by Jaden Haly
Delta Digital News Service

JONESBORO, Ark. — At Arkansas State University, theater productions like “Leading Ladies” depend greatly on the presence of a live audience, many of whom come from the surrounding Jonesboro community.

While the Department of Theatre produces the show, students alone cannot complete the experience without a live audience. Performing in front of live audiences night after night gives the students the most authentic acting experience possible.

Assistant stage manager and A-State student Emalee Gillean said the difference is noticeable.

“When audiences are reactive, laughing and engaged, our actors can feed off of that energy and put it into our show. Without a real audience, the feel of the show is very different,” Gillean said.

Because theater is performed live, each audience brings something new to the experience.

“Each audience has their own personality,” Gillean said. “Each day, our audiences are entirely different because of the energy they bring to the performance.”

For students who are involved in the production, that interaction is part of what makes theater different from regular classroom experiences. Director DayDay Robinson said students gain valuable insights through productions like this.

“Students gain real, hands-on experience that you just can’t replicate in a classroom,” Robinson said.

That experience is not only about rehearsals, but also performing in front of others and responding to audience reactions in real time. Gillean said audiences include more than just students.

“We see a wide variety of students, professors, family members and Jonesboro community members in our audiences,” Gillean said.

That mix of audience members shows how productions bring the Jonesboro community onto campus while also giving the students a chance to perform for a wider audience. In addition to performance, visual elements also contribute to the audience’s experience. Costume designer Claire Abernathy said actors bring those elements to life on stage.

“The two actors wear the costumes with such confidence and really embrace the fun, absurd playfulness of the moment,” Abernathy said.

For many students, the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience is one of the most important parts of the process.

“We spend months building a show and creating a special experience. Getting to showcase it is the highlight of the process for many,” Gillean said.

For performers, that connection between the stage and the audience is what makes live theater special. Donovan Walters, a student actor who performed in the A-State Theater production, “Leading Ladies,” said theater is a communal experience.

“Theater is a shared experience that connects a tie between all the people on stage and everybody in every seat,” Walters said.

For a city like Jonesboro, this connection between community and school is valuable.

The university’s theater program depends on community members to attend performances, while those same community members benefit from access to live theater and creative work produced by the students. Both sides have an important role in the success of the school and the community.