Page 30 - Let's Make Waves - October 2018
P. 30
CURTAIN GOING UP!
By: Paul Hager
only one theatre major in 2015. woman who can play in that range. It tru-
ly is a community theatre in this aspect
Enter H. Russ Brown, the current head of and I wouldn’t have it any other
SPO theatre and artistic director. In the three way! This offers our theatre majors TWO
SPOTLIGHT ON TLIGHT ON
COM THEA years since his tenure began, Brown has major benefits: First, they get valuable
COM THEATRE | TRE |
C Last week, I was able to 'catch up' with world” and it offers them the added bene-
doubled the number of theatre classes and experience in the kinds of roles they’ll ac-
A UNIQUE MERGING
turned one theatre major into over 40.
tually be competing for out in the “real
fit of not only learning from their profes-
Brown via email for an interview.
sors and directors, but also from the years
OM Theatre is a dis-
of experience the more mature, seasoned
tinctly different venue
actors bring to the stage. Watching how
for live theatre in the
Gulf Coast area in that
mance style and how they conduct them-
it is a 'mashup' of com- the older actors approach their perfor-
selves professionally, they serve as excel-
munity theatre and educational theatre. lent examples to the Theatre Ma-
Production and performance roles jors. Secondly, they have the opportunity
[directors and actors] may be filled by ei- through these relationships, offstage, to
ther theatre majors attending classes at vastly grow/expand their networking in
College of the Mainland or 'seasoned' H. Russ Brown | COM Theatre the theatre world fostering connections
thespians from the community at large. PAUL - Having had the pleasure of per- and contacts that may pay off for them
PAUL - Having had the pleasure of per-
forming at COM several times, I know out in the real world.
forming at COM several times, I know
Beginning with its founding in the early what benefits I get by working with stu-
what benefits I get by working with stu-
70's using this concept and christened dent performers. What are some of the PAUL - How and by whom are plays and
dent performers. What are some of the
College of the Mainland Community The- benefits your theatre majors cite from musicals selected for COM Theatre's sea-
benefits your theatre majors cite from
atre, it flourished throughout the 70's and working onstage and backstage with us sons? Are you governed by a board of
working onstage and backstage with us
80's with expanding faculty and staff and 'seasoned' actors? directors or a similar faction at the col-
'seasoned' actors?
was named one of the top ten community lege?
theatres in America by the American The- BROWN - At COM Theatre we only do
atre Institute. In the years moving to- age appropriate casting and, so, we only BROWN - In my capacity as Artistic Di-
wards the new millennium and beyond, cast people within their believable playable rector, our season at COM Theatre is se-
however, while the community theatre range. If the play calls for a grandfather, lected by myself and my production team
remained vital, interest in the academic we get someone grandfather age. If it calls of Curt Meyer, Technical Director, and
side began to wane, all the way down to
for a twenty-something woman, we get a Amanda Bezemek, Costume Director.
30 | Waves Magazine | October 2018 Issue
