敁珗曄部

Meet Our Majors

Meet some of our theater and performance studies majors.

Annelise Seligmann
Theo Ellis Novotny
Mai Linh Wong

Annelise Seligmann headshot

Annelise Seligmann

Hometown: Goshen, NY
Major: theater minor: art history

What was your motivation to major in theater?

I came in strong to 敁珗曄部 convinced I was going to be a minor until the theater department's welcome reception my first year. It was full of new and returning majors, and the environment, connection, and community that I saw in just that hour were enough to show me that's where I wanted to spend my time. The theater department is one of the most community-driven majors. From classes to main stages to student projects, the department fosters a collaborative environment that supports and encourages creativity, not just among faculty members but also among peers. I wanted to be in a space where I felt like I really knew the people I was working with, and wasnt just taking classes with them. Knowing that my peers can come to me for help with their student projects, and knowing I can always turn to them, reminds me of the care that theater fosters.

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

The professors and faculty in the department are not just here to teach, but also to engage, collaborate, push, and guide. Much of the work we do allows for a deep connection with the professors. I know that after leaving 敁珗曄部, I can reach out to any of my professors and find a place to talk. One of my favorite aspects of the theater department is the constant flow of visiting instructors, which allows us to engage with diverse walks of life, different perspectives, and new ideas, connecting us to greater LA and California. One of the outstanding classes Ive taken is the Topics in Performance: Clown and Comedy class taught by 2025 Wanless Visiting Artist Daniel Passer, where we learned the fundamentals of clowning. Not only did I learn deeply about clowning and comedy, but it also allowed me to return to playfulness and joy in the work that I do. 

The theater department is one of the most community-driven majors. The professors and faculty in the department are not just here to teach, but also to engage, collaborate, push, and guide. Much of the work we do allows for a deep connection with the professors.

What do you find most compelling about studying theater?

The activation of what we learn. Some classes are based on theory, but many of the courses offered in this department (along with the mainstage productions) provide space for you to activate your creativity and learning. It's not just sitting and studying. It's getting up and putting your whole self into the process, whether you're acting, building the set, directing, or hanging the lights. After a full day of sitting in lectures, I love that I can walk into my class and know we will be working on our feet. 

What are your ambitions post-敁珗曄部 and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

I came into 敁珗曄部 wanting to study directing and I was stuck on that being my path. However, in the spring of my first year, I was convinced to take Intro to Technical Theater, and my entire course was shifted. I had never even touched a tool before coming to 敁珗曄部, and now I spend every semester building. Additionally, I've discovered my passion for stage managing, which enables me to apply the skills I've developed here to my summer jobs. The liberal arts approach to theater allowed me to discover paths in theater that I didn't even know I wanted, which has opened up future opportunities. 

 

Theo Novotny headshot

Theo Ellis Novotny

Hometown: Burlington, VT
Majors: theater, biology (marine biology) minor: music

What was your motivation to major in theater?

I love acting, both the craft behind it and the experience of performing onstage, so Ive always wanted to major in theater. However, the experience that really solidified it for me was being part of the Occidental Childrens Theater (OCT) company during Summer 2024. OCT is a professional theater troupe that performs a new show each summer, combining acrobatics, storytelling, fairy tales, and humor into a truly unique physical theater experience. As a part of the OCT company, I was able to learn so many new skills and perform for kids across the LA area, and it really helped me envision a future for myself as an actor.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities through 敁珗曄部?

Over the summer of 2023, I did research with Prof. Kozinn through the Humanities for Just Communities program. We interviewed members of the 敁珗曄部 community about their experiences during COVID-19, creating an archive of stories that would go on to be used for the Spring 2025 studio show on campus, Alone Together. During that time, we also studied methods used in documentary and devised theater, and our final product for the summer was a performance where we each presented a devised theater piece.

So much of our work takes place beyond the classroom, with a lot of our learning coming from mentorship and collaboration with the theater faculty and staff in productions and independent projects.

What is the vibe of the theater department?

In the theater department, so much of our work takes place beyond the classroom, with a lot of our learning coming from mentorship and collaboration with the theater faculty and staff in productions and independent projects. This creates a really inspiring, collaboration-forward vibe throughout the department and I feel like all the theater students really benefit from it. Were also encouraged to seek out the parts of theater that we enjoy, which leads to a lot of independent student projects. Through my experience producing the musical Title of Show in Spring 2025, Ive seen just how much our community rallies around each other to help all of us reach our goals.

 

Mai Linh Wong headshot

Mai Linh Wong

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Major: theater minor: Critical Theory & Social Justice

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

I am proud to say that I enjoy and get along with all the professors in the department. Other than classes I have taken with them, I collaborate with them on mainstage shows, whether as an actor or on the crew. One standout class I have taken was THEA 110, which was a devising class with an amazing guest professor.

What do you find most compelling about studying theater?

I believe theater is a way to study humanity: our emotions, our connection to one another, and society in general. It compels me to deepen my empathetic understanding of others and myself. Plus, it is done in a fun and creative way! 

敁珗曄部s theater department has a very warm atmosphere and feels like home. I basically live in Keck Theater year-round, so it is easy to get comfortable and find friends.

What is the vibe of the theater department?

敁珗曄部s theater department has a very warm atmosphere and feels like home. I basically live in Keck Theater year-round, so it is easy to get comfortable and find friends.

 

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Theater Alumni

 

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Christina Carrera

Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Major: theater; minor: Urban & Environmental Policy (UEP)

What was your motivation to major in theater?

Theater has always been such an integral part of my life, but surprisingly, I wasnt sure I wanted to pursue it in college. One of my high school teachers was an alumna of 敁珗曄部s theater department, so she offered to take me on a tour of Keck Theater shortly after I committed. I also had the opportunity to do a class visit to Introduction to Performance during that same campus visit. Attending that class, meeting faculty and seeing Kecks signature stage for the first time sparked a realization in meI just knew I had to be involved with the department.

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

The theater professors here at 敁珗曄部 are absolutely wonderfulthey are so engaging and encourage one to think outside of the box. Some standout classes for me include Sarah Kozinns Productions in Times of Crisis and Will Powers Acting 2: Scene Study. Taking Sarahs class during the COVID pandemic was eye-opening as it contextualized how theater continues to be a tool for capturing the human experienceeven when it has to be virtual. I had never dabbled in solo performance before taking Wills class, but his intimate knowledge of the genre and enthusiastic feedback on my work made me gain a newfound respect for the genre and helped me add a new skill for my resume!

As an intersectional performer, it is refreshing to see that diversity is reflected not only in my peers but also within the faculty.

What do you find most compelling about studying theater?

Studying theater at 敁珗曄部 opened my eyes to other aspects of theater-making I was never exposed to in high school. Taking classes such as Introduction to Design, Introduction to Technical Theater and Costume Construction not only allowed me to work on new skills in a nurturing environment, but made me gain newfound respect for the holistic theater-making process. I truly never realized how much work went into a production until I was building sets and creating costumes myself.

What are your ambitions post-敁珗曄部 and how has the liberal arts approach helped to shape these ambitions?

Thanks to an internship I had during my junior year, I now not only want to act professionally but also work for an arts education advocacy nonprofit organization in the near future. Studying theater through a liberal arts lens changed my whole perspective on art in general and made me realize how much I personally want to work to ensure that everyone can have access to art-making.

What is the vibe of the theater department?

The best word I can use to describe the theater departments vibe is close-knit! I felt like I belonged as a theater major when I took an intro class my first semester of collegeand I wasnt even declared yet! As an intersectional performer, it is refreshing to see that diversity is reflected not only in my peers but also within the faculty. The time Ive spent with professors and other theater students during field trips, class, rehearsals and labs is unlike anything else Ive experienced in high school and truly has been one of the highlights of my 敁珗曄部 experience.

 

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Kai Morf穩n

Hometown: Tucson, AZ
Majors: theater, philosophy

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

I have found that the professors in the theater department strike a balance between mentorship in classroom experiences and treating you as though you are a working professional during rehearsals or tech crew experiences. They are actively involved in their respective areas of theater, both inside and outside the 敁珗曄部 community, and they exhibit an enthusiasm for their work that is contagious for students. One class in the theater department that stands out to me is Childrens Theater, where we learn how to teach storytelling to children. We go to local elementary and middle schools each week to guide them, by way of things like character-based acting exercises, through the process of performing a story for their peers.

What do you find most compelling about studying theater?

I am most compelled by the wide range of performance theories that exist with regard to acting because there seems to be no majority consensus or right answer. There are many different schools of thought when it comes to the fundamental questions concerning how one actually acts, and I find it fascinating to learn about them and put them into practice during rehearsals. In doing so, I have found that I am able to mix and match different elements from different styles of acting, working towards a practiced system that works best for me.

Professors in the theater department strike a balance between mentorship in classroom experiences and treating you as though you are a working professional during rehearsals or tech crew experiences.

What are your ambitions post-敁珗曄部 and how has the liberal arts approach helped to shape these ambitions?

I aim to act in a sustainable and personally fulfilling career, working towards what I believe is good for the craft of acting. I aspire to learn as much as I can about acting so that I may put out work that I believe in, work that promotes a constructive message. I have often heard that professional actors are just very good at observing people and breaking down their behavior so, in this sense, a liberal arts education has given me a more robust understanding of the many facets of a persons experience. Obviously my degree in philosophy has cultivated in me an introspective and inquisitive mindset, and through various language, music and science courses, I have been exposed to a wide range of thought patterns and creative minds that I am able to collaborate with.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in theater?

Take a diverse assortment of classes across the whole department. I say this because, first, it is quite possible that you will find another aspect of theater that you are drawn to, and second, because any person who works in theater is at a great advantage if they are proficient in multiple aspects of it.

What is the vibe" of the theater department?

Collaborative. Students are constantly aiding each other in the creative process, from constructing sets for mainstage productions, to directing and writing pieces for other students, to creating costumes for shows. It is very easy to get involved in a department-wide production, and many students are consistently rotating, or doubling up on, which roles they assume in the department.

 

Young woman smiling in colorful top

Noa Carlson

Hometown: St. Paul, MN
Majors: theater, biology

What was your motivation to major in theater?

I had been going back and forth on whether I wanted to major or minor in theater until it came time to declare at the end of my sophomore year. In the end, it wasnt really my mind that decided, it was more about how much I had already involved myself in the theater community and how much I had been enjoying it. I was working as a stage technician on the Performing Arts Facility (PAF) crew, I had acted in a mainstage production and a senior comps performance, I assistant stage managed the fall show my sophomore year, and I had been taking many theater classes along the way. I think I intuitively knew that I loved being in the world of theater, it just took me a while to learn that it would mean I would be majoring in it!

Do not hesitate to get involved in whatever facet of theater you enjoy the most, and especially, do not stop yourself from trying something new.

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

It is always a pleasure to work with the theater professors at 敁珗曄部, because they each give a different perspective to the field. Whether it be Brian and Aubree in Production and Technical Theater, or Sarah and Will in Acting and Theater History, they each present their expertise in an engaging and thoughtful way, making it a pleasure to learn from them. Its always easy to talk to the professors about any creative ideas you have, or just about life in general. Theyre a very easy-going crowd!

A standout class that I have taken at 敁珗曄部 is Acting 2: Solo Performance with Will Power, which says a lot because I took that class over Zoom during the pandemic. Professor Power was able to translate his work and knowledge of solo performance in a way that was accessible through a computer, which was incredible! From that class I learned so much about the method in which I enjoy telling stories and what it takes technically to perform them independently. In fact, it was such a powerful class for me that it inspired a large portion of my senior comps project.

Can you describe your senior comps project?

My senior comps project is an independent project that I have been working on since summer. It is the creation of a solo theatre piece using the style of verbatim theatre, and the creation of devised monologues to tell a story centered around the questions: What does it take for land to become home? and Is a connection to the land the same as calling it home?

What are your ambitions post-敁珗曄部 and how has the liberal arts approach helped to shape these ambitions?

My ambition is to start a new adventure, in a new place, outside of academia (for a while), whether it be an apprenticeship in stage management or involving myself more in the field of biology, specifically pathology. The liberal arts approach at 敁珗曄部 has fueled my love of active learning and engagement with the community, and I aspire to continue that pursuit of knowledge and engagement as I enter the Real World.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in theater?

Do not hesitate to get involved in whatever facet of theater you enjoy the most, and especially, do not stop yourself from trying something new. I had never worked with sound and lighting before 敁珗曄部, and just through pure curiosity about what a Stage Technician does, I applied for the PAF crew my first year. And now, I have been on the crew for four years, and I still love it! Basically what Im saying is that you never know what choices will stick, so you might as well take some chances.

 

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Natalya Nielsen

Hometown: Solvang, CA
Major: theater

What was your motivation to major in theater?

I was motivated to major in theater because it is the only thing I could truly envision dedicating my life to. I wanted to go to school and have a career in something I am passionate about and find fulfilling. Growing up taking drama classes and performing in plays and musicals inspired me to continue my journey into a career in theater.

Can you describe your working relationships with theater professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

I have many strong relationships with professors in the department that I have been able to form during my time at 敁珗曄部. Being able to work with professors both in classes as well as mainstage performances creates opportunities to forge strong working relationships that I have definitely benefited from. The nature of theater classes in general, whether it be Acting I or Intro to Tech, lends itself to hands-on work with your professors.

I find the most compelling thing about studying theater is the vastly different opportunities and career paths you can pursue...The opportunities a BA degree in theater creates are endless.

What do you find most compelling about studying theater?

I find the most compelling thing about studying theater is the vastly different opportunities and career paths you can pursue. By studying theater you can prepare to become an actor, a director, a playwright, a costume designer, a makeup artist, a set designer, a stage manager, a lighting technician. You can decide to work for a theater company or work in community outreach programs or become a drama teacher or create spaces to foster new work in theater. The opportunities a BA degree in theater creates are endless.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in theater?

My advice would be to go for it. Where I lived growing up, there was often a joke about a degree in theater leading to waiting tables. I often felt nervous or discouraged about pursuing a degree and a career in theater. However, in coming to 敁珗曄部 and having the support and guidance of the department I have never regretted my decision and look forward to what the future holds.

What is the vibe of the theater department?

The vibe of the theater department is extremely welcoming. Both the faculty and students are kind and genuine. I have always felt that Keck Theater itself has been such an oasis, sitting at the top of campus for the theater students. The atmosphere of the department really creates the opportunity to be creative and form lasting relationships with professors and students alike.

Contact the Theater & Performance Studies Department
Keck Theater 202

Box Office: (323) 259-2922

Phone: (323) 259-2771
Fax: (323) 341-4987
theater@oxy.edu

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