Nichole Pollack is Junior Technical Theatre major, today August 20th, she is giving us some insight on who are the wonderful people behind the curtain are.
What made you want to major in Theatre?
I actually started out as a Music Major when I went to my Community College in Sacramento but I was actively searching to take many classes to see if I wanted to do something else. I took an acting class and immediately fell in love with it. The professor was amazing and I learned that there is so much you can do with a Theatre degree especially in the backstage department which is what I am interested in. I've always had a passion for theatre, Broadway, and designing and making costumes; I just never realized how strong this passion was until that acting class. I declared a Technical Theatre Major in 2010 and haven’t had a single regret.
What has been your favorite show you’ve been involved with and what was your role?
Stuart Little at American River College in Sacramento was my very first and favorite show that I was involved in because I not only acted in it but I got to help design and build the props and during the show I was the prop mater so I basically had the full experience during this show. It was a small 7 actor children’s show that traveled to local elementary schools to perform which is why each of us took on our stage roles and our backstage roles to crew it because our set was so small it had to fit in one van.
I played four characters, Margalo, the bird that was Stuart’s love interest, was my biggest role, and my three small roles were the Narrator, the Police Officer and a School kid. I really liked this show the most because the 7 of us really got along as a group, becoming great friends and our director was amazing. It was so much fun getting to see all the kids at different schools get excited to see us perform. Since Stuart was a mouse many of our props would be literally be oversized in his hands but then the parents would turn around a pull out that same prop but it was the actual size; that would entertain people the most and it was fun seeing the kids laugh along with us and wonder how that giant toothbrush suddenly became so small. As an added bonus, we were the longest running show in my Community College’s theatre history, running from January until August.
Why did you choose CSULB?
I choose CSULB because I heard that its Theatre Program is one of the best in the area and since that’s my major, I strive to get the education from professors who are just as driven and passionate about theatre as I am. Overall, I heard very good things about this campus and the people who go here. And so far, the expectations for this school have gone above and beyond. The shows that the theatre department put on are fantastic and the professors who teach here always have something interesting to say. This campus is its own community and plus, it’s by the beach which is a huge perk because I love the beach
What makes CSULB different from any other theatre company?
So far being here, I have met so many amazing students and professors in the Theatre department, many of which have been or are currently actors on TV or Broadway. What I think makes it different from any other company is a class they offer for Theatre Majors only. The department has a class called Theatre Showcase or soon to be called Theatre Threshold which is basically a class that puts on a student show every week. It’s directed, designed and acted all by students to give us all an idea of “here is what we’re learning now let’s put it all together!” I think that’s what makes it different from other theatre companies because we get to watch or be the ones to put our skills to practical use with no extra charge or hassle! It’s a great learning experience!
What’s your favorite part of being theatre arts major?
The people you meet and the experiences you have defiantly make this my favorite part of my major. Being a theatre art’s major, I’ve met so many other amazing people who hold the same passion for theatre as I do and basically are just like me in some sense of my personality or antics; there is literally never a dull moment being a theatre kid and so many opportunities have come my way since being here. I actually just finished designing costumes my very first show here for Showcase called Poetry in Motion, Poetry in Devotion, and already I have three people wanting me to be the costume designer for their shows next semester. I have already met some of my closest friends since being a theatre major and I feel like myself when I am in the department and around other Theatre majors. This is truly what I love to do, I honestly love everything about it-everything about it is my favorite thing!
What do you want to do when you graduate?
When I graduate I plan to work backstage designing costumes, hair and make-up whether it be for film and movies or Broadway. I really want to work for the Walt Disney Company again but instead of a college internship, I plan to take on a professional internship as a Production assistant in Walt Disney World or Disneyland so I can work on the shows and parades within the parks. From there, I hope to stay with the company and go from the park shows to the studios here in Burbank working backstage for film or tv doing whatever I’d be needed for. The great thing about being a Technical theatre major is that the opportunities are endless and there is always someone looking for those people to help work on a show and if you’re like me, searching through a playbill or watching the credits roll at the end of a movie, you notice it takes a lot more people just to put on the play or movie than it takes for those who act it! And one day, I hope my name will be in those Broadway playbills or Movie credits! It’ll take a lot of hard work and dedication to get there but I’m willing to do what it takes to get my foot in the door.
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