Speaking, singing and dancing in front of a crowd is an activity that many people are frightened to do, but there is one local teen who loves performing for an audience.
Samantha Rother starred in her first show just before she turned 10 years old. The young performer recently celebrated her 16th birthday, and in the six years between, she performed in a total of 37 shows.
“I dove in head first,” Rother said. Her first show was “Miracle on 34th Street,” and she auditioned for a role after seeing an ad on Facebook. Since then, she has performed in a variety of musicals and plays both locally and in Oklahoma City.
Rother has recently been cast for “Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a musical for young audiences based on the popular novel. The show is produced by the Lyric Theatre, a professional theatre based in Oklahoma City. “Big River” will run February 16, 2023 to March 11, 2023 at the Plaza Theater.
The rehearsals have already been special for Rother who was cast as the Mary Jane understudy. “One of my best friends is playing Mary Jane, so we get to share this experience,” Rother said. She also said all the understudies usually get to have their own performance, so she is excited for that.
Not only does Rother enjoy the art of performing, but she said show business has also helped her prepare for the future.
“Being on stage, having to ad lib and think on your toes—that has helped me a lot, and public speaking as well,” Rother said of the benefits of performing.
“When something goes wrong, you have to pick it up and fix it; you don’t really have a choice. And speaking with people afterward—public speaking is a big part of that.”
Rother is currently traveling back and forth to the city for the Big River show, but she got her start locally, and she still enjoys taking part in nearby shows. “A majority of the shows were local, and I still do shows here a lot,” she said.
Rother has especially performed many times at The Southwest Playhouse in Clinton, and she said the shows there helped her greatly. “It prepared me a lot working with adults, and it’s a whole different ball game than working with kids,” she said. “You have to be a lot more professional. It has prepared me a lot for stuff up in the city which I really appreciate and I enjoy.”
When asked about her favorite part of performing in a show, Rother said the cliché answer of making new friends is true for her, but she also enjoys a good challenge. “I’ve been moving into more adult roles recently since I am getting older and that’s a big challenge for me because I’ve grown up playing the little kids roles,” she said.
In just a few weeks, Rother will get to showcase her talent in a more mature role with her performance in Bright Star, a bluegrass Steve Martin musical. “It’s very unique and it’s a lovely, beautiful story,” she said.
Rother also said Bright Star is a show she would want to do again when she is older. “It’s mostly adults because it’s very heavy subject material. So I would really like to do that one when I’m older and have more life experience to apply to that.”
In the future, Rother said she wants to continue working with shows, but she may not pursue a career as an actress. “I’m hoping I can get involved with Lyric Backstage a little bit more. Now that I’m older and I can do internships,” she said. “I’ll Get more involved with that side of things and take a step back from the stage.” Rother encouraged those who are interested in show business but yet unsure of performing on stage should look into volunteering at a theatre. “You can learn a lot from observing.
Working back stage, helping with costumes, even doing ensemble, you learn a lot. Definitely observe, watch—that’s my biggest piece of advice,” she said.
For those interested in seeing Rother perform in Big River, visit lyrictheatreokc.com/shows/ big-river-the-adventuresof- huckleberry-finn/ for ticket availability.
For Bright Star tickets, visit www.eventbrite. com/e/bright-star-tickets-442271474887. 1.66” X 3.4”