Kate Beckman
This section of the newsletter typically highlights an alumnus from Chappell Players' history. However, this month we are taking a departure from this to feature a staff member who was instrumental in creating Chappell Players as we know it today.
Kate Beckman grew up with a passion for the arts. Throughout her college years, she was especially involved with theater while also studying for an elementary education degree with a concentration in speech and theater. When she got into the workforce, she started teaching theater and speech at the university level. Eventually, she made her way to St. John's where they offered her a very interesting position. She interviewed as a faculty member in the speech and theater departments, but she would also be brought on as the director of Chappell Players. She was told that it would be a trial year for the organization to determine whether or not it should continue.
Obviously, this trial year went well as we still have an organization today. Kate would go on to work for St. John's for several years, starting in 1980 and ending in 1996. During this time, she taught speech, theater, acting, and directing. She was also an advisor for the forensics team, helping them win national rankings in the interpretive categories. Her impact in terms of Chappell Players can be demonstrated quantitatively through ticket sales. When she first started working with the organization, they were performing to audiences of about forty people. By the time she left, they were performing to sold-out audiences.
Kate Beckman grew up with a passion for the arts. Throughout her college years, she was especially involved with theater while also studying for an elementary education degree with a concentration in speech and theater. When she got into the workforce, she started teaching theater and speech at the university level. Eventually, she made her way to St. John's where they offered her a very interesting position. She interviewed as a faculty member in the speech and theater departments, but she would also be brought on as the director of Chappell Players. She was told that it would be a trial year for the organization to determine whether or not it should continue.
Obviously, this trial year went well as we still have an organization today. Kate would go on to work for St. John's for several years, starting in 1980 and ending in 1996. During this time, she taught speech, theater, acting, and directing. She was also an advisor for the forensics team, helping them win national rankings in the interpretive categories. Her impact in terms of Chappell Players can be demonstrated quantitatively through ticket sales. When she first started working with the organization, they were performing to audiences of about forty people. By the time she left, they were performing to sold-out audiences.
|
|
|
|
Above are some Chappell Players production pictures (The Miracle Worker, Carnival, The Scarecrow, Barnum) from Kate's time as the Director of the Theatre.
Throughout her life, Kate has worked as a professional actor, director, singer, coach, consultant, photographer, and stage manager, but she stands by the fact that her true calling is teaching. She takes an immense amount of pride in seeing her students succeed both personally and professionally. One of her favorite types of productions to be a part of are cabaret productions. She finds these especially challenging because, during cabaret productions, you don't have a character to hide behind, which makes you much more vulnerable.
Above are some Chappell Players production pictures (The Miracle Worker, Carnival, The Scarecrow, Barnum) from Kate's time as the Director of the Theatre. Throughout her life, Kate has worked as a professional actor, director, singer, coach, consultant, photographer, and stage manager, but she stands by the fact that her true calling is teaching. She takes an immense amount of pride in seeing her students succeed both personally and professionally. One of her favorite types of productions to be a part of are cabaret productions. She finds these especially challenging because, during cabaret productions, you don't have a character to hide behind, which makes you much more vulnerable.
Kate's advice to current Chappies is to remain as multi-faceted as possible and always be working on perfecting whatever you are doing--never settle. Theater is a tough industry to make a living in, so you have to be flexible. In a nutshell, always keep learning.
Kate also ran a number of themed oral readings during the pandemic for her libraries. Below is linked one such performance from Halloween.
Throughout her life, Kate has worked as a professional actor, director, singer, coach, consultant, photographer, and stage manager, but she stands by the fact that her true calling is teaching. She takes an immense amount of pride in seeing her students succeed both personally and professionally. One of her favorite types of productions to be a part of are cabaret productions. She finds these especially challenging because, during cabaret productions, you don't have a character to hide behind, which makes you much more vulnerable.
Above are some Chappell Players production pictures (The Miracle Worker, Carnival, The Scarecrow, Barnum) from Kate's time as the Director of the Theatre. Throughout her life, Kate has worked as a professional actor, director, singer, coach, consultant, photographer, and stage manager, but she stands by the fact that her true calling is teaching. She takes an immense amount of pride in seeing her students succeed both personally and professionally. One of her favorite types of productions to be a part of are cabaret productions. She finds these especially challenging because, during cabaret productions, you don't have a character to hide behind, which makes you much more vulnerable.
Kate's advice to current Chappies is to remain as multi-faceted as possible and always be working on perfecting whatever you are doing--never settle. Theater is a tough industry to make a living in, so you have to be flexible. In a nutshell, always keep learning.
Kate also ran a number of themed oral readings during the pandemic for her libraries. Below is linked one such performance from Halloween.
