Marquette Theatre students are taking the stage alongside professional actors this fall through a collaboration with Skylight Music Theatre to present “Fiddler on the Roof.” The partnership gives students the opportunity to work in a professional theatre setting and gain experience in the industry.
“It is important for our students to experience professional theatre processes while still in school,” says Stephen Hudson-Mairet, professor of digital media and theatre arts. “An experience like this one helps to reinforce that their training and experience at Marquette truly mirrors those of the professional world.”
The collaboration allows students to rehearse and perform with professional artists, developing skills that extend beyond the classroom. For Marquette students, the opportunity to work in a professional environment while still in school helps prepare them for careers in theatre and the performing arts.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to experience working with a professional company and professional actors,” says Jaime Cheatham, artistic director of Marquette Theatre. “They are working in the arena many of them are training for while still in school — and it’s a benefit for them to earn a professional credit even before they’ve graduated.”
The partnership between Marquette and Skylight also strengthens the local arts community, bringing together university talent and Milwaukee’s thriving professional theatre scene.
“Professional partnerships like this one help Marquette make an impact on the theatre community — and Skylight is an important part of our musical theatre ecosystem,” Hudson-Mairet says. “Whatever we can do to support live theatre in Milwaukee helps to make our community a better place to live.”
For Marquette theatre major Erin Fricker, who plays Tzeitel, one of the three daughters in the play, the experience has been both educational and deeply rewarding. “The opportunity to partner with a professional theatre and work alongside such an accomplished and talented cast and crew was an experience I didn’t want to miss,” Fricker says. “From the very first rehearsal, the Skylight team has been very intentional in explaining why certain traditions exist and what they mean.”
Fricker says she connects closely with her character through her own family life.
“I am one of three daughters in my family, and the connection I have with my sisters is mirrored in the unbreakable bond and love Tzeitel has for her sisters,” she says. “Exploring her strength and agency as a female character in this period and culture has been a complex yet rewarding journey.”
Working with industry professionals has also given students the chance to learn in real time from professionals with years of experience.
“We tend to rise to the level of work around us,” Cheatham says. “It’s the ‘old school’ style of actor training — the apprentice actor learning simply by watching and studying the old pro.”
As Marquette Theatre continues to partner with professional companies like Skylight, students gain not only technical skills but also the confidence and connections that will carry them into their professional careers.
“When our students are able to work with members of the professional artistic community in rehearsal and performance situations, they gain an understanding of how special Marquette Theatre students truly are,” Hudson-Mairet says. “These professionals then carry their positive impression of Marquette theatre training into the future, and this impacts future hiring and casting opportunities.”
Performances of “Fiddler on the Roof” run through Oct. 26 at Skylight Music Theatre. Tickets are available at skylightmusictheatre.org.
