MCC stage directors balance theater and academics
It’s been said that theater at its best is a collaborative process. That phrase rings
true for Meridian Community College students Emily Huebner and Luke Thomas.
Huebner and Thomas recently completed their tasks as stage directors for the Lauderdale County School District production of “Disney’s Descendants” held in the College’s McCain Theater. Arts & Letters Series Director Susie Johnson was the director of the show.
“Susie tells us what to do, and we make it happen,” said Huebner as she was backstage getting cast members prepped for one of the three performances. “It’s a lot of work to get everything done to make sure it runs smoothly,” she said.
For this production, Thomas took on dual roles, that of an actor and stage director. “I’ve been on every single sports team you can name, but nothing’s more cooperative and cohesively challenging than being in a stage production,” he said.
“And that makes it more rewarding,” Thomas said.
Huebner agreed getting a play produced can resemble organized chaos. But everyone knows what they’re doing, Thomas added.
A bonus from working on the play has afforded the directors the chance to get to know
the youths. “I’ve gotten to do shows with them myself, so it’s a good opportunity
to kind of bond with some of them. A lot of times, this is the only time I get to
see them,” Huebner said.
“It’s definitely a family,” Thomas said, adding, “doing things like this creates relationships that never break.”
Both Huebner and Thomas are honor, full-time students active on campus and involved in other organizations and veterans with campus theater productions. So balancing activities along with college classes fine-tune their time management skills. “It’s been interesting having to juggle to make sure I have everything done. I guess because I’ve done shows for so long, that I get used to it,” Huebner said.
Thomas added, “It’s hard juggling with school work … but it’s dedication.”