Visual & Performing Arts

The next production in the 2025-2026 Theatre & Dance season is Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical tick, tick…BOOM! The Department held auditions last April, and the show began rehearsals on September 29. The company has been at work Monday through Friday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and will soon begin technical rehearsals—where the production elements (lighting, sound, props, costumes) get incorporated into the show. The production has a cast of three. SEAN PETERSON is a junior with a double major in Musical Theatre and Communication Studies. GAVIN MULLER is a senior Performance major with a minor in Stage Management. ELLIE HEMMING is a senior Musical Theatre major with minors in Stage Management and Dance.  The cast found a few minutes before rehearsal one night to give us some insight into the show, the process, and themselves. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

 What has your experience been like on this very first musical in Frederick Theatre?

(Ellie) It's also my first show in the Fred.  I like the thrust space. It's very different than proscenium, having to act to all the different sides. And the acoustics are challenging in there.  But I think with a small cast we're able to work together and I think our voices are blending together.  Is this the first show in the Fred for anybody else? (Gavin) No, I did Orlando in the Fred two years ago. But with the musical, the songs feel a lot more intimate—the show itself is more intimate—and being a realistic style of musical, it's easier to get those character connections in this space. (Sean) Yeah, I like performing in the Fred, too. It's nice to be back. I like being close to the audience, though it’s also hard because you can always see the audience.  I had a really good time during (the Fall 2023 production of) Fuddy Meers, though, so I think once we get to performances, I'm going to really like having the audience there. I think it’s going to be exciting. 

Do you have a favorite part of the show or moment in the show?

(Ellie) I love “Sugar,” personally.  It’s such an upbeat song. It's a great little break in the show. And it's fun to sing. (Sean) “30/90.” The song is just so fun. Dr. Nic really has drilled it for us a lot. It's high energy, and I feel like high energy is very easy to motivate. (Gavin) For me, I was going say whenever all three of us sing together, because I just like our harmonies. And the show has really beautiful harmonies. But I was also going to say “30/90”, because it's the introduction to all these characters and where we are. It's a fun way to start the show.

So what's it like being in a production where the three of you are the entire cast? Are there challenges that come with that which you haven't experienced before?

(Ellie) Oh, I think so.  This is the biggest role I've had at UWL.  It’s definitely a challenge to find the character, but because it's such a small group of people, Dr. Nic has time to spend with us each individually to get more nitpicky about the characters and the intentions and figuring out the “as-ifs”. We've had... What's an as-if? (Ellie) We got to read this book. I don't... Does anyone remember what it's called?  (Gavin) The Practical Handbook for the Actor. (Ellie) …with lots of guides as to different ways to navigate your different characters. An “as if” is thinking of something outside of your world. So, you're not method acting, but you have a comparison from your real life to help you. (Gavin) An initial fear I had is the fact that it IS three people and we're all singing our own part. It's not like we're in a chorus with multiple people.  And I'm not a musical theater major. I'm a performance major. I don't have as much singing experience as the other two people in the cast, but it's been a joy.

 And, Sean, you don't really get to leave the stage.

(Sean) I get Karessa’s song to be offstage and that's it. This is the biggest role I've ever had, the most intense role I've ever had. And I think it will probably be the biggest I will ever have.  The next step would be a one-man show, and that's pretty rare! But I'm very proud of myself that I prepped long beforehand. I was reading my script all summer.  Starting in July, I read one page a day of my script until our first rehearsal.  And by the day before our first rehearsal, I had memorized page 50. So I was ready for an off-book day basically. (This is the day in the rehearsal process where actors can no longer carry scripts and must have memorized their roles.)  I was nervous in the beginning, then more chill, now nervous again. It ebbs and flows.

The show is about growing up and being successful and figuring out your life and all of that “stuff.”  Has that made you think about what comes next for yourselves?

(Ellie) Yeah.  I just submitted the intent to graduate [form]. So that's just making me think about what I am going to do after UWL? Because I've always been at school. Once you're out of high school, oh, now I'm going to college. So, what’s the next step? And I definitely have the feelings that Jon has of time running out and I wanted to appreciate my last year.

(Gavin) Yeah, you want to stop for a second, just relish the moment but just like the show says, time keeps going and we just keep going and eventually we're going to be graduating and then having to figure out what to do next.  It's a nervous feeling, but it's an exciting feeling because I like change. I like new beginnings and all that stuff.

(Sean) So, I'm kind of different. Shows with heavy themes—for some reason that doesn’t get to me. Doesn’t affect my daily life. But it does sometimes get me thinking in rehearsal.  I remember one rehearsal when I talked about how I went through a phase last year where I had a little bit of the existential crisis that you get in your 20’s for the first time.  And I was trying to relate to Jon and what might set him off. And I was thinking, “OK, what were the weird things that triggered me when I was going through that?” So, I guess it has made me think a little bit. 

When we share this conversation, we also want the readers to get to know each of you. What do you do when you’re not performing?

(Ellie) I'm also the props designer for The Game’s Afoot and then I get to be the stage manager for Machinal next semester.  These past two years, or I guess three, I've broadened from just being on stage, which is what I always thought [I’d do]. But being in a BA program, you're able to be part of different sides of theater that you weren't expecting. So, I didn't know I liked stage management until I did it. And I'm like, “oh, I actually really like this.”  And that might be a career I pursue. So, I like that at UWL you have multiple opportunities to do multiple different things.

(Sean) So I do a lot outside of theater, I am a double major in communication studies as well as musical theater. I've really been enjoying my classes with that, particularly like my interpersonal communication classes, even though that's not my emphasis.  I think they're fascinating. I'm also a drone photographer and am considering trying to use my commercial drone license to sell stuff for real estate. My mom just became a real estate agent, so I might work for her.  And I do videography for the department so that's another thing that I put a lot of time and effort into. And the scene shop? I also work in the scene shop.  My Mondays and Tuesdays are crazy. I wake up at 6:45, go to the gym, then I have classes, then I have scene shop, and then I have rehearsal—and I can't forget dinner, or lunch. So, lunch and scene shop and dinner and then I have rehearsal and then it's bedtime.  I'm very strict about my bedtime. 10:30 on the dot. So, wake up and go to bed and in between that I’m always moving.

(Gavin) I'm the social media manager for The Drama Club at UWL (a student organization) so it’s been fun to organize and advertise our events.  We have a boot camp coming up to help new students prepare for our spring auditions. And I am starting to prep for my senior show next semester. So, I’ve been reading a lot of scripts. That's what I've been doing, just reading scripts. And rehearsal. And school.

Don’t miss your chance to see these talented—and busy—students on stage. Performances of tick, tick…BOOM! will take place on November 7-8 and 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. and November 2 and 9 at 2:00 pm.  The show is in Frederick Theatre, located on the basement level of Morris Hall. Tickets are available at https://uwltheatreanddance.ludus.com/index.php . You can also purchase tickets in person at the Center for the Arts box office Monday through Friday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. beginning November 3, or one hour before each performance right outside Frederick Theatre.