Club rises from ashes, includes variety of talent

By Jade Myers/campus editor

Students at TR Campus have the unique disadvantage of not having a theater on their campus. But that doesn’t stop students with a passion for theater from getting together and performing.

For the last year, the TR drama club was nonexistent. This semester, a few students took on the challenge of starting it back up.

“I was asked to try and start it up again, and I felt really blessed for that because that is something that I am very passionate about and love to do,” TR drama club president Rebekah Brooks said.

Brooks said she likes how acting brings people together.

“Getting things started was a little tricky,” she said. “All these other clubs had already been going and continuous, so they had new electors, and they just kind of got everything started right away. And we had to basically start from scratch.”

This new drama club is trying to broaden the scope of what kinds of talents they include, so it’s not just for actors, she said. Singers, comedians and writers are also encouraged to join.

“We really just want to make it to where anyone can be here and show off their talents,” Brooks said.

Currently, their meetings consist of talking about future projects, playing acting games and rehearsing scripts.

“We have one of our club members who’s written a script and kind of doing a little mini-series, like episodes that we’re going to start learning and practicing and going over and everything,” Brooks said.

That TR student is Stayce Petties, who is also the drama club’s secretary.

“I’ve always been a poetic person, so I’ve been writing since I was little,” she said.

In addition to writing, Petties also has experience singing and acting, she said. Being in the drama club is her outlet for creative side while she works on majoring in nursing.

Drama club member Darrell Bartell is actually a TR English adjunct instructor with a master’s degree in theater.

He is not an adviser for the club, but strictly just another member, he said.

“I, more or less, learn from them, especially here in the drama club,” Bartell said.

He enjoys teaching, acting and interacting with students, he said that’s why he’s in club.

“It’s really good for people that want to get out of their shell a bit more and need a different experience,” TR student Thomas Dennis said. “Before this, I’ve never been in any clubs or activities, and it’s  a nice change of pace.”