Many of our staff and faculty members live close to school, so anytime I鈥檓 off campus, I think about the possibility of running into a professor or other employee. It isn鈥檛 a bad occurrence, but it鈥檚 somewhat cringey to think about what to say to a professor outside of the classroom or context of a class. Even if it鈥檚 someone you admire or are very familiar with, there鈥檚 always a moment of silence where neither the student nor the adult knows quite what to say. However, this isn鈥檛 always the case. I saw a professor outside of the classroom and instead of it being awkward, it was invigorating. I saw him on a stage, in a costume, transformed into one of the most well-known gods of Greek literature: Zeus. Kinda cool, right?
I found myself in the second scenario a few weeks ago. Jude Sandy, an adjunct assistant professor in our Department of Theater, was in Trinity Repertory Company鈥檚 production of 鈥渂lack odyssey,鈥� an adaptation of Homer鈥檚 鈥淭he Odyssey.鈥� Last year, Jude directed a show in which I was an ensemble member and he has since served as a mentor and role model for my career and artistry. The department organized a trip about a year ago to see another show Jude was in, 鈥淥thello,鈥� in which he played Othello. This time around, the trip was organized by Professor of Classics in Theater Nina Papathanasopoulou for her class. A friend found out the class had a few tickets remaining, and she jumped at the opportunity to get us on board.
The company鈥檚 website called the show a 鈥渂reathtaking, vibrant, and gloriously theatrical production鈥� and 鈥渁 lyrical, musical, and spiritual celebration of storytelling and what it means to find home.鈥� Was it breathtaking? Yes. Was it also vibrant and gloriously theatrical? Yes. It was all of these things and more because everyone on stage was something I want to become, a Black-identifying actor. To know that you have a chance because other people that look and speak like you have one is an indescribable feeling that fills me with hope, drive and wonder.
The most encapsulating thing about the entire show was seeing Jude, a Trinity Rep ensemble member, on stage. It鈥檚 sometimes rare that we get to see our professors work professionally鈥攚e鈥檙e so accustomed to seeing them in a classroom. Many of the faculty at 糖心TV have decades of experience working professionally in their respective fields, so if the opportunity comes along for students to get a glimpse into the professional non-teacher aspect of their career, we don鈥檛 hesitate to take part.
Jude鈥檚 next project is starring in the Trinity Rep鈥檚 production of the popular musical 鈥淟ittle Shop of Horrors,鈥� as Seymour. I can鈥檛 wait to see him command the stage as he always does and the whole theater department will be cheering him on.