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Andy: Welcome to Meadows on the Mic, the official podcast of the 51���� Meadows School of the Arts. I'm your host, Andy Draper, part of the Meadows marketing team and podcaster extraordinaire. On this show, I'll be bringing you in-depth interviews with Meadows faculty, students and staff covering everything from events, special guests and anything else you need to know happening at 51���� Meadows.

On this episode, I interviewed Emmet Overcarsh, a junior theater major specializing in theater studies, who is also starring in a production of Carrie the Musical, based on the classic Stephen King novel.

I talked with Emmet about his early theatrical experiences growing up in South Carolina, how he's enjoying his time at 51���� Meadows and how he prepared for his role in Carrie. Let's get to know Emmet Overcarsh!

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Andy: Welcome to Meadows on the Mic. I'm your host, Andy Draper, and I'm here with Emmet Overcarsh, who's starring in the production of Carrie, which is in the middle of its run right now at 51���� Meadows. We're going to be talking with him a little bit about his background, being a theater major, the production of Carrie, and more. So, Emmet, welcome to the show.

EO: Hi, thank you for having me.

Andy: So, tell us, how's the production going so far? We're in the middle of the run.

EO: It's been amazing. I mean, the whole experience has been just so wonderful. Like, I was talking to my parents about it recently, and Blake—Blake Hackler, the head of the Drama Department—it's like a new level of stamina, that's never been required of me, like being in a show and on the run this long. But I think I'm certainly, definitely starting to get the hang of it. I think I'm starting to build up that resilience and the stamina that's needed in the professional world.

Andy: Right. That's great to hear! It's great to hear that you're being challenged right away! So, let's back up a little bit and have you tell us a little bit about your background, where you're from, and how you got into the arts.

EO: Oh, I'm from Spartanburg, South Carolina. So, a little ways from home in Dallas. Um, but I mean, as for how I got into theater…I've been watching theater for, I think, literally as long as I can remember. Growing up my grandmother, she would always take me to our community theater, the Spartanburg Youth Theater and like literally as long as I can remember, I've been seeing shows there.

And so, kind of theater was always part of my life. My grandmother and then like all her sisters, my great aunts, and then her mother, my, my great grandmother, they like always did theater. Then, um, they're like a huge theater family, but it's funny cause my mom, it skipped a generation. I think my mom, cause my mom never did it.

Andy: Right. Sure.

EO: But so, like, theater has always been part of my life. Um, and then, like, the first show I did was The Music Man at Spartanburg Little Theater. And I got to do that with my grandmother. We were both in the ensemble, just as the townspeople. Um, and so that was, like, my first, I would say, true show. And then in middle school, I just started auditioning more for the Spartanburg Theater and then got into more shows.

And then it was, uh, around my eighth-grade year. Um, my friend—one of my close friends, Rachel—she was in a production of Rudolph, and she was like, 'Man, I love this director so much. Like, she's so awesome. She's teaching an acting class through the youth theater. You need to take it.' And I was like, 'Sure, why not?' Um, and, and like, that was the big start of it because I did not realize how serious that class was.

So, like, before then, theater and acting had just been like, you know, go over here, say your line, and have this emotion. And going into the acting class, like, we started studying Stanislavski and his method and actually breaking down into, like, the craft of theater. And once that kind of world was opened up to me, I just knew it was the thing for me.

And so, like, I kept taking classes there under Connor Vetter. She was my first acting teacher. And then eventually, sophomore year rolls around, and, like, I'm very serious about it—about acting. And in South Carolina, there is a boarding school for the arts: the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, which I had previously attended the summer programs for music. I was also very big into music.

And so, they have a residential program where you can go for your junior and senior year of high school. And it was the previous year, the previous summer at the summer camp, where the chair of the drama department at the time, Dan Murray, was like, you know…they were basically giving all of the summer students the pitch for the residential program. And he was like, “It's difficult because we ask all of you students to take all of your interests and all your passions and narrow them down into one thing and focus on one thing.”

And I was sitting in the audience—and I played tuba at the time. I went to the summer programs for tuba, and I sat there and thought, “I don't think I could wake up and practice and play tuba every day and truly be happy.” But I was like, “I see myself waking up and practicing acting every day and practicing theater and being happy that way”. And when I kind of had that realization, I was like, “Okay, I think acting is definitely my primary.” So later that year, I auditioned for the residential program, I get in, and then my senior year—I guess this leads into me going into Meadows.

Andy:  Um, right. But before we get to that—that's all great, great to hear, interesting enough—so my background was in music, and actually, I was a tuba and euphonium player. So, I was that guy getting up and playing tuba every day. But what I wanted to say is that there’s a time in every artist’s life when they’re in, like, high school productions, and you’re having a good time. And then there’s a moment where you meet some professionals and get exposed to a higher level of pedagogy and approach. And that’s when you realize what it takes to be a pro, and it’s a whole new level—it’s eye-opening.

My next question is: What drew you to Meadows? So, you’re in high school, you’re enjoying it, you’ve decided to focus on theater, and you’re in productions. How did you come to be at Meadows?

EO: Dan Murray, the head of the department during my junior year, stepped out during my senior year. He was a graduate of the MFA Theater program here at 51����, and he always spoke very highly of 51����. Bernard Cummings, one of the acting professors and the head of recruitment, had a really close relationship with the Governor's School because of Dan. By the time my senior year rolled around, upperclassmen Dylan Hudson and Camila Escobar—who had both gone to Meadows the previous year—were there, so I knew I had some people there. Me and Dylan were really close, and I heard wonderful things about Meadows from him.

My audition process, which I think gets into maybe another question, was unique because we were just getting out of COVID. All of my auditions for the colleges I applied to—and I was only auditioning for BFA acting programs—they were all on Zoom.

Honestly, the first thing that really drew me to Meadows and 51���� was Bernard. I just call him, we just call him B. B was the first person—especially because the Zoom audition process felt very impersonal, and like, it’s also the whole thing of acting and doing theater in front of a camera, in a room by yourself, with the people you want to get into the college on the other side. It’s like… well… ugh…

Andy: And apparently that’s also translated into the professional world, like in Hollywood, where they’re doing much more Zoom auditions and less in-person—it’s just easier.

EO: It is, but... I have so many feelings about it. But B was the first, and really the only, person that I felt actually wanted to listen to me. Especially the conversation we had afterward—it was just the most excited I’d felt leaving a Zoom audition like that. And I think it’s because, out of all the impersonality—I don’t know if that’s a word—that comes from Zoom, B made it personal. He connected with me on an individual level, which I didn’t get in any other audition process.

Andy: Right, right. And that faculty connection is very important. A lot of people go to specific schools to study with specific teachers, especially in the arts. It’s almost artisanal in a way because it’s a craft that’s handed down generation to generation. When you find someone who’s really inspiring and is really helping you achieve the next level, it’s what draws you in.

EO: Absolutely.

Andy: So, you’re a theater major. What’s it been like so far at Meadows, and what are some of your favorite courses that you’ve done?

EO: I mean, it’s been wonderful. I say it’s been wonderful because it’s been so challenging. Particularly in Meadows... well, I had a very difficult time adjusting, especially during my freshman year and really going into my sophomore year. I think it was a mix of being in a big city and also being so far from home. But the thing that really got me through a lot of my hardest times at 51���� was that I was being pushed and challenged in all of my theater classes.

And I’d remind myself, “That is the reason why I’m here. That’s the reason why I chose this school, the reason why I’m going to college—to be a better actor.” Every class, every day, every week, I felt that. I knew that every day I was becoming a better actor and a better artist.

And, classes that I think I can speak specifically to... I mean, my first-year acting class with Blake Hackler in Body Practice, I mean, that was just so strong in building the foundations and fundamentals of technique and acting. Then moving to second-year acting with KLV and, in the second semester, going back to Blake and really applying all of the technique and foundations into full scenes.

And then Voice Work with Kristi Dana—which is like, voice is I think that...if you hear the word voice class, I think you kinda limited, but voice class has so much to do with breath and lots of different techniques with pitch and how you’re breathing on stage, and how you’re available.

Andy: And is that a vocal, like singing class? Or is it more than that?

EO: No, yeah, it's not singing. It's just voice for the stage, if that makes sense. And it has so many foundations, particularly in how you're breathing. We use a method called active breath. What Kristi teaches is a method called active breath in that class. Active breath is basically all about a specific way of breathing that helps you stay open and available, and it's something you can do consistently every single night. A lot of the techniques I learned in Kristi's voice class are the reason I think I’m able to have the stamina to do so many shows for Carrie. It's direct application to professional work.

Andy: Right. And what you were saying earlier about being challenged—that's exactly what you want in any kind of arts education situation. If you come in and you’re already the best in the room, you’re in the wrong room. And if you’re not booking shows or gigs... So, the next thing I wanted to talk about is: You came from South Carolina and moved to Dallas. Big difference. You're moving to the South but into a big metropolitan city. How has Dallas influenced your education, and what kind of opportunities have you had around town?

EO: I mean, obviously the biggest one is Theater Three and Carrie. That has been, honestly, the most specific in terms of working. But being in Dallas, there's so much wonderful theater happening around here. Theater Three... Blake, the head of the department, works with Dallas Theater Center, which is an amazing repertory theater.

My freshman year, he was in a production of Clue. Going to that production, I was like, 'Man, this is what a rep theater is like.' Honestly, I haven’t had the chance to watch a lot of my professors’ work, but last year Kristi was in a production at Undermain Theater—I’m forgetting the name of the show, which I feel terrible about—but getting to watch my professors work has been incredible.

Going back to what you said, honestly, especially in receiving an arts education, who you are learning from is probably the most important thing. Being in a city where I can go out and watch not only professionals work but also my professors work brings a whole new level of respect and confidence in them. I get to see what they’re talking about and how they’re applying their own technique. That builds such a level of trust and comfort that, when I’m being pushed, I know it’s for a particular reason—and absolutely, they know what they’re talking about.

Moving from Spartanburg to Dallas has given me the opportunity to see more theater, and obviously, with Theater Three and Carrie, to be in more theater.

Andy: Right, and it’s amazing to see your teachers and professors do their thing. It reminds you why you’re studying with them and why you’re at this particular institution. I remember feeling the same thing. You gain a new level of respect—it’s like, oh, this is why they really do know what they’re talking about. It’s an incredible thing to see your professors in action.

I wanted to move on to this production of Carrie: The Musical. This is based on Stephen King’s first book, Carrie. It was turned into a film starring Sissy Spacek, who was nominated for an Oscar, and John Travolta in his first role. It’s a classic of horror. So, tell us about the musical.

EO: The musical itself starts as a memory play. Basically, Sue Snell, the only survivor at the end, is being interrogated by—we think—the police, though we’re not sure. She’s being asked to tell the story over and over again. The musical is set up as a memory play with Sue retelling the story.

It starts with Carrie getting her period in the bathroom and being bullied. Sue starts to feel absolutely terrible about it. You see Carrie being bullied in different situations, and Sue tries to apologize, but it doesn’t really work. Eventually, Sue asks her boyfriend, Tommy Ross, to take Carrie to prom instead of her, thinking it could be the thing that makes Carrie’s life all right. It’s the one nice thing anyone at school has ever done for her.

Andy: Right. And Carrie also has a very overbearing mother—religious oppression is a theme in the book. The book has the kind of flashback, memory-play structure you’re referring to, but the film doesn’t really do that. Can you tell us a little bit about the tone of the musical? The book and film are both very serious and deal with heavy subjects. What’s the tone of the musical?

EO: I’d say—and this is something my friend Abby Brittle mentioned after seeing it on opening night—it’s impressive how Christie Vela, the director, was able to balance the comedic and fun elements of the show with the very serious aspects. I mean, we’re dealing with religious trauma, an overbearing mother, and of course, everyone dies at the end.

Andy: Right…spoilers (laugh)!

EO: Spoilers, ugh, sorry (laugh).

Andy: It’s fine.

EO: But I think, and well that’s the wonderful thing about theater—it’s never just one thing. And so, I think, it’s about different things existing at the same time, and not just scene to scene. Particularly for me, like my experience I’m having so much fun during the show, and as you know just being an awful, an awful high schooler.

Andy: Tell us a little about the role you play and how you prepared for it.

EO: Sure. I play Freddy. He’s the yearbook photographer and is deemed the class clown. He’s kinda part of, I would call, Tommy Ross’s posse, I would say. I think, in the grand scheme, he’s just one of the high schoolers who contributes to Carrie’s bullying—very much a bystander. Just trying to, and this is really set up in the first song, but like, all of the high school kids are, we're all just trying to survive. Like high school is not easy for anyone. And so, it's about doing whatever you can just to fit in and just to try to be normal. And a lot of that is like, well, everybody else is bullying Carrie, so I've got to do that too.

But, as for preparation, I mean, honestly, it was just: "How could I be open enough to explore in rehearsals?".  I think much of my…the character that Freddy’s developed into is just, you know: "What can I try? What’s interesting? What’s fun for me?" so like me developing Freddy was: “Oh, I feel I’m not doing anything at this moment. What can I do?” “What’s and specific character choice that helps tell the story?” And so, from there, I have all these small little moments where, you know, character comes out, and so like honestly like that was really the most preparation…the preparation was: “How can I be free and available and comfortable enough to find Freddy in the moment in rehearsals.”

Andy: So, I also wanted to ask this is in collaboration with Theater Three. Can you tell us a little bit about Theater Three and what it's like, or what it's been like working with them?

EO: Yeah. So, Theater Three is a professional theater. They're in the West Village. It's about, um, it's about a 15-minute drive from Campus. So, it's a very, a very pretty easy commute. It’s been for shows and rehearsals, but I mean, my experience there has just been so wonderful. Like, I mean, everybody on the staff, I mean, I mentioned earlier, Christie Vela, the director, she gosh, she's been, amazing to work with. And it's just a, such a strong, powerful voice in the room that, she builds trust and makes you feel comfortable and safe. And, really because of her, it's like, I was able to really go out and explore and, and have fun and find Freddy that way. It's because she gave that permission to, to me and everyone. And Vonda K. Bowling, the music director is so, so lovely. And I think in a very similar way, like just building so much comfort and trust and, and really like a sense of family. Like going into the process, I was very nervous, about being, really being in a musical, because I haven't been in a musical since, my senior year at the Governor's School. And I know like, and I, I would never really consider myself, or at least I would never consider myself a singer first, but she has boosted my confidence into my singing. And I feel, and because of her, I feel so prepared every night. But like I mean on it, I really wish I could name everyone, but like everybody on staff at Theater Three has been so welcoming and so, so helpful and so generous.

All the stage hands that I've grown close with, and even Jeffrey Schmidt, the artistic director, although he hasn't been directly in the process, I've seen him around, and even just hearing his curtain speech and how passionate he is, is so wonderful before every show. But like, overall, my experience with Theater Three, and having a chance to just be in like that theater space, has been overwhelmingly positive.

Andy: One final question on Carrie. If people are new the first time seeing the musical and haven't seen the movie or the book, what can audiences expect?

EO: You can expect a lot of fun. I think you can expect a lot of fun mixed with, mixed with disgust and hatred. I think you...ugh…I was talking to one of my friends about it and I was like, I think this is the first time I've been in a show where I really don't have the best concept of what it is like to sit outside in the theater. Because well, especially because it's in the round and so we're in arena-style stage so, it's you could sit anywhere and you could see something different every single night, but I think you can expect to have a lot of fun. I think you can expect to see a lot of humanity. I think it's really easy to see all the kids just trying to survive and not really caring who they're hurting when they're trying to survive. I think that goes for the same like with watching Carrie. I think you can see…oh, actually on last Sunday we had a talkback which was led by John Broda who plays Tommy Ross, and an older lady, who's there, she said that it reminded her of when she was in high school. Watching all of us, watching all of us run around and just trying to survive.

And, Stephen King wrote the book because he knew someone like Carrie in high school. And, I think almost everyone does. There's always that one person that's just got the short end of the stick and that everyone ganged up on because it made everybody else feel better and I think that's where a lot of the familiarity and the humanity comes from.

Andy: Right, a lot of people can relate to that. What can we see you in next? What's the next project kind of on the horizon?

EO: Oh, that's a great question! Season auditions are coming up—auditions for the next semester are coming up next month—so hopefully I might be seen in either I think…I'm trying to think of all the shows next semester…Blood Wedding, and then we have 51���� reps. We're going to the reps—which we call, it's because the shows are all in a repertory theater style, and they're all directed by students. Rodriguez is directing, John Proctor is the Villain, Abby Brittle is directing Everybody, and Jensen Haynes is directing In Arabia We'd All Be Kings.

So, hopefully…hopefully, you might see me in one of those shows, but other than that, next semester at 51���� Theater we have a wonderful student theater organization called 51����ST, 51���� Student Theater, and that does a huge part I think of being a theater student at 51����. Everyone is super involved and it's honestly one of my favorite parts about the program is that we have such a passionate, and really like just amazing student theater that is run by all of us and it's made because we all want to do theater.

Next semester, I'm directing—or I'm pitching to direct—a play: Gruesome Playground Injuries, with two of my classmates Eli Barron and Sadie Brooks. So, you may not see me on stage, but I definitely will be at least pitching to direct that so always working always something on the horizon for sure.

Andy: Right, that's great to hear! So, yeah a number of shows that you might be in or or directing. My final question here: What are your plans post-graduation or what are you hoping to do? And that will be in May of 26.

EO: That's a wonderful question! I mean, obviously it's a tough one…but, this past summer I worked for a media company called Spoke Media directly under…I worked mostly under Travis Ballinger who is an alum of the 51���� program, and Spoke is actually comprised of—I think all it's— everyone is a theater alum, except for one who is an 51���� journalist alum, but I worked there for an internship last semester or last summer, and I had such a wonderful experience there.

And so, if they would have me back, I would love to work there just with the connections I already have there. I would love to work there possibly after graduation. And then, a lot of the upperclassmen who have already graduated from the senior department, a lot of them are in New York. And I had one of the graduates, he came and saw Carrie. And he was talking about he was writing a show. And he asked me if I was going to be in New York in two years and if I would be interested. And I was like: “Oh my god, yes, absolutely!”

Andy: That's amazing!

EO: I know, I know, like, oh my god, it was so nice to hear! So, after graduation, I do see myself in New York possibly working with Spoke for the day, and then doing everything I can to continue acting, — acting or directing. I think that's why I'm choosing to be a —I'm on the theater studies track—so I can take directing and play writing. I can make my own work in the theater space. But yeah, I would say that's my plan. I see myself being in New York, hopefully working with Spoke, or maybe another arts-centered day job, and then continuing my acting career.

Andy: Well, that's great to hear! That just about wraps up our interview. Thank you so much to Emmet for being on the show, and you can catch him in Carrie, which runs through…How many more shows are there?

EO: Oh, I'm not sure exactly how many shows, but we close on November the 3rd, and I believe, yeah, most of our weekends, we run Thursday through Sunday.

Andy: Great, so that's where you can catch him! Emmet thank you so much for being on the show.

EO: Of course, thank you!

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Andy: Thank you for tuning into Meadows on the Mic, and a big thank you to Emmet Overcarsh for coming onto the show! You can see Emmet in Theater Three's production of Carrie, running now through November 3rd. If you're interested in learning more about the Meadows Theater Program, check us out online at smu.edu/meadows. We offer undergraduate degrees in acting and theater studies, and graduate degrees in acting and entertainment design.

This podcast is brought to you by the 51���� Meadows Marketing Department and is available on all major podcast platforms for questions and comments email us at meadowsonthemic@smu.edu and follow us on socials at 51���� Meadows, on all major social media channels.