By Carson Huguenard | Guest Contributor
A child is transformed into a world unlike his own. A dimly lit room, cushioned sheets and large spotlights, he is mesmerized by the costumes, characters and effects.
This experience of seeing a play for the first time is what propelled Keller freshman Logan Allen to pursue the field of acting and be a part of his college play.
One of his first roles at Baylor is in the upcoming play “Moon Man Walk,” which opens on April 27.
The play, Allen said, is about a man named Spencer who travels back to his hometown of Philadelphia for his mother’s funeral. On the flight, he meets a woman named Petrushka, and he is met with thoughts of his past and present.
All of this centers around his waiting to encounter his father who he has not seen since childhood. Allen said the play is great story about family and regret.
According to the Baylor Theatre Department website, “The story reminds us of the gravity of our relationships while transporting us through the past and present.”
The theatre department began the casting process during the 2020-2021 school year. During this process, actors were asked to read monologues for the various characters they auditioned for. After Allen auditioned, he was chosen for the role of the father, Kesi.
“The audition process is one that takes lots of time, effort and practice,” Allen said.
Once cast, Allen said he did a lot of preparation for playing Kesi, who struggles with a history of drug dealing. One of the ways Allen prepares for the role is through what many refer to as method acting. He visualizes the scenario that the character is put in to understand the emotion behind the character’s motivation.
“He tries to put himself in the shoes of someone who needs to sell drugs, while still supporting a family,” Allen said.
Not only does an actor prepare through method acting but also through memorizing the character’s lines. While Allen puts in a lot of work into his character, he said he struggles fully getting into character.
“It is challenging to get into the flow of the play,” Allen said.
Actors like himself have to achieve not only saying the lines but also allowing the character to also be displayed in their delivery.
“It takes immense practice to get fully into a character and do more than merely reciting lines,” West senior Connor Truitt, a fellow theatre student, said
A lot of those struggles have been overcome with the help of the play’s director and a lecturer of the theatre department, Sam Henderson. Allen said Henderson knows when to work and also knows when to have fun.
“Henderson is the most amazing director I have ever worked with,” Allen said.
While he enjoys his fellow Baylor thespians and the theater faculty, he wants to someday act outside of college. This performance is one step in allowing him to achieve his goals.
“I hope to act in New York someday,” Allen said.
The theatre program stands committed to allowing Allen and other theater majors to hone their crafts and to pursue their goals.
Performances for “Moon Man Walk” will be held at the Hooper–Schaefer Fine Arts Center. The show will be on stage until April 30. Tickets and other information are available at the Baylor Theater Arts website or the box office located at the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center.
