Theatre is a secret society. Granted, it’s probably the worst-kept secret that it could be, being as we actively advertise its existence, but anyone who has ever participated in a live show knows the feeling of being part of something larger than yourself, of creating a tiny community within the world at large that would do anything to achieve its purpose. Now, most secret societies are blessed with intriguing abilities and powerful connections, and that’s technically true for thespians; unfortunately for us, our abilities are acting like fictional characters that nobody outside of the show has ever heard of, and our connections are to the friends and family that we beg to come and see our show. Our dark figures in the shadows are usually pulling set pieces rather than strings. Nobody knows that they love theatre until they experience their first show, be that as an audience member or a performer, and once a person falls in love with the rush of working on a show to its completion, it’s rare to not see them return to the boards.
I have had the pleasure of being the president and music director of UNBC Musical Productions for several years now. If you haven’t heard of us, we are a student-led non-profit theatre group that puts on musicals every spring. Our most recent stage production, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” was performed at Theatre NorthWest in March of 2020. As part of my role in our organization, I have the absolute joy of working with a beautiful balance of experienced actors, some that have been performing since they were children, and fresh-faced newcomers. There is a pure delight in being able to sit down and discuss the production with my performers in terms that are almost incoherent to anyone who has not spent most of their lives being a little too involved in theatre, and then, in the same breath, turning to somebody who has never performed before and asking their perception of character and blocking. These opinions are invaluable; it’s so easy to lose yourself in the academic dreams behind the show and forget to actually make it an enjoyable production for the audience. There are now several members of UNBC Musical Productions who started their foray into theatre with us and are now either pursuing or considering acting as a career. For the long six months that we generally spend rehearsing, the cast becomes a close-knit group that encourages every single member, and teaches them all to love theatre as deeply as the longest-standing performer does. Now, that’s not to forget our crew; as soon as they join the production closer to the end of our rehearsal time, they instantly enter our family, whether they want to or not! I have never experienced such a welcoming and inclusive group of people than I have found in my fellow thespians at UNBC Musical Productions, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am to them for being the wonderful people that they are.
As we approach a post-pandemic world, the missing piece of our community is becoming more and more obvious. A certain spark comes from a town that truly loves its artists, and we are lucky to have the chance to return to that magic. There is one last thing that secret societies are known for, and that’s the wielding of influential knowledge. Theatre also has that gift, but the knowledge that is bestowed upon its members is simply that, at the end of months of work and devotion to the craft, something wonderful will be experienced by anyone who chooses to come and watch us pour our hearts and souls onto the stage for you.
We’re very excited to get back to doing what we love most in September. If you want to stay updated on what we’ve got planned for our upcoming season, follow us on Facebook at “UNBC Musical Productions.” You can also visit us on YouTube at “UNBCMusicals” for some digital content, including our virtual “Budget Broadway” performance from this past spring.
