (Makeup/Wigs), William Quant (Light Board
Operator); Seated, from left: Libby Bagnal (Deck Crew/Props), Sara Hilton (Assistant
Stage Manager), Hunter Robinson (Stage Manager)
CAST
for letting me play with you!
Nicole Dietze
Ruth Condomine
Nicole is a secondyear MFA acting
candidate.
She
performed
with
Pennsylvania Rep Co. in Of Mice
and Men and Romeo and Juliet and
also at The Shawnee Playhouse in
The Importance of Being Earnest,
Beyond Therapy, and Manhattan
Casanova. Nicole originated the
roles of Zoe in Spanakopita and
Johanna in Visions of Johanna
through Shawnee Playhouse’s
Original Playwright Series.
Marybeth Gorman
Madame Arcati
Marybeth Gorman
is an actor, teacher,
director,
and
voice and dialect coach based in
Columbia.
She has performed
regionally with theaters including
Milwaukee Repertory Theater,
Utah
Shakespearean
Festival,
Hippodrome Theater,
Arden
Theatre Company, and Walnut
Street Theatre, and is a frequent
dialect coach for Theatre South
Carolina productions. Marybeth is
a graduate of USC's MFA Acting
Program and is a proud member of
Actors' Equity Association. Thanks
to Stan and the rest of the company
Ashley Graham
Violet Bradman
Ashley Graham is a
sophomore theatre
major and journalism
and
psychology
double minor at the University of
South Carolina. She is originally
from Boiling Springs, South Carolina.
Her first appearance was in the lab
theatre performance of The Trojan
Women. She also appeared in
Player King and, most recently, Stop
Kiss. She is excited to be working
alongside such amazing artists in
her first main stage production.
She would like to attribute her sister,
Mya, for inspiration and thank her
parents for their constant support.
Josh Jeffers
Charles Condomine
Josh Jeffers has
previously
been
seen on stage with
Theatre South Carolina in The Three
Musketeers, Translations, Our Town,
and briefly The Threepenny Opera.
He thanks his teachers, mentors,
and directors.
DeAudrey Owens
Dr. George Bradman
A
freshman
at
USC, majoring in
Theatre. DeAudrey
is an up and coming
performer who has been in the
dramatic arts his entire life. His first
debut at USC was in a Lab Theatre
play called Stop Kiss, where he
played the supporting role as Peter.
DeAudrey plans on performing in
many future features at USC and
aspires to be an Actor.
Lindsey Sheehan
Edith
Lindsey
is
a
sophomore theatre
and criminal justice
double major from
Boston, MA. Blithe Spirit is her first
production here at USC. She wishes
to thank everyone for offering her
the opportunity to perform in this
show, as well as all those who work
behind the scenes to make this show
so fantastic. Lindsey also wants to
thank her parents for encouraging
her to do theatre from a young age
and for coming to South Carolina to
see the production!
Candace Thomas
Elvira Condomine
Candace Thomas is
a second year MFA
Acting Candidate.
Favorite
Theatre
South Carolina credits include The
Threepenny Opera (Polly Peachum),
Our Town (Mrs. Gibbs), and Tongue
of a Bird (Maxine). Favorite regional
credits include Spring Awakening
(Theatre Horizon), Passing Strange
(11th Hour Theatre Company),
and Little Shop of Horrors (Bristol
Riverside Theatre), in which she
received a 2014 Barrymore Award
nomination for Best Supporting
Actress in a Musical. Candace
dedicates all of her performances to
the memories of her grandmothers.
To God Be The Glory!
ARTISTIC COMPANY
Stan Brown
Director
Stan Brown is a
Professor in the
Department
of
Theatre and Dance
at the University of South Carolina.
He's in his 2nd year as voice
specialist in both the Graduate
Professional
Actor
Training
Program and the Undergraduate
Actor Training Program. Stan
earned his MFA in Acting from
the University of South Carolina
in 1989. While here, Stan was
named a graduate acting fellow
at the Shakespeare theatre in
Washington D.C., where he
received the core of his classical
actor training.
Stan began his work in university
teaching at the University of
Warwick in Coventry England
where
he
taught
acting
and was a post graduate
researcher in Contemporary
Shakespearean
Performance
(Exploring director Peter Brook's
body of work, with the Royal
Shakespeare Company. In the
UK Stan was invited to work with
the Voice Department at the RSC
by Cicely Berry*, RSC Director
of Voice.
This training and
experience initiated Stan's ongoing
explorations into perceptions and
impacts of 'culture' on voice and
speech training for the actor. He
maintains an active professional
relationship with the RSC's voice
department and, specifically,
Ms. Berry's work in voice. Apart
from his work as a teacher, voice/
dialect coach and director Stan
has worked as a professional
actor both here in the US and in
the United Kingdom in theatre,
film, television and radio for 30
years. Some of his credits include
featured roles on NBC's Homicide:
Life on the Street and recurring
roles on In the Heat of the Night
and the critically acclaimed I’ll Fly
Away. In film, Stan co-starred in
Robby Benson's Modern Love and
opposite Dave Chapelle, Calista
Flockhart, and Matthew Perry
in the cult film, Getting IN, the
directorial debut of Doug Liman
(Director of Swingers, Bourne
Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith). In
October Stan won Best Actor at
The Louisiana Film Prize for his
work in the title role of the short
film, The Bespoke Tailoring of
Mister Bellamy. The film also won
the film festival grand prize, the
largest film prize for short film in
the world. (*Cicely Berry is author
of the internationally renowned
books: Voice and the Actor, The
Actor and His Text, and Text in
Action.)
Baxter Engle
Scenic Designer
Baxter Engle is a
second year MFA
scenic
design
candidate studying
under Nic Ularu at the University
of South Carolina. His most
recent work at Theatre South
Carolina was scenic design for
the production of Brian Friel's
Translations in Longstreet Theatre.
He also has designed video
projections for Design Professor
Nic Ularu’s Hieronymus which
premiered at the National Theatre
in Iasi, Romania and Fusions, which
was performed at the 2013 World
Stage Design festival in Cardiff,
Wales.
Rachel Sheets
Lighting Designer
This is Rachel’s
second
design
for
Theatre
South
Carolina.
Previously she designed The Three
Musketeers for Theatre South
Carolina, as well as several
numbers from Affirmation: A
Journey of Life Through Dance for
the University of South Carolina
Dance program. She would like
to thank the faculty and staff at
USC as well as her family for their
continued support.
Rachel Harmon
Costume Designer
Rachel
Harmon
is a second-year
Costume
Design
MFA student in the
Department of Theatre and Dance.
A native of Boston, MA, she has a
BFA in Fashion Design from the
Massachusetts College of Art and
Design, where she graduated with
departmental honors. Main Stage
credits include working as the
Costume Designer on Translations,
in addition to working as the
Assistant Costume Designer to
Lisa Martin-Stuart on last year’s
production of Ajax in Iraq. Rachel
recently completed her second
season as the Costume Crafts
Person at the Williamstown Theatre
Festival. She’s been involved in the
Boston Independent Film scene
and has designed costumes for the
web series Allston Xmas, as well as
independent films On the Seventh
First Date and Truth Cocktail, which
was nominated for numerous
awards at this year’s Sanford
International Film Festival. She’s also
worked with many companies in the
Greater Boston Area, including the
Huntington Theatre Company, the
Boston Ballet, and the Watertown
Children’s Theatre. She hopes you
enjoy the show!
Valerie Pruett
Hair/Wig/Make-up
Designer
Valerie has been
working
as
a
professional
hair
and makeup artist for over fourteen
years. Before returning to the
University of South Carolina ten
years ago, she free-lanced and
designed for regional theatres
across the country, including:
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Utah
Shakespeare Festival, American
Players Theatre, New American
Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center,
American Folklore Theatre and the
Madison Repertory Theatre. Valerie
also worked as a guest lecturer
and adjunct faculty at Lawrence
University in Appleton, WI and
the Professional Theatre Training
Program at the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition to
teaching and designing at Theatre
SC, Valerie maintains an active
professional career as a Hair and
Make-up artist in the tri-state areas
with film and media productions.
She firmly believes that a successful
portrayal of any character must
include the complete visual
transformation of that character in
order to have a true balance and
silhouette.
Danielle Wilson
Sound Designer
Danielle is always
pleased to return
to Theater South
Carolina.
She
graduated from the MFA lighting
design program at USC in 2003.
She worked as the house lighting
designer for the Blumenthal
Performing Arts Center's Spirit
Square where she lit Derek Trucks,
The Avett Brothers, Arlo Guthrie,
and Eve Ensler, among others.
She returned to USC and worked
for four years as the Assistant
Technical Director for lighting and
sound. In recent years her focus
has become sound design as she
has designed a number of the
main stage productions at Theater
South Carolina. Danielle is currently
a freelance lighting and sound
designer. She would like to thank
her family.
Jane Hearn
Props Master
Jane is a graduate
of the University
of South Carolina
Honors College with
a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. She
stage managed many productions
throughout college and is excited to
return to the USC (back)stage.
Hunter Robinson
Stage Manager
Hunter
Robinson
is the Head Stage
Manager. She is a
junior here at USC.
She hopes to stage manager for
Disney after she graduates. She
thanks everyone who was has put
hard work into this show! Break a
leg!
Sam Gross
Assistant Technical
Director
Sam Gross is a
graduate of Indiana
University
where
he earned an MFA in Theatre
Technology. He specializes in
mechanized scenery, computer
controlled systems, electronics, set
construction, and rigging. He has
designed and built motion control
systems for such productions as The
Real Thing, Sweeney Todd, Romeo
and Juliet, Sweet Charity, Dracula,
and Pal Joey. He has overseen the
construction of USC productions
since 2005. Mr. Gross received his
Bachelor of Sciences Degree from
the University of North Alabama
where he also worked as a sound
designer, lighting designer, sound
engineer, carpenter, and actor. In
his position as Assistant Technical
Director, Sam supervises graduate
and undergraduate students in
the construction of scenery and
props for USC Theatre and Dance
productions.
Spencer Henderson
Costume Studio
Supervisor
M.
Spencer
Henderson is a
graduate of the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill where he received an
MFA in Costume Shop Management
and
Costume
Technology.
He received his BA in theatre
from Florida State University.
His costuming credits include
Playmakers Repertory Company,
The Utah Shakespearean Festival,
and Glimmerglass Opera. Recently,
he spent the three summers (‘09’11) at the Williamstown Theatre
Festival as the Costume Shop
Manager. Spencer supervises the
USC costume shop, assists with the
patternmaking and construction of
costumes, and teaches costume
construction classes.
Sara Hilton
Assistant Stage
Manager
Sara Hilton is a
senior theatre major,
from Ravenel, SC.
Previous stage experience includes
the role of Enid Hoopes in Legally
Blonde (Off Off Broadway) and
run crew for Translations on the
Main stage. This is her first time as
an assistant stage manager and she
wants to thank the cast and crew for
making this a wonderful experience.
To her family, thank you for all your
support and love, and to everyone,
enjoy the show!
Jim Hunter
Lighting Design
Advisor
Jim’s scene and
lighting
designs
have been seen
at such theatres as the Folger
Shakespeare Theatre, Theatre
Virginia, Phoenix Theatre, Florida
Repertory
Theatre,
Charlotte
Repertory Theatre, Florida Stage,
Arkansas
Repertory
Theatre,
Playhouse on the Square, Drury
Lane Theatre, Heritage Repertory
Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse,
VeggieTales Live National Tour,
Florida Studio Theatre, World
Stage Exposition in Toronto as
well as others. Jim toured with
the modern dance company Wall
Street Danceworks. Recent designs
have been recognized with two
consecutive AriZoni Awards for
Excellence in Scene Design. Jim is
a member of the national designers
union, United Scenic Artist, Local
829 in both scene and lighting
design. He served as Chair for
the Department of Theatre and
Dance here at the University of
South Carolina and Artistic Director
of Theatre South Carolina from
2004 to 2014. During this period
the department produced 63
main stage and 46 second stage
theatre and dance productions.
Current national service activities
include Chair of the Commission
on Accreditation/ Member, Board
of Directors with the National
Association of Schools of Theatre
and regular assignments chairing
Accreditation Teams for NAST.
Recent local community service
includes board membership on
the Columbia Design League and
President of the Blythewood Middle
School Orchestra Booster Club.
Please visit his online portfolio at
www.jimhunterdesigns.com.
Kat Marchant
Assistant Stage
Manager
Kat is a senior
in
the
Theatre
department, and is excited to be
working on her first main stage show
as an assistant stage manager. She
worked as a crew member at the
Warehouse Theatre in Greenville
for two years after her involvement
with the South Carolina Children’s
Theatre. She transferred from
Greenville Tech her junior year, and
is studying to be a costumer. She
thanks the faculty of the Theatre
department who have made her
stay here so enjoyable.
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Chair/Co-Artistic
Director/Costume
Design Advisor
As head of the
Costume
Design
Program, Lisa has a strong
background in design, historical
research and costume technology.
Over the last 20 years Lisa has
designed costumes for over 50
productions for Theatre South
Carolina, most recently Ajax in Iraq
and The Three Musketeers. Lisa’s
professional design credits include
Film: Ruby in Paradise, winner of
the 1993 Sundance Film Festival
and starring Ashley Judd; Ulee’s
Gold (1997) starring Peter Fonda;
Coastlines (2002) starring Timothy
Olyphant. Regional Theatre costume
design credits include: American
Folklore Theatre, Asolo State
Theatre, Aquila Theatre Company
of London, Charlotte Repertory
Theatre, and Hippodrome State
Theatre. Her long-time collaboration
with Marilyn Wall (Emmy Awardwinning costume designer) and
Marion Caffey (Three Mo’ Tenors) on
Cookin’ at the Cookery has brought
her design and technical expertise
to the Geva Theatre, Merrimack
Repertory Theatre, and Huntington
Theatre Company.
Andy Mills
Technical Director
Andy has designed
professionally
at
Shakespeare
Theatre’s
Young
Company
(Washington,
DC),
Charlotte
Repertory
Theatre,
Carolina Opera, USC Opera, and
Trustus. Andy currently teaches
Intro to Theatre Design and Theatre
Laboratory. He specializes in
the area of properties, finding or
building the most obscure of items.
Andy is a Member of USITT.
Chris Patterson
Master Electrician
Christopher Patterson
is a second year MFA
Lighting
Design
candidate from Union, South
Carolina. Chris made his Longstreet
Theatre stage debut designing
Translations under the leadership of
Paul Savas. Christopher's work has
also premiered at the Koger Center
for the Arts under the leadership of
Eric Morris. Chris has recently carried
out the role of Master Electrician for
the twenty-eighth season of the
Virginia Shakespeare Festival.
Robert Richmond
Co-Artistic Director
Robert Richmond
is originally from
Hastings, England,
and
studied
at
the Royal Scottish Academy
of Music and Drama. He is an
Associate Professor in Theatre at
the University of South Carolina,
Co-Artistic Director, and Head
of Undergraduate Studies and
Performance in the Department
of Theatre & Dance. Prior to his
academic career Robert spent
thirteen years as the Associate
Artistic Director of the Aquila
Theatre Company, and directed
productions of Shakespeare that
toured across the United States and
Europe. Robert’s directing career
continues to take him all over the
nation. Most recently his credits at
the Folger Theatre include: Julius
Caesar, Twelfth Night, Henry V,
Othello, Henry VIII, Julius Caesar,
and Richard III. Other companies
Robert has been directed for include
Lost Colony, La Jolla Playhouse, and
Denver Center for the Performing
Arts. His next project A Tale Told
By An Idiot, which was originated
at USC in 2008, will appear this
May at the Clark Studio at Lincoln
Center, NYC. Robert will also be
directing Hamlet for the Academy
of Classical Acting at Shakespeare
Theatre in D. C. in June. His work
is known for its ability to reinvigorate
theatre with imagination, innovation,
and relevance. His mission is to create
theatre that will sustain and transform
the twenty-first century, revitalize
audiences, and reward them for their
patronage.
Nic Ularu
Scenic Design Advisor
Professor Ularu has
extensive
design
credits in USA and
Europe, including theatres in Sweden,
Northern Ireland and Romania. Nic
Ularu was the head of scenography
at the National Theatre of Bucharest
- Romania, and served for four years
as a board member of The European
League of the Institutes of the Arts
(ELIA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
He has taught scene and/or costume
design in Romania, Germany, Sweden,
UK, Italy, Denmark and Hong Kong.
Prior to USC, he taught at Smith
College, National Theatre School
of Denmark and The University of
Theatre and Film, Romania. In 2003,
Professor Ularu received an OBIE
award for outstanding achievement in
Off-Broadway theater. Ularu’s designs
appeared in the USA entries at the
Prague Quadrennial International
Exhibitions of scenography in 2007,
2003 and 1998. In 2005, Nic codesigned the exhibit and designed
the poster for the World Stage Design
Exhibition, Toronto - Canada, and
was appointed by the United States
Institute of Theatre Technology as the
leading designer and curator of the
USA National Exhibit at the Prague
Quadrennial International Exhibition
of 2007. Besides his national and
international design activity Nic Ularu
is a playwright and director. His recent
freelance work as playwright and
director includes several acclaimed
productions at LaMaMa ETC - New
York, Sibiu International Theatre
Festival - Romania, Teatrul Foarte
Mic, Bucharest - Romania, “O”
Teatret - Sweden, National Theatre
of Constanta - Romania, and National
Theatre of Cluj - Romania. Nic recently
received the Grand Prix award
for Best Production for a show he
designed and directed at the Belgrade
International Theatre Featival. BEHIND THE SCENES
Technical Director
Assistant Technical Director
Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Master Electrician
Andy Mills
Sam Gross Sara Hilton
Kat Marchant
Chris Patterson
Scenic Graduate Students Baxter Engle, Neda Spalajkovic,
Tamara Joksimovic
Scenic Studio Undergraduate Leroy Kelly, Drake Dial, Assistants Caroline Catoe, Brandon Owen and students of THEA 121
Lighting Studio Undergraduate Sara Hilton, Megan Branham, Assistants Adam Greathouse, Katrina Koprowicz
Scenic Artists
Tamara Joksimovic,
Neda Spalajkovic, Baxter Engle
Graduate Lighting Students
Christopher Patterson,
Rachel Sheets
William Quant
Leroy Kelly
Light Board Operator
Sound Board Operator
Costume Graduate Student
Rachel Harmon
Undergraduate Assistants
Molly Burdsall, Kat Marchant,
Kira Neighbors
Staff Drapers
Dressers
Makeup/Wigs
Wig Assistant
Kelly Renko-Clarkson,
Vera DuBose
Scott Koontz, Corey Robinson
Cody Phillips
Cherelle Guyton
Libby Bagnal
Deck Crew/Props
Costume Studio Supervisor
Dept. Chair/Co-Artistic Director
Assoc. Chair/Co-Artistic Director
Financial Manager
Administrative Assistants
Student Coordinator
Spencer Henderson
Lisa Martin-Stuart
Robert Richmond
Ray Jones
Charlotte Denniston, Leigh Cowart
Lakesha Campbell
Special Thanks
Workshop Theatre
Senior Leroy Kelly has immersed
himself in the theatre world since he
started the program in 2014. His USC
experience sprung into high gear
quickly in October 2014 when he was
cast as the mythical warrior Ajax in
Ajax in Iraq at Longstreet Theatre.
Soon after, he landed a role in Trustus’
production of In the Red and Brown
Water, and since then has worked on
the construction of sets for several
UofSC shows and collaborated on
several films. (And, he’s running the
sound board for Blithe Spirit!) In
February, 2016, Leroy will make his
directorial debut, as he helms the Lab
Theatre’s production of Still Life, a
powerful documentary-style drama
about the lasting personal effects of
the Vietnam War.
The term “theatre” surely has a deeper
connotation for Leroy, given his eight
years as a Marine, serving in the midst
of the “theatres of war” in Iraq and
Afghanistan prior to coming to the
University. We talked to Leroy about
his experience as a Marine, what
brought him to the University of SC,
and making the evolution from officer
to artist.
What made you go into the service?
I went into the Marine Corps in 2003
because I was watching footage of
the war on TV and thought it would be
cool to be a part of. A recruiter asked
me if I wanted to go in, and I told him
no at first, but then my dad came to
me and said I should join since I wasn’t
doing too well in school at that time,
so I signed up. I got a shock right
after boot camp when I joined the
fleet at Camp Lejeune, and was told
that I would be deploying to Iraq in
January of 2004. I ended up making
three deployments to Iraq and one to
Afghanistan. I wasn’t happy, though,
because I went in hoping to be able
to go to school while in the service,
but instead I was just training and
deploying, training and deploying. So,
after eight years, I choose to get out
and went to Midlands Tech. There, I
took a theatre class and it resurrected
the interest I’d had in theatre when I
was in high school — enough to make
me decide to be a theatre major.
Where did you go to high school?
Spring Valley High. I was born in
Blythewood and moved to Columbia
when I was 12. I took Drama with
Alison McNeely {a UofSC theatre
alum} — she’s very animated and
just a lively person when it comes to
theatre and just makes you love it. I
felt like I excelled in it and overall just
really enjoyed it.
Why did you decide to pursue
theatre training at the UofSC?
I decided to take the leap after I got
my Associates in Art at Midlands
Tech. Being in the Marines taught
me to not fear, and there’s definitely
fear in deciding to major in theatre
because it’s not as stable of a field as,
say, engineering or nursing. So, it was
a little bit of scare to make the jump
to USC. You know, when I joined
the Marine Corps, I didn’t know how
to shoot a gun, I didn’t know various
other things that I would have to use
if I was to go to war. And, it took
me a while to learn those things, but
I eventually did. I compare that to
where I’m at now, majoring in theatre.
I didn’t have a lot of theatre training
before I came to USC, but I knew that
if I got the training, and worked hard
at it like I did in the Marines, then I’d be
a success.
How have you grown as a theatre
artist in your time here?
Theatre knowledge is one thing,
definitely. Before I came here, I didn’t
have much knowledge in how to
build sets, or work with lighting and
sound, be a stage manager, or even
how to conduct myself as an actor
on and off the stage, so that overall
knowledge is just a huge thing I’ve
gained. I’ve also learned a lot about
movement from Sarah Barker. I’ve
taken her Advanced Alexander
Technique class, and its helped me
to incorporate the technique into not
just the performance space but in my
everyday life.
Performance class with Erica Tobolski.
I came across this monologue of the
character of Mark from Still Life, and
it just triggered so many memories
of my Marine Corps experience, the
things he was going through and how
I could relate to them. I wanted to
learn more about his story. I’m also
really into getting the word out about
PTSD and wanted to use this play as
a platform for getting that story out
there.
What’s next after you graduate?
I want to get a job doing set building
in either Atlanta or Chicago, and when
I’m there get what I can in terms of
acting, voice and movement lessons,
do some shows to get more acting
experience. I’d love to keep working
in film, really build on that experience
and go from there.
Congratulations, Leroy, on all you’ve
accomplished so far! We encourage
everyone to check out Still Life,
February 25-28 at the Lab Theatre.
(Adults only, please, as the show
contains language and situations that
are not appropriate for children.)
There’s a lot of reasons to want to quit
when you’re going through a theatre
degree. Maybe you audition and you
don’t get the part, or you get told from
others that you’re not as good as this
or that. Learning to rise above that is
an ongoing process, but I’ve gotten
pretty good at it thus far. Overall,
that’s the most important thing —
constantly being able to push forward
and keep learning even though there
are reasons to say no and quit.
Tell us about Still Life.
"Still Life" came to me from looking for
a monologue for my Rehearsal and
Inset: Leroy as the warrior Ajax in "Ajax in Iraq."
At right: Leroy in the scene shop painting sets for
"Still Life."
Tickets for “Meteor” and “Ruptured Silence” sold separately. Box Office: 777-2551. Tickets go on sale Nov. 16!
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NO NIGHTLY
8PM
UP NEXT ON THE MAIN STAGE
ILLUSTRATION BY SYDNEY HOYT
BILL IRWIN & MARK O'DONNELL
adapted from MOLIÈRE
directed by LOUIS BUTELLI
written by
FEBRUARY 19-27
LONGSTREET THEATRE
This adaptation of one of Molière’s final plays was an instant smash when it premiered
Off-Broadway in 1997, and as reported in The New York Times, “would have gone over
big with the same audience who first saw The Fourberies de Scapin in 1671.” Moliere’s
outrageous farce introduces us to the trickster servant Scapin, whose expertise in
scheming is called upon by two young men, Octave and Leander, both desperate to
escape marriages arranged by their fathers. With the help of his accomplice Sylvestre,
Scapin spins ever more elaborate deceptions to help in the men’s romantic pursuits,
and achieve some payback for himself in the process.
“…a generous gag-fest, packed with rib-tickling delights…” — San Francisco Gate
Longstreet Theatre, 1300 Greene St. | Columbia, SC 29208
803.777.5208 | [email protected] | artsandsciences.sc.edu/thea