Spotlight:

You walk onto stage; not quite sure about how the audience is going to react. You hope they like what you have to offer. By the time the light goes up though you almost forget about them. You aren’t yourself anymore. You are Aunty Dora or Laura Wingfield. You are “Gossip 1” or “Lady on the bus.” You can’t react to situations how you would, but rather how these characters would. And you have to make it believable…

I’ve often mentioned that I am studying Journalism, but it is becoming clearer to me that I am only doing so because my parents were comfortable with me only getting a Drama degree. Don’t get me wrong. I have a passion for writing, but the life of a Journalist is stressful and I often feel like my writing style is stunted by journalism limitations.

But Drama…woah. It’s amazing. In second year I took a scriptwriting elective and was one of the most enriching experiences of my whole Rhodes Career. We were given the opportunity to write our own play script and then present it to our class for feedback. Honestly I have never been as inspired as what I was during those classes. Lat year I was in third year; which meant that we get to pick our own electives. After an extensive audition process I was placed in Stage Management and Directing!

In a few short months I have not only worked backstage on a large departmental production, but I also had the opportunity to direct a piece of my own! I was assigned to work as a Wardrobe Assistant on the Department’s production ‘Curl Up & Dye.”That meant hours of looking for hair curlers, phoning around for 80s wigs and sewing first year Drama students into their costumes. Due to the small size of the backstage crew I also had to serve as a stage hand. This was the hard part. The production called for running water on stage and a realistic doorway. Long story short I am now on a first name bases with the Plumbing department of the Grahamstown Hardware Store. Directing was a lot more fun. In first term we had to pick a section of a Realism piece to direct and I picked Scene 7 of the Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. I absolutely love this play and it’s a shame that we only got to do 5 minutes of it. Williams has quite a lyrical way of writing. In the third term I directed a Non-realist/ Absurdist piece called “Zoo Story”, which in itself was a challenge for me. I love realism so for my next exam I did “Bug” by Tracey Letts. A bit darker piece for me, but fully enriching.

One of the most exciting experiences for me was my work in the Youth Director’s Season. I was picked to be the stage manager for Honour student Jade Manicom’s realist piece, “Red”.  “Red” is about the artist Mark Rothko and his new assistant, Ken. My friends Phillip and Keegan starred as Rothko and Ken respectively and it was such a joy working with both of them. They are both so talented and I look forward to great things for both of them.

It breaks my heart that I have to give up Drama for one year, because it will be always be a large part of my life. 

My Third Year Drama Class