When I first entered college, I knew I wanted to be a theatre-maker, but I did not understand the mechanics of professional theatre and the different career options I could follow. Now as I conclude my time in undergrad, I have discovered that there are a plethora of opportunities, both in theatre specifically and arts-related fields, that appeal to me! 

 

I initially entered Loyola as a theatre-major, but briefly switched my major to education with the intention of becoming a high school history teacher. I do not regret the brief change, because the education classes I took have better shaped my experiences as a theatre artist. Within the department, I have been presented with various opportunities to combine my love for teaching with a passion for theatre, namely within the CPS Shakespeare program led by Carrie Hardin, the Creative Dramatics class instructed by Jillian Gryzlak, and my position as Young Person Supervisor is ONCE. Additionally I have worked over the summers at Devonshire Cultural Center in Skokie as Camp Director for their Summer on Broadway Rising Camp program, which has allowed me to combine my love for management, theatre, and working with kids.

 

Throughout my time, I have had the chance to hold a variety of leadership positions, mainly as PMC of the Production Office and have stage managed various shows. Overall I believe this niche of theatre within management positions appeals to me the most as an artist. I enjoy being involved in a project from start to finish and like to look at a production with the big picture in mind versus an individual subsection of the process. I have already been able to stage manage two professional shows in Chicago, a staged reading at Lifeline Theatre and the other a full production with Strawdog Theatre Company. Through these opportunities I’ve found real world applications for my skills I’ve learned from Loyola and have gained a wider breadth of knowledge regarding stage management and working with new people and spaces. Without an advisor or professor working on these professional productions, I’ve learned to trust myself and rely on the knowledge I have to be successful in new spaces, something I plan on continuing to do after graduation

 

As I reflect upon the skills I’ve gained in undergrad, I’ve been able to pinpoint the areas in which I want to continue growing in. Within production management, I want to become more familiar with the financial aspects of running a company and production, something I hope to explore through potential production management positions in the future. On a larger scale, I’d like to eventually get my master’s degree in Arts Management or a similar field. I hope pursuing a masters will help me fill gaps in my knowledge, specifically in administrative areas. Eventually I hope this pursuit will allow me to explore a variety of careers (Managing Director, Arts Administrator, Company Manager, and similar).

 

The most meaningful project of my theatre career so far was stage managing Fairview in the spring of 2024. Dr Deron S Williams and Cris Carole provided an open, safe space for dialogue through which I was able to engage in difficult conversations and learn about experiences that I will never truly live myself. I also discovered how much I enjoyed working on art that inspires meaningful and productive conversations, both in rehearsals and production spaces and amongst audience members after the show. The play itself was also extremely technically challenging. However, we knew each problem we solved would greater amplify the 

message of the text, which both increased my motivation to problem solve and think critically. It was critical that we presented the text authentically to convey the themes of the piece, which made it all the more rewarding when we overcame a challenge. 

 

As I move into my last semester and look towards graduation, I can confidently say that I am excited to start my career as a stage manager within the Chicago area. Although I will miss the structure of an academic institution, I’m choosing to look at the next chapter of my life as an opportunity to figure out how I best operate as a human being, not just a student. The time management skills and bigger picture thinking I’ve gained from managerial positions over the last four years has prepared me for taking my next steps.