Jessica Schulte ’17

Theatre Arts

Biography

I was raised in Middle Tennessee and Anchorage, Alaska, before arriving at Taylor in 2013. It was during my freshman fall at TU that I first considered pursuing a career in theatre. These classes: Theatre & the Church, Applied Theatre, Cultural Anthropology, and participation with the Playback Theatre and Honors Guild were particularly inspiring and instrumental in setting this course for me. I spent my college summers working for a theatre company in Anchorage. After graduating, I moved to South Florida to join New City Players, a theatre company founded by Taylor alumni. I also taught drama classes full time, grades 2-12. During that time I worked in directing, literary management, dramaturgy, acting and script adaptation. In 2020, I moved back to Nashville, TN. This winter I’m collaborating with the resident playwright at Baylor University to produce a radio drama. We’ll be presenting our work at the spring 2021 Southeastern Theatre Conference. I have especially enjoyed opportunities to collaborate with fellow TU students, faculty and alumni! After graduating, I have been involved with KCACTF, SETC, The Applied Theatre Center, SFTL, the Oral Histories Association and various continuing education workshops.

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

Acting training (in class and in context of productions), KCACTF, several visiting speakers and artists, Directing, Study Abroad, Playback Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Admissions, Centre for Scriptural Engagement, Core Curriculum Committee, Honors Guild, my small group Bible studies!

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

The Admissions leadership, Tracy Manning, Dr. Linda Manganello, Dr. Mike Hammond, Dr. Conor Angell, Dr. Patricia Robertson, Jeff Cramer, Dr. Scott Moeschberger, and so many others shared their expertise, but they also invited me to observe their own ongoing spiritual and professional development. They taught me that I could be a critical thinker, as well as a compassionate one.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

As an artist, there will be many people in many different places who don’t understand what you do, and you may need to always be, to some extent, defending or educating on the value of your craft (to others, but perhaps even to yourself). You cannot articulate the value of what you do or its application to other fields if you don’t know yourself. If you can speak about your discipline in a way others outside of it can understand, then you will be able to take theatre into any field and any social arena. If you build a foundation in the liberal arts, understanding how your field relates to science, history, technology, public health etc. you will have the ability to articulate, to diversify, and to innovate your field. You will be more employable and more effective because you can bring your craft into any space and make it useful. Theatre has the unique capacity to add to and learn from every field imaginable, and every arena of social life. A liberal arts education can prepare you to be effective in whatever opportunity you find—or make!

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

The students around you, your cast mates, classmates etc. (even professors) are all potential future colleagues. Don’t compete with them... Serve them! Celebrate them. Notice the people who set the bar high for you, and don’t be envious. Be thankful! They can make you better if you let them. Outside of Taylor the theatre world can be small, but it can also be daunting. Not everyone receives the robust, whole-person, generosity-driven education you receive here. Not all actors and directors and designers are gracious, collaborative, excellent or kind. Your reputation and character may get you in the room ahead of your talent. This has been true many times for me. I have met and worked with some incredible artists with different faiths, trainings and backgrounds and I value them so much. It has also been a tremendous inspiration and comfort to me to have connections and friendships with fellow Christians in the theatre field. Take yourself seriously. Live healthily, find out what your spiritual gifts are and learn how to apply them in your work. Your life will get so much harder, and you will need the word of God in your life and the power of the Holy Spirit like you never imagined. You will need community and encouragement. Wherever you are, serve with a church. Don’t close the door on the ways God has equipped you with gifts that the church needs! God has incredible adventures planned for the artists in this world, and you have incredible opportunities ahead of you. Take heart! And reach out to other Christian artists for encouragement. I, for one, would love to meet and encourage you! :) Also, thank your teachers often. They pray and work tirelessly for you! A thankful heart is the best sustainer of your mental health, and will only grow your capacity to appreciate all the blessings of God toward you. Lastly, don’t abandon your other interests outside the theatre. They WILL enhance not only your creativity, but will be essential to sustaining your life. If you don’t have other interests, make friends with people who do and broaden your horizon! This will keep you openhearted and pliable so that you can continue to stretch and grow.