COLLEGIATE THEATRICS: Lipscomb University's Emily Hughes

As hard as it may be to fathom, the calendar indicates we're practically to February already and 2015 is off and running like some out-of-control roller coaster. Perhaps no one is more acutely aware of this than Emily Hughes, an acting major at Nashville's Lipscomb University, who no sooner than she had her bags unpacked from Christmas break that she was already hard at work on her next assignment: playing Mayzie LaBird in Seussical the Musical, which runs February 13-22 at Collins Alumni Auditorium.

A 2013 First Night Most Promising Actor, Emily is a Tier 1 member of Lipscomb's Foundational Dance Theatre and has appeared as Cosette in Les Miserables, Clarice in West Side Story and as the Sugar Plum Fairy in Shrek the Musical.

A Nashville native, Emily took some time off from classes and rehearsals, to talk with us about her college career and the impact the experience has had on her for this week's installment of Collegiate Theatrics. Get to know her better and you'll understand why she's already turning heads and garnering attention for her onstage turns...

How's your theater career at Lipscomb going? Has it lived up to its advance hype? My college theatre career has been great...I love being able to study what I love to do. I have learned so much and grown so much as an artist! At Lipscomb I have gotten so many opportunities like studying theatre in London, New York City, and going to conferences like KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival)! My experience has been above and beyond anything I would have ever expected.

What's your favorite part of going to Lipscomb? I just feel at home here! Everyone wants you to be successful in your craft. The professors genuinely want you to grow and be the best version of yourself that you can be! I also love that we get trained in all areas of theatre. Not only do I get acting, singing, and dance training, I also get a great training in the technical aspect of theatre. I just love knowing that when I graduate that finding a job might not be as hard as I once thought it would be.

Have your future plans changed since entering Lipscomb? My plans haven't really changed they have just become more of a reality instead of a dream. Before college the thought of moving to New York was very intimidating but now the thought is way less scary. Studying abroad in big cities make you feel like you can accomplish anything. I could not express enough about how important it is to get out of you comfort zone and go somewhere that intimidates you. For me that was London, England.

What collegiate theatrical moment looms largest in your mind? Being involved as a performer in Lipscomb's mainstage productions. There is no greater joy in life for me than being able to perform and tell a story! I love expressing myself through acting, singing, and dancing and I love being able to challenge myself through characters whether they're main characters or ensemble roles. The relationships I've made through the shows I've done at Lipscomb have been unbeatable and something I will never forget! I will be sad when I graduate.

What advice would you offer to high school students considering making the plunge? If you love it...do it! As a high school senior I was terrified of studying theatre in college. For the first two semesters of College I actually studied Elementary Education with a theatre minor. I was still involved with the theatre by taking acting classes and doing backstage work for the shows but I wasn't a major because I was scared to! I then realized that something was missing in my life and that was theatre. For high school students that are considering studying theatre in college I say GO FOR IT! If you love it and can't live without it, DO IT! Trust yourself and your ability and you will see that it isn't as scary as you think.

To post a comment, you must register and login.