If you have attended any production put on by the theatre department at Tarleton State University in the last four years, you have probably seen the work of senior theatre major Tamara Harris. 

In her college career here at Tarleton, Harris has been a part of twenty-six shows, of which she has designed for nine and acted in two.

Her first show at Tarleton was “Picasso at the Lapin Agile”, which was performed during the 2010-2011 school year.

Harris is an avid technician for the theatre department. When asked what she wants to do after graduation, Harris said, “My dream job would be to work in a professional theater in New York as a lighting designer.”

Harris lost her hearing when she was a young child, as a result of chicken pox. 

When asked if working in the theatre was difficult as a deaf person, Harris said, “The people here are really nice, and they usually accommodate me whenever I need it. For instance, when I am up in the catwalks focusing lights, my master electrician usually always stands in the light so that I can still read their lips. It gets difficult sometimes, but I can usually work around it.”

Harris said that her favorite show to design was “44 Plays for 44 Presidents”, a biographical survey of the lives of the 44 presidents who have held the office thus far, which was performed during the 2012-2013 school year. 

However, her favorite show that she has been a part of was “Our Town” in which she played Mrs. Webb, also performed during the 2012-2013 school year.

“Our Town” is the story of a fictional American small town in the early twentieth century depicted through the citizens’ everyday lives. This play was unique because it was done without a complete set, and the actors mimed the use of all props. Harris said it was the only show where most of the technicians were actors, and most of the actors were technicians.

“There was a deep emotional connection to the show for me,” Harris said. “It is the only main stage show that I have ever done.” 

Harris is a part of all the theatre organizations on campus, including Tarleton Players (a group of theatre lovers open to all majors), Alpha Psi Omega (an honorary theatre fraternity) where she currently holds the position of Vice President, as well as Improv at Tarleton where she is a roving camera operator and occasionally a performer. 

In addition, Harris works as a student technician at the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center under Johnny Fagan. 

“I mostly help maintain lighting equipment, help set up shows that happen here for other departments, and basically whatever needs to be done that day,” Harris said.

Harris participated in an internship last summer at a theater in West Virginia, and said that her experience there was very different from her experience in the theatre program at Tarleton.

“It was difficult when I realized that my weakness is working with headsets and trying to communicate with people,” Harris said. “There is no room for error in the real world, unlike in school when it’s ok if you mess up, because that’s what school is for.” 

Her routine differs depending on what day it is. But for the most part, Harris usually gets up and goes to class from 9 a.m. until noon. After class she has time for a quick lunch and then she gets to work on anything she has to do for the upcoming show. 

This semester she is the stage manager for “The Heidi Chronicles”, so her work consists of writing rehearsal reports for designers, making sure work is getting done in the shops and ensuring that all actors are learning their lines. 

When Harris was asked what her favorite part of the theatre is she replied, “I love being able to manipulate what the audience is feeling, through the element of design.”