THEATRE NEWSLETTER | MARCH 2022
Deon Harrison from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is currently pursuing a major in and minors in and . Even with this busy schedule though, he has also found himself in the St. Çï¿ûÊÓƵ theatre department from time to time.
Harrison began his theatre involvement during the 6th grade and has continued on since. He looks back fondly on these experiences, especially of the time he was in Pippi Longstocking. His high school produced this show and performed it for the elementary school kids. Afterwards, they took them on a tour of the theater and taught them about the lights, stage makeup, costumes, and every other area of theatre individuals can participate in.
"It was really rewarding getting to perform for these kids and give them our autographs as if we were celebrities," Harrison explained. "I will never forget the look on their faces and how excited they were just to be there."
Harrison will admit, though, that his all-time favorite character is actually Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors. Harrison enjoyed acting out such an awkward character and thought the songs were amazing.
As for his college theatre experience, Harrison has begun to find his place. Now normally, he considers himself more of an actor and he did participate in the Fresh Face Revue last fall, but he is also drawn towards the producer path. In fact, he recently put together a talent show Feb. 19 for Black History Month in the Galvin Fine Arts Center, and it has been his favorite theatrical contribution so far. Harrison set off with the goal to grant the community a chance to celebrate Black History Month and he succeeded greatly.
"It allows us to come together, regardless of what talent we possess and what race we identify as to celebrate this beautiful month and our growth," Harrison explained. "It is something I am especially proud of because it doesn't just involve theatre kids, but choir kids and band kids, kids who have the gift of gab and those who are wizards with the brush."
Besides theatre, Harrison is heavily involved in other campus activities. He participates in the Sales Club, the Black Student Union, the Student Government Association, Enactus, the Chamber Singers Choir, University Chorale, Finance Club, and to top it off he is the Secretary of the Marketing Club.
"It is such a welcoming place to attend college," said Harrison when he was asked why he chose St. Ambrose. "At this school, you have many opportunities for advancement and community involvement. It's also a place where you feel less like a statistic and more like a person. Ambrose teaches liberal arts skills, , and people over profit while having strong morals in their actions. These are just some of the things that stuck out to me when I was choosing schools. To say the least, Ambrose has given me a great first year experience and I can't wait to see where it takes me next year."
In the future, Harrison hopes to receive his to find a decent paying job in either Chicago or Los Angeles. Plus, he wants to start up his own company centralized on connecting other businesses and offering mentorship opportunities for youth.
Hearing from first year students is always a blast since they are just beginning their journeys into the world, and Harrison obviously has incredible drive and talent, making it all the more exciting for us to keep up with this inspiring young man. The university is certainly lucky to have him!