Mercedez Johnson didn’t always see herself as the kind of person it takes to be in theater. Up until recently, Johnson never would have thought to put herself out there and actually audition for a play.
She never really had the opportunity to strive toward the theatre aspect of high school until her Russian exchange student pushed her into trying new things.
“She really gave me the courage to try out for a part in one of the plays,” said Johnson.
After auditions for Grease, Johnson found out she was going to be the student director.
“It was a really good experience being with the director and seeing how much effort really goes into producing these plays,” said Johnson.
As time went on, Johnson felt a lot more comfortable about being in theater than she did in the beginning. Well at least she did before a disco ball fell on her head during a performance of Grease.
“It was a crazy point in the act where they were changing sets and one of the backstage crew members bumped the set piece holding the disco ball causing it to fall right on my head,” said Johnson. “Of course I was shocked and embarrassed completely.”
No one could forget that moment in time; they couldn’t let that slip Johnson’s mind either. During one of their mock award ceremonies, Johnson received a mini disco ball.
“Once I saw the disco ball the memory came back to me,” giggled Johnson, “and I just had to laugh.:
This fall, Johnson appeared as an understudy in the fall production of The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens.
“The biggest thing that I’ll take out of being in theater,” she said, “are the friendships that were created.”