Senior, Grace Bobber opened our interview with some wonderful inspiration, “Theatre is such an important part of my life, but on a bigger scale than that, I believe that theatre is important in the world today. Theatre serves as a teacher, an inspiration, and a brilliant form of entertainment.” If you are curious about Bobber’s reasoning, check out our blog about Why Theatre Matters.
For Alice in Wonderland Grace Bobber is one of the assistant directors, with the added job of calling all the cues for the show. In the professional Theatre world that job is called a Stage Manager and they have a union and everything! Bobber calls the technical cues, “which is awesome and very new to me, but I also had a big part in the actors’ work on stage, which is a passion I have in common with all of them.” Whether it be the blocking, the lines, or the light’s color on the scrim, little bits and pieces of Bobber’s work are sprinkled throughout this show, which is amazing. The other day, Bobber turned to be during rehearsal and spoke proudly, “I wrote that line.” But stage managing is not all fun games, and is considered one of the most stressful jobs in the theatre profession. Bobber confided in us that the biggest challenge for her throughout this production had been to overcome tasks that seem daunting at first. “Both Figg and the entire crew have graciously been patient with me as I learn these cues and gain new skills with confidence. The actors, too, have been awesome with taking direction and have made this entire process much easier.“
Grace Bobber considers herself more of a performer than a crew member, “As much as I have enjoyed the experience thus far, so my funniest and worst experience would have to be from last year when I was in Carousel. Clare Aeschbacher brought me a bucket back stage to pee in during the Saturday show. Yes it was as gross as it sounds. I didn’t have time to run from the wings of the stage to the bathroom and I was pretty much reaching emergency level urgency, so I motioned to Clare that I needed a bucket. I knew from that moment on that crew really had my back.” Bobber has several favorite moments in theater from the last few years. Her first would be the opening night of Carousel when the cast and crew formed the carousel on stage and the audience applauded for it, “I don’t know if I’ve ever been as happy and full of joy as I was in that moment.” Also, the closing night of that same show was just as magical and special for Grace, she distinctly remembers locking eyes with then senior, Bridget Cushman as she sang You’ll Never Walk Alone to Bobber for the last time after Billy died. “It was a very special and beautiful moment on stage I will never forget.” Don’t worry, Grace
is full of memories. Similarly, last year in a tech rehearsal of Romeo & Juliet, Sarah McCarthy and Grace Bobber had a moment that she remembers fondly. It was nearing 9 or 10 PM and it was the last scene of the play, in which everyone find out that many characters had died and Prince Escalus, played by Bobber, must comfort Lord and Lady Capulet/Montague as they suffer the losses of their children. Sarah McCarthy ran on stage, saw her dead child, and collapsed in Bobber’s arms. Immediately the two were in tears, “We had never had that level of intensity in that scene, and it inspires me as an actor quite frequently.” Smiling widely, Grace spoke about experiences off stage, “I have to say that some of my favorite moments are greeting my family and friends right after the performances to hear everyone’s thoughts. It’s a huge moment of pride.“
Don’t worry, Grace Bobber does enjoy other “normal people” things, such as creative writing, running, physics, acting like she enjoys her dog, and watching very cheesy romantic comedies. After high school, Grace Bobber plans to study either musical theater or voice and she will spend the next few months auditioning for five programs and will hopefully know where she ends up by March or April. “I’m very excited for the whole process! I chose to apply to schools that I truly love and would be delighted to end up at any of them. I am eager to pursue my passion and take my knowledge to the next level.“
Grace Bobber got into theater at a young age mostly because of her family. Grace’s first big role was Annie in Ms. Figg (Amelia’s mom)’s production of Annie Jr. when she was in fourth grade. Grace’s older sister Meri is a dance major and has had a very big role in her attraction to the stage, and Grace’s entire family has always been incredibly supportive of her interests and dreams.
Come to “Alice in Wonderland” Oct 17-19 at Homestead High School to see Grace Bobber’s skills at running a show!
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