Senior Spotlight: A Home in the Theater

By: Toby Knutson

College is a leap into the unknown. New environments, new people, and new challenges can make the transition daunting, but finding a place to belong can make all the difference. For seniors Em Mercer and Mitchel Groote, that place was the theater department at the University of Sioux Falls. Em Mercer, a double major in English and Art and double minoring in Theater and Media Studies, transferred to USF the Spring semester of her freshman year. “I was terrified I wouldn’t meet anyone,” Mercer said. “But the theater community instantly welcomed me and within a few weeks, I was participating in theater events.” Mercer started her theater career at USF portraying Lady Larken in the musical, Once Upon a Mattress. Since then, she has made many memories including the hours spent doing choreo intensives on Saturdays, countless late-night restaurant runs and staying late after rehearsals painting the sets. Mercer has also enjoyed getting to meet many of her closest friends through theater, including her now fiancé, Nathan Elias. Mitchel Groote, a double major in Music Performance and Communication Studies and Theater, threw himself into the theater community his freshman year. Being involved with both mainstage shows (Loves, Labors, Lost and Once Upon a Mattress), Mo Plastow’s senior show (The Last Five Years), and auditioning for Paris Whalen’s senior show (The Other Side) at the end of the year. When reflecting on his first year, he remembers the upperclassmen who were role models for him. “It was fun being accepted into the theater experience at USF,” Groote said. “I learned a lot about my role in theater, not only here at USF, but getting an overall better perspective on theater.” Groote enjoys watching people get to do the same with current freshmen. “It’s a cycle that never ends, and it’s a good way to establish bonds within a program.” After finding a sense of belonging themselves, both Mercer and Groote now look back with clarity, offering advice to freshmen still taking their first steps into the unknown. “Don’t be nervous,” Mercer said. “Theater people, especially here at USF, are some of the best people you’re ever going to meet, and being able to build these kinds of relationships is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Groote encourages freshmen to not bite off more than they can chew. “It’s really easy (as a freshman) to want to pile everything on and take on as many projects as you can,” Groote said. “It can be hard on you. And it’s all right to take on a smaller role for the sake of your own stability, but also (your) general well-being. It’s better to do a little bit than none, but it’s also better to do a little bit than too much.” The theater department at USF represents more than the performances and rehearsals, it offers a place of connection and belonging. For Mercer and Groote, theater became a foundation for friendships, per sonal growth, and unforgettable college experiences. Their stories show how taking a chance on something new can turn uncertainty into purpose. As each new class of student’s steps onto campus, the theater community continues to open its doors, giving others the opportunity to find their place and create memories that will last well beyond their time at USF.