Leadership is paradoxical according to Heather Baker and Katie Willhite, directors of Rough Draft, campus ministries’ drama group that is sharing Christ’s message through theater.
Senior Baker has been applying her “love of theater directly into [her] love of God in a really tangible way” through Rough Draft for three years, while junior Willhite has been involved for two years in the group. But, to be in charge of the group has been an unexpected shift where they are learning “servant-leadership.”
“It’s different because I think we’re both non-confrontational people and as director you’re having to make decisions like who am I going to cast for this, who am I going to send to this Dnow,” Baker said. “When you’re just a member you’re just along for the ride, but I think there’s a lot of rewards that come with that too.”
The team’s concerns must come first, according to Willhite who ha discovered that her new position behind stage is different from being on stage in on-campus productions such as “The Chronicles of Narnia,” “Playboy of the Western World” and “Is he Dead?” Baker has performed in the productions “Is He Dead?”, “The Tempest” and “Once Upon a Mattress.”
“What I’ve been learning through it is leading does not mean [to dictate] but it means kind of putting yourself at the low; putting your team first,” Willhite said. “As theater majors we love to perform so it’s kind of a switch to like be on the other side of it, but it’s so rewarding.”
When Baker is on stage performing, she does not get the chance to see the “aftermath” of the performance. As a director she can “step out and watch things happen.”
“But when your off stage watching somebody else do it you can see the congregation more, the people relating with it and that’s really the purpose of it,” she said.
Drama connects with people in not necessarily a better way, but in a different way than a sermon, according to Willhite and Baker.
“I think it’s (drama) something everybody can relate with,” Baker said. “They all have their own story and it’s just really compelling when you see somebody else sharing their story even though it may be a make believe one, it’s just the heart of it that you can relate with.”
Drama is merely a tool to get across the group’s message, according to Willhite.
“I think people learn in different ways,” Willhite said. “Some people are visual people and they need to see it [and] some people need to hear it. It’s just like a tool.”
Baker believes this year for the group is a “growing period” considering the majority of the group graduated last semester. She and Willhite are free to begin anew with a team made of mostly sophomores.
“It’s kinda nice to come together and make it what rough draft should be,” Willhite said. “It’s like a fresh start.”
One part of this growing period is creating a new mission statement for Rough Draft; something that involves the whole team, defines who Rough Draft is and will set the standard of where and how they will present their skits, according to Baker and Willhite.
“We’re in the process right now of creating a new mission statement that way we can tie that back to every rehearsal and every event that we plan to go to,” Baker said. “It’s been a really delicate thing. We don’t just want to rush into it.”
“A mission statement has been so important to our hearts,” Willhite said. “We may have this awesome opportunity but if it’s not what Rough Draft is about, it’s not worth it.”
Baker has seen Rough Draft fall “under the radar” here on campus this past year. But this year she wants to see the group take advantage of on-campus opportunities.
“Because I think we do a lot of stuff outside so we’re trying to get kinda back to home base,” Baker said.
The group hopes to present skits during Christian Focus Week, Refuge, Chapel and Noon Day to “minister to the people that we are living with,” Baker said.
Rough Draft will also host their annual “Night at the Amphitheater” that is “a little more light-hearted and fun.” But the team’s main goal is to share Christ’s story and teachings through theater, according to Baker.
Most of the skits that Rough Draft presents are original to the team and some are compiled from other sources and “adapted to wherever we’re presenting at,” Willhite said.
The group meets every Tuesday night to pray and “make sure everybody is healthy spiritually,” Baker said.
Auditions for Rough Draft will be after Fall Break. The date and time will be announced at a later date. For more information contact Baker by e-mail at bak42190@obu.edu and Willhite at wil43144@obu.edu.
