Former Bearkats Working Together at Famed Houston Theatre
Former Bearkats Working Together at Famed Houston Theatre
October 4, 2022
by Nifemi Bola
CAM Media Contact: Jackie Swan
With the second largest theatre district in the US, the city of Houston is home to one of the leading nonprofit theatres in the country, the Alley Theatre. Shaking up the stage at the Alley and showcasing the talent recognized and refined by Sam Houston State University are Resident Acting Company members Dylan Godwin, Melissa Pritchett, and Melissa Molano.
“As members of our company, we are committed to a season at the Alley, not only onstage, but within the departments of education, marketing, and other components of our organization,” Godwin said. “We work in a variety of styles ranging from classical theatre, new work, and musicals. It is truly an experience that keeps stretching you at every turn.”
Feeling like SHSU was the place he was meant to be, Godwin studied under the influence of esteemed late faculty members Dr. Jim Miller, former department chair, and Jonathan Charles. His time as a Bearkat taught him rigor, confidence, and how to use his own instincts to ensure authenticity and versatility in his performances.
“We all have techniques that we employ, but that’s never where I start. I like to think of techniques as a toolbox that you use when you need them rather than a rubric to dissect a show with,” he said.
Pritchett booked her first job at the Alley during her last semester at SHSU and is the longest Resident Acting Company member of the three. As not just an actress but a choreographer, movement coach, and mother, Pritchett’s training from SHSU comes in handy with balancing her work.
“I think the biggest things I took away from my time there were tenacity and the ability to put my head down and get the work done. This job is hard, but I left Sam with the ability to push through that to get to the part that's exciting, invigorating, and fun,” said Pritchett, who encourages current students to take the same approach. “Take the job seriously but not yourself. Meaning, be serious about the work you do but also allow yourself to have the space to relax and enjoy it too.”
Molano, the newest addition to the Acting Company, also felt the same pull to SHSU and considers the Alley to be a type of home for its members and workers. “To me, the rewarding part about being an actor is in the exploration and the multiple avenues of connection,” Molano said.
She credits the motivation and inspiration that came from being around immensely talented people at SHSU as one of the ways she gained a lot of discipline and experience as her time during her time as a Bearkat. Molano believes that with acting, sometimes the lesson taken away is learning to be open and flexible when things don’t go as planned.
This is seen through the Alley Theatre’s March 2022 production of “Sense and Sensibility” by Kate Hamill based on the novel by Jane Austen that all three actors performed in. Originally slated for 2019, the delay did not stop the former Bearkats or other performers from putting on a wonderful show. The three also worked on different projects with the Alley including the Sixth Annual Alley All New Festival this past summer.
Visit the Alley Theatre website to keep to date with Dylan Godwin, Melissa Pritchett, Melissa Molano, and future productions.