The first week on campus for any new member of Wofford’s community is always filled with exciting new experiences and memories. One such new member of the Wofford community, Professor Abigail Dillard, assistant professor of theater, discussed her first week on campus.
Dillard will be overseeing the acting portion of the theater major, and Dillard will be directing the theater department’s fall production of “The Amateurs.”
Dillard has experience teaching and in professional theater settings all over the southeast. Most recently, she was an Assistant Professor of Theater at the University of North Alabama where she was the lead of the theater portion of the Department of Cinematic Arts and Theater.
Dillard received her MFA in Directing from Baylor University. After the first week, Dillard has truly felt welcomed on our campus.
“Everyone’s been incredibly nice and welcoming,” Dillard said. “People know my name or they want to know my name.”
As usual in the theater department, the first week of classes was also the week of auditions for the fall production. Since Dillard is the director for “The Amateurs,” her first week on campus also included the casting process.
The casting process is often difficult because there are not enough roles to give out. However, Dillard commends students that put themselves out there in the casting process.
“If you are brave enough to audition then there is something innately that qualifies you for the job,” Dillard said.
“The Amateurs”, a tragicomedy, follows the journey of a group of traveling medieval theater players as they try to outrun the Black Plague by seeking protection from the Duke of Travo.
Dillard believes the play showcases the purpose of theater as a means of survival.
Dillard compares this group’s use of theater to survive to theater pursuers today, who often must answer the question, ‘How are you going to make money doing theater?’
Another concept central to this piece, said Dillard, is “the resilience of art; that we still today put on shows—artistic works—as a means of survival, and that in its way is to also preserve stories.”
In Act II of “The Amateurs,” the playwright makes an appearance, and he directly tells the audience what his play is about. Dillard believes this will be one of the most memorable parts of this show.
“That is something I’ll be excited to see: how we interact with our audience that doesn’t feel isolating or intimidating,” Dilard said.
Of course, one especially important challenge to overcome with this production will be finding the comedy even in such hard circumstances. Dillard was very clear in explaining that these characters are telling a story that is really important and impactful to them. Thus, it will be imperative to find the comedic moments, while also acknowledging the seriousness of the circumstances these players find themselves in.
“I bet finding those moments will be really fun,” Dillard said.
In addition to directing “The Amateurs,” Dillard will also be teaching two acting classes this semester, the art of acting and movement.
Dillard describes herself as a “collaborative educator.” She wants to create spaces of acceptable risk where people can come in and explore, learn what works for them and what doesn’t, and be able to communicate that freely.
Dillard proudly believes that acting classes are for everyone.
Dillard is an advocate that any student, regardless of their major, could benefit from an acting class. These courses help them in whatever form of communication and empathy for others their major or future job will require.
