My name is Rebecca McCullough, and I am a seed. I'm also currently a junior theatre major at Marietta College, but more important at the moment is the fact that I'm a seed. Please don't ask "What kind of seed?", though, as I don't quite know. It's hard to tell what sort of plant I'll grow into. But I do know one thing: thanks to the fertile soil of Marietta's theatre department, it's going to be a beautiful plant. Okay, so perhaps the blooming-flower metaphor is a bit heavy-handed. But it's also true. Anyone who has worked and played in the Marietta College theatre can tell you what a rich environment it is for learning as well as personal growth. All students, from freshman to seniors and from theatre majors to petroleum engineering majors, are equally welcome to participate in productions. Theatre majors and minors are instructed in a variety of areas of theatre rather than being pigeon-holed as "just an actor" or "just a techie." The professors work one-on-one with students to help them build their skills and expand their talents.
But the benefits of this department go beyond what any observer can see. Because at Marietta, the most wonderful aspect of the theatre isn't just its approach to theatre education (which is splendid) or its skilled and dedicated students and faculty members (who are lovely) or its wealth of opportunities for students who hail from all areas of academic study (which is admirable). When you strip away all the facts that can be polished up for promotional brochures, the theatre at Marietta College is still a beautiful place to be because it so easily becomes home. When you get inside this little world, its inherent loveliness and benefits become clear.
Whether you only participate in one production per semester or spend your days and nights in the Hermann Fine Arts Center (even when you really have no legitimate reason to be there), Marietta's theatre department remains something special. I came into college theatre nervous and fretful, fearing I would be viewed as inadequate due to my lack of experience and, in consequence, shuffled off into the corner for the next four years. How delightfully surprised I was by the even playing field I found and the encouraging environment which I met. At Marietta, it truly does not matter how much experience you've had or where your skill level currently lies. Professors and fellow students are more than willing to meet you in the middle and help you grow in whatever areas of theatre you wish to work.
We have the good, rich soil. We have the sunlight and fresh air. We have the rainfall. You're the seed. As long as you want to grow, the environment here is fertile.
Rebecca would be delighted to answer any questions you may send to rdm002@marietta.edu.
