Featured Photo from MTSU Sidelines Archive
Story by Annabelle Cranfill
Middle Tennessee State University’s Theatre and Dance department held a showcase on Sunday to introduce and show off new students in the department. The showcase titled “Fresh Faces” included any first-year theatre or dance student.
11 acts and 16 new faces composed the show. The acts included eight songs, two duet scenes and a monologue. Two first-year students were on the tech crew.
The show was held in the Studio Theatre of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts building on campus. Two theatre majors emceed the show, introducing each performer and their act. A fun fact and short introduction were given about each fresh face before they took the stage.
New students were able to sign up to participate and show off their skill set in either performance or tech crew. Each student got paired with a mentor with experience in the program.
Mentors and mentees met up multiple times to prepare for the show. Mentors would guide and help the new students make choices regarding their performances. They wanted the new students to feel more comfortable and confident in both their performance and in the program.
Freshman theatre major Spencer Whitney was amongst those performing in the showcase. Whitney has been doing theatre for around 12 years and comes from a musical family.
Whitney sang “I’m Not Afraid of Anything” from Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown.
“It encapsulates the courage and self-assurance that I hope to one day move through life with, and especially through this transition into college with a new department full of new people,” Whitney said.
Theatre major Logan Purcell mentored Whitney throughout the rehearsal process. Purcell has been a part of the theatre department for two years.
“I hope my performer and all of them get a sense of fun out of it. Cause that’s why we all chose this path, because we enjoy it so much. It is just a fun time to show off how awesome you are,” Purcell said.
MJ Learned, a freshman theatre education major, worked with the tech crew focusing on lights. Learned started theatre in middle school and began working on the tech side later in high school.
Learned spoke on the benefits of having mentors.
“They’re there to answer a lot of the questions I have, because it’s kind of scary coming into a new department and not knowing anything, But they answer all of my questions, they’re able to tell me stuff I wouldn’t know off the top of my head.”
Stokeley Ellison, theatre minor, mentored Learned in lighting. Ellison has been a part of MTSU theatre since Spring 2021.
“This is showcasing all the talent we just got here at MTSU. A lot of the time freshman and new transfers don’t get the opportunity to perform their first semester or even their first year being here. So I think this is a good way to see what talent and what skills they have,” Ellison spoke on showcasing the new students.
Assistant Professor of theatre, Alicia Fuss, organized the showcase.
“Fresh Faces hopefully will give them a chance to feel like they get their moment in the spotlight while they’re waiting to be able to audition for shows that’ll be happening in our season,” Fuss said. “I hope they feel super welcomed by the department, and I hope they feel connection that will help them feel welcomed and a part of things throughout their whole first year here.”
For future performances stay up to date on the Department of Theatre and Dance’s website.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
