As a way to ring in the new year and a new season of Blair Hall shows, Multimedia Specialist LeAnne McPherson interviews actor Nicholas Mellott of the Sinclair Theater department as a preview of what’s to come this semester.
McPherson: Can you tell us about yourself and Sinclair theater history?
Mellott: My name is Nicholas Benjamin Mellott, I went to Kettering Fairmont High School and I did theater there for two years. I also did theater prior to that in Virginia. At Sinclair I’ve been Schroeder in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and I’m currently in “Joseph [and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat]” as Male Ensemble/Baker.
McPherson: What are you most looking forward to this semester for theater?
Mellott: There’s a lot to look forward to. I’m excited for “Antigone,” because I love the classics. I’m looking forward to “Refugees” because our director is also a playwright, and as a playwright myself I’m excited to see how he, Nelson Sheeley, works. I’m also looking forward to “Joseph…” From a technical standpoint this is so much more spectacular than what I saw from high school. I’m excited to see our show “Refugees,” a show about a gay couple taking in another gay couple who are fleeing from Syria.
I think it’s great because it will be a good foil to our starting show this year, “Slut;” since that was an all-female cast and this is an all-male cast. I think it’s really cool that this year we’re being able to address big topics like “slut-shaming and homosexuality,” it’s really cool from an acting perspective!
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McPherson: What show do you think will be the biggest undertaking?
Mellott: As an actor, you kinda put blinders on for the future. I’m juggling a job, theater, a social life, and school! School has to fit in there eventually! The whole department is trying to fit in these things, so the general department focus is on the present and being there.
To just try to put on the best show you can in the present. So, I’m not really focused on what is the biggest, per say, “Joseph…” is hard from a technical standpoint, “Antigone” is gonna be difficult in the way most classical shows are, and “Refugees” will be difficult because of the subject matter.
McPherson: How is acting in college different from acting in high school?
Mellott: I’d say some of the bigger differences is some of the source material. Take “Slut,” it’s been put on for high schools before. But most school administrations would never allow a cast of high schoolers to perform it. The other difference is the professionalism from your peers. In high school, you might do theater as a hobby, but in college where you’ve paid thousands of dollars to the school, you’re more passionate about what you’re doing. Which leads to this amazing work I’m seeing from our department.
LeAnne McPherson
Multimedia Specialist