In a few months EMU will debut a short 30-minute play called Take this Seat. The comedy follows Leo, a perfectionistic bookworm in his mid 20s, and how his life is turned upside down when a woman named Maya walks into it. This show differs from the usual performances that EMU puts on, however, as it will be directed by a student. Anna Hoover, a third-year chemistry major and theater minor, is the driving force behind this idea and has successfully launched it into being.
Hoover has been an actively involved thespian for many years, with experience ranging from lead roles to behind the scenes work as on the stage crew. In her time at EMU, she has been in every theater production. This is her first time trying her hand at directing, though. She was inspired to take on the challenge after a conversation with fellow cast members during her participation of EMUs musical last fall: “U2 Romeo and Juliet.”
“I had been talking to some of the other girls I do theater with, and we noted how the theater industry is very male led. Even EMU’s theater program is very male led. It’s no fault of their own … it’s just a reality of the industry. So, it kind of started with me wanting to find a show that really showcased female voices. Even though the lead character is male in this one, it was written by a woman.”
Thus, the decision to put on Take this seat was something larger than mere interest in exploring the world of directing. Hoover sought to remove barriers she’d seen in her many years of performing. She hopes to use this play as a starting point to address those barriers:
“I started talking with Justin, our theater director, about finding shows that had better representation of females in general. He said the best way to start is with something small and work from there. This is my something small that I’m starting with, and I’ll hopefully be able to go off of that.”
While the inspiration behind executing this performance is a testament to bettering inclusivity in the theater industry, Hoover hopes that the content of the play itself will resonate with viewers. The short comedy has a theme we can all learn from: letting go of the things we can’t control. If there’s one thing Hoover hopes the audience takes away from the show it’s that embracing the unknown can be freeing. “The big thing that I would want them to take away from [the show] is that you can’t plan everything in your life. You can’t predict what life is going to throw at you. Sometimes you just have to be willing to go for it and take a risk… and sometimes it doesn’t work out. But going and taking that risk is part of living.”
In the next few weeks, be sure to look-out for more information about Take this Seat! It is projected to premiere in EMU’s Blackbox theater on ACE festival weekend, April 23rd and 24th.
