COLLEGIATE THEATRICS: Vanderbilt University's CATE JO

There's the feeling of fall in the air - and on college campuses all over the country, theatrically-charged students are back at work, learning new things and then putting that newfound knowledge to the test onstage. At Nashville's Vanderbilt University, budding thespians daily are hard at work bringing this semester's theater offerings to life and honing their craft in hopes of transporting audiences to other worlds, other universes via theatrical exploration.

Take Cate Jo, for example: A native of Birmingham, Alabama, she originally arrived on the Vanderbilt campus with an eye toward a career in academia, ultimately changing course to pursue a career as an actress. Most recently, she played the challenging role of Bianca in Tennessee Women's Theater Project's production of Lauren Gunderson's The Taming, a fanciful contemporary comedy that fairly crackled with intensity as it examined popular and political culture in the United States, viewing the trajectory of American political thought from the earliest days of the republic to the present. Earlier this year, she played Lady Nijo and Nell in Vanderbilt University Theatre's production of Caryl Churchill's Top Girls.

Maryanna Clarke, the 2012 First Night Honoree and founder of Tennessee Women's Theater Project who directed The Taming, had this to say about Cate Jo: "You gotta love a young, supple mind that makes owning the text look easy! I love it when actors are word perfect. And never let anyone tell you that artists work from only one side of the brain; Cate was a Vanderbilt math major before she changed her major to theater. She is very talented, enthusiastic, eager to learn and willing to try whatever I asked. This spirit made her a real joy to work with."

Cate's resume is impressive, including roles in VUT's productions of Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Good Person of Setzuan and Downsizing - and she is a member of Vanderbilt University's Concert Choir.

Obviously, the name of Cate Jo is one you'll likely to in the future of American theater, so here's your opportunity to get to know her in this week's Collegiate Theatrics...

So, how's your college theater career going? Has it lived up to its advance hype? I can't believe my college theatre journey is almost over! I didn't know much about the program here before I chose Vanderbilt (which can be explained below), but I've loved it ever since I got involved.

What's your favorite part of studying at your school? I love studying theatre at Vanderbilt. Although at times it can be difficult to draw an audience for our shows, the small department allows us to form a close bond with the faculty, and they all have so much knowledge and expertise to offer.

Have your future plans changed since your college experiences? I originally planned to become a professor, with a math major from Vanderbilt and a PhD. Instead, I discovered my love for theatre during my freshman year and almost immediately changed my major, and now I hope to pursue a career in acting wherever I end up.

What collegiate theatrical moment looms largest in your mind? I will always remember getting cast in my first show. VUT invited guest director Wendy Knox to put on The Good Person of Szechwan by Bertolt Brecht. I was thrilled when I was cast as the Wife (and had more lines than I thought I would get as a newcomer) and began the amazing process of putting a show together.

What advice would you offer to high school students considering making the plunge? Absolutely go for it! If it's possible for someone who used to have no background in theatre, someone like me, to come out with a major and a plan for the future, then it's possible for anybody. A random decision three years ago to audition for a theatre show changed my life completely.

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