Every year I am grateful for the hard work and
contributions of our talented and dedicated ensemble. While the work is rewarding, it’s not
easy. It involves early mornings, ever
changing schedules, and the constant challenge of starting conversations around
sensitive topics with audiences that include as many points of view as there
are students.
Every year, our ensemble members vote
to name one of their peers the ensemble member of the year. Here are the
credentials we ask everyone to consider when casting their vote:
“This person has gone above and
beyond the call of duty throughout the season, and is well-rounded in all areas
of IT’s programming as an actor, moderator, improviser, facilitator, educator,
and writer. The ensemble member of the year has a positive attitude both
on stage and off, and is looked upon as a leader within the company. This
person shows remarkable commitment to IT, having volunteered his/her time on
numerous occasions, and is consistently reliable and professional. The
ensemble member of the year truly understands IT’s mission, and strives to
incorporate “IT skills” into his/her life.”
The votes are in and the winner is… Sean Sullivan!
Here’s a sampling of what Sean’s fellow ensemble members had to
say about him:
“He's really shown that he cares about
the work and the students.”
“He is always on time, prepared and has a
great work ethic. Just showing up and doing the show is not enough for him, he
is constantly thinking of ways to make our shows better for the audiences.”
“… has been a strong team member and improviser throughout all of this year.”
Sean joined Imagination Theater in 2013 and immediately embraced
all aspects of the work. He is an
advocate for our mission, an exemplary facilitator, and an engaging performer.
I’ve been fortunate enough to observe him in classroom settings
and witness the way he expertly fosters an environment for success and mutual
respect. It’s not enough for Sean to
facilitate a discussion about effective communication and empathy, he models it
at all times.
Sean has been vital in executing our mission onstage. More importantly, he embodies it offstage. In many of our shows we talk about being an
active bystander. Sean is never a
passive bystander to injustice; he calls it out and offers support. Being an active bystander is part of who he
is. Audiences sense that authenticity
when he encourages them to take a stand.
He’s an enormous asset to each of the numerous ensembles with
which he performs. We are thrilled that
he shares his talents and passion with us, and we are excited to celebrate him
as this year’s Ensemble Member of the Year.
Congratulations Sean, and thank you for everything you do!
As always, you can
learn more about Imagination Theater’s ensemble and programming at www.imaginationtheater.org.
-Jeremy Schaefer, Artistic Director
