{"id":77368,"date":"2026-03-25T10:08:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T17:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/?p=77368"},"modified":"2026-03-25T15:44:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T22:44:49","slug":"celebrating-world-theatre-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/celebrating-world-theatre-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating World Theatre Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

On March 27<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0people\u00a0<\/span>throughout\u00a0<\/span>the world recognized the importance of t<\/span>heatre<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>its impact not only on\u00a0<\/span>audiences<\/span>\u00a0but also on those<\/span>\u00a0who<\/span>\u00a0make it part of their daily lives<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Si<\/span>x<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>students from NAU\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>Department of\u00a0<\/span>Theatre\u00a0<\/span>shared<\/span>\u00a0their experiences on\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>stage<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and how\u00a0<\/span>performing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>changed their lives.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabriel Ybarra<\/span><\/b>, junior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major:\u00a0Secondary\u00a0education with a minor in\u00a0theatre\u00a0studies\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Gabriel<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started my theatre\u00a0journey\u202fmy sophomore\u202fyear of high school.\u00a0I auditioned and joined the advanced drama program after being inspired by my significant\u202fother,\u00a0<\/span>McKenzie Mack. After joining this\u202fprogram, I was then\u00a0thrust\u00a0into theatre\u00a0life and was involved\u202fin many shows,\u00a0ranging from Shakespearean plays to musicals. After finishing\u202fhigh school, I continued\u202fto do performing\u202farts as a hobby and at the start of\u00a0the\u00a0second semester\u202fof junior year at NAU, I auditioned and was\u00a0cast\u00a0in a production\u202fcalled\u00a0\u201cLos\u00a0Vendidos\u201d\u00a0by Luis Valdez. This show was incredible and was a lot of fun. It\u00a0reinvigorated\u202fme to rejoin\u00a0theatre\u202fand perform\u202fagain.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My favorite role was Donkey\u00a0in a production of\u00a0\u201cShrek the Musical.\u201d\u00a0It was during my senior year in high school,\u00a0and being Donkey was everything\u202fI could have ever wanted in a role. I got to embrace my sillier side and was able to show off some of my singing chops as well. The production itself was quite enjoyable,\u00a0and I look back on wearing that grey Donkey suit fondly.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre\u00a0transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre\u00a0gave me a home, a\u00a0community\u00a0and a place where I could be myself,\u00a0allowing my creativity to thrive. I struggled in high school and was more problematic as a student;\u00a0however, theatre\u00a0changed that part of me and made me feel\u00a0worth something.\u00a0This drive to perform and be a part of something greater than myself was cultivated not only by myself but by my amazing partner, McKenzie.\u00a0She truly changed my life by offering me the chance to do theatre;\u00a0she taught me everything I know and without\u202fher,\u00a0I wouldn’t have gotten very far.\u00a0Theatre\u00a0is\u00a0a truly beautiful\u00a0art form\u00a0that I am happy to be a part of.\u00a0I hope\u00a0that other actors know their worth, in and outside of the theatre.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kai Pahnke<\/span><\/b>, senior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major: Theatre\u00a0studies<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started acting when I was\u00a011. My\u00a0fourth-grade teacher was a director at the local youth theatre, and every year she put on an end-of-year class play. I auditioned, earned\u00a0a pretty good\u00a0role\u00a0and fell in love. She told me to audition for the youth theatre. I did and was cast in my first musical,\u00a0\u201cJunie B Jones: The Musical.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My most accomplished role was when I played Olivia in\u00a0William Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cTwelfth Night.\u201d\u00a0However, my favorite role was playing Bippy, the obnoxious house elf, in \u201cPuffs.\u201d\u00a0The five minutes of stage time for that character were the best five minutes of my career.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre\u00a0transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre\u00a0has given me a purpose. To be able to perform and\u00a0pursue acting as a life goal is a privilege and a gift that I will always be grateful for. Before\u00a0theatre, I was an extremely shy kid with no hobbies and no friends. My mom says I was \u201cafraid of my own shadow.\u201d\u00a0In\u00a0theatre, I have found my friends for life, my passion and myself.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Riley Rambo<\/span><\/b>, junior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major: Theatre\u00a0studies\u00a0with\u00a0performance emphasis<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I got my start in elementary school, where everyone had to be a member of the school choir and had to audition for the school’s\/church’s plays\/musicals. We put on something for major holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving every year,\u00a0and I loved that it gave me an opportunity to hang out and play pretend with my friends.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My favorite role was probably Tom Collins, TC as we affectionately called him, in NAU’s production of\u00a0\u201cRent.\u201d\u00a0He was my introduction to the Clifford E. White Theatre and the first show my mom saw me\u00a0perform\u00a0during my time here at NAU. I had an amazing experience living that short chapter of his life and made some\u00a0lifelong friends.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre\u00a0transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre\u00a0has made me want to ask more questions about life;\u00a0it’s\u00a0something that I take seriously enough that I can get a little down on myself for\u00a0seemingly not\u00a0always living up to the lofty expectations I place on myself. However, it instills joy in me because\u00a0it’s\u00a0all a game, one with meaning and nuance usually, but at the end of the day,\u00a0it’s\u00a0supposed to be fun and opens me up to self-discovery.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

McKenzie Mack<\/span><\/b>, junior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major: Theatre studies with performance emphasis and a minor in creative media and film\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I have always loved theatre! For as long as I can remember, it has been a part of my life. My parents introduced me to all art forms, especially theatre, when I was little and I fell in love with it. They have supported me in my passion and pursuit of acting! My dad would watch musicals and sing with me, and my mom would always act out my storybooks with me. Theatre is a piece of my life that has always been glued to me.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a tough question; it is a toss-up between playing Fiona from \u201cShrek the Musical\u201d and being part of the Chorus of Old Women in \u201cLysistrata.\u201d Both were equally dramatic and hilarious to play. I\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0ever\u00a0forget those roles!\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre has always been my largest passion in life; it has shaped me into who I am today. When doing theatre, I can be my most authentic and whimsical self, immerse myself in stories and bring them to life and be in a community that feels like a big family. I have met my closest friends, Benea Quintero and Cadence Fallon, and my partner through theatre, Gabriel Ybarra! Theatre has given me opportunities, family, love and expression; it has transformed my life by giving me life! I want to do theatre and all forms of art for the rest of my life. Art is my everything and I truly think it has shaped the world I live in as well. After all, \u201cEarth without Art is just EH\u201d and I live by that. :)\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Garet Morris<\/span><\/b>, senior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major:\u00a0<\/span>Theatre\u00a0studies with performance emphasis\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I started singing in church as a little kid, which\u00a0led to participation in local choirs at various performance venues. Theatre\u00a0was an outlet to satiate a constant desire to perform music, so I started doing children’s community musicals through the Eastern Arizona College Youth Theatre Program. Through junior high and high school, I continued to perform in as many different mediums as possible\u2014show choir, concert\u00a0choir,\u00a0band, orchestra\u2014but musical theatre\u00a0was always my favorite. Since my high school was super-duper small, we had no theatre\u00a0program or even a school play. I auditioned at EAC with the college theatre\u00a0students to get the most professional experience I could. I chose theatre\u00a0as a major because there is\u00a0nothing\u00a0I could\u00a0possibly do\u00a0that would make me happier.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During my second semester at NAU, the department put on its production of Jonathan Larson’s\u00a0\u201cRent.\u201d\u00a0I played Mark Cohen,\u00a0and it has been my favorite role.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre\u00a0transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre\u00a0as an art form continues to change my\u00a0life daily. Every new piece I discover from a new playwright, living or dead, expands my view of what a meaningful story can be. Every new performance I discover by an actor helps sharpen my own tool set as an actor and feel more confident in my abilities. I am incredibly grateful for the\u00a0different styles\u00a0and genres\u00a0I’ve\u00a0gotten to perform over the years, inviting versatility into my repertoire.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sarahibenea\u00a0Quintero<\/span><\/b>, junior<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Major:\u00a0Theatre\u00a0studies with performance emphasis<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I got involved in theatre when I was initially told to audition for a musical back in middle school, encouraged by my choir teacher and friend. I fell in love with acting ever since.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0become part of my identity.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0always been on the creative side.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Favorite role you have ever played<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My favorite role to have played was Mama Murphy in\u00a0\u201cBright Star.\u201d\u00a0It really gave me the confidence to continue\u00a0theatre,\u00a0and I got to explore so many choices with this role.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has theatre transformed your life?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Theatre transformed my life as it gave me a voice I would otherwise not have. I come from a Latin background and have faced many hardships for simply being Latina, and theatre allowed me to embrace my culture and gave me the courage to fight for our voice as a community. More specifically, here at NAU you can see how the shows we choose can also tackle oppression in theatre and help marginalized communities gain a voice.\u00a0Theatre\u00a0has given me a voice.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0forever grateful for the impact this art has had\u00a0for\u00a0me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On March 27,\u00a0people\u00a0throughout\u00a0the world recognized the importance of theatre\u00a0and\u00a0its impact not only on\u00a0audiences\u00a0but also on those\u00a0who\u00a0make it part of their daily lives.\u00a0Six\u00a0students from NAU\u2019s\u00a0Department of\u00a0Theatre\u00a0shared\u00a0their experiences on\u00a0the\u00a0stage\u00a0and how\u00a0performing\u00a0changed their lives.\u00a0 \u00a0 Gabriel Ybarra, junior\u00a0 Major:\u00a0Secondary\u00a0education with a minor in\u00a0theatre\u00a0studies\u202f\u00a0 How did you get into\u00a0theatre?\u00a0 I started my theatre\u00a0journey\u202fmy sophomore\u202fyear of high school.\u00a0I auditioned and joined…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":77369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-happenings"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/100"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77368\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

\"Benea\"<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Garet\"<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"McKenzie<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Riley<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Kai\"<\/a>How did you get into\u00a0theatre?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n