DECEMBER VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: MORGAN ZANGER
Our final spotlight of 2024 features the dynamic and multi-talented, Morgan Zanger! Morgan is from Quincy, IL. She is currently on the QCT stage in CINDERELLA (Charles/Ensemble), while simultaneously rehearsing for next season’s SIX: TEEN EDITION (Anna of Cleves)! She was previously in PETER PAN (Tiger Lily/Liza). When not at the theater, you’ll find her with a softball bat, a tennis racket, or a good book. She is incredibly grateful for her friends and family’s unwavering support throughout all of her endeavors!
How did you first become involved with QCT?
As a child, I grew up watching my older sister on the stage. She’d come home with these fantastic stories of all of the friends that she made, the cool costumes she got to wear, and how much fun she was having. In my role as a younger sister, of course, I had to copy her. So I tried out for shows for about two years in middle school, I got a couple of callbacks, but I was never quite right for the role. Eventually, I gave up. Still, I loved watching the shows. I fell in love with the emotional underscores, the enrapturing acting, and the magical set and costume designs. I decided to audition again for the 2022 winter production of LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, and though I didn’t get an acting role, I decided to volunteer on crew as a spotlight operator. It was such an amazing experience to get to watch that show night after night, and so cool to watch the actors work. I told my sister I would audition one last time for the 2023 winter show PETER PAN, and as luck would have it, there was a role for me!
What has been your most memorable moment working on a production?
The most memorable moment for me in a production was the first time I stepped onto the stage as Tiger Lily in PETER PAN in front of an audience. Every night I would stand behind the curtain as the music for my scene started playing, out of breath from the quick change and the run under the stage, and my heart would beat out of my chest. I had about thirty seconds to get into character, to call to mind groundedness and leadership, strength and confidence. That rush of adrenaline the moment before the first step on stage is like nothing else. It is my favorite part of acting.
If you could play any role in any play or musical, which one would it be and why?
My dream role is Eurydice in HADESTOWN! I am in love with the soundtrack for this entire musical, and I love the story behind it. I am an avid Greek mythology fan, and I think that this show tells the story so beautifully. More specifically, I would choose Eurydice because she was the first female lead that I heard with my vocal range. Her songs are delicate and powerful in the same breath, and I would love a chance to embody that.
What has been your favorite/most rewarding volunteer role?
My favorite, most rewarding volunteer role so far has been acting. It has brought me incredible friendships, cherished memories, and new skills. I’ve learned so much about the facets of the theater and myself. It’s taught me hard work, perseverance, and confidence. Switching roles two weeks before a performance taught me that I can do hard things, all-day tech rehearsals taught me the value of patience and good friends, and the encouragement of the production team and fellow actors taught me to be confident in my abilities and proud of what I could achieve. This theatre and its people have become a part of who I am now and have shown me who I hope to be in the future.
What’s an area of volunteering that you haven’t tried, but would like to?
I would love to be on the run crew or make props! Run crew does so much behind the scenes to control the chaos and make sure that actors have the best possible environment to give their best performance. They are the unsung heroes of musical theater. They make the magic happen! Every magic moment you see on stage is the result of multiple perfectly timed cues that you don’t see. As for prop making, I’ve gotten to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that our prop master Randy Wolfmeyer puts in, and it is just incredible. I am constantly amazed by what he can do with just an idea from the directors. He makes these incredible designs all on his own and is constantly working to improve them with any minor adjustments that we suggest. I would love to be a part of making that happen.
What’s the funniest mishap you’ve seen happen during a live performance?
The instance that comes to mind first is one that is less mishap, more mischief. In one scene in PETER PAN, my character was dragged out to be tied to a tree. Every night, Quinton Metcalf—one of the actors who dragged me— would come up with increasingly absurd insults in an attempt to make me break character. It was a struggle to keep a straight face!
If QCT could produce any show with an unlimited budget, what would you choose and why?
I would choose Hadestown because I’ve always wanted to see it in person! With an unlimited budget, we could actually have a rotating stage! The rest of the set is also pretty intricate and it would be so cool to see it brought to life!
What’s one thing you wish the audience knew about what goes on behind the scenes?
I wish the audience knew how many people are working that they don’t even know about. Sure, we have the actors, and most people know about the directors, choreographers, vocal directors, and stage managers, but there are also countless others: prop makers, prop managers, costume designers, lighting designers, set designers, run crew, fly crew, spotlights, dressers, hair designers, costume shop volunteers, set construction volunteers, painters, and still others that I don’t even know about. Countless people are putting in countless hours for a show that runs two weekends at most, and many are returning volunteers. These shows are a work of love, but they are also intense and someone has to put in the time and effort to make all of the little details happen that bring these shows to the level the audience has come to expect from QCT.
What would you say to someone wanting to volunteer with QCT?
DO IT!!! Take that leap! It’s always scary to do something new, and it’s hard to feel out of your depth, but it will pay off a hundred times over. QCT is such a magical place full of love, acceptance, and beauty – it’s an honor to be a part of it for however long you can be. Specifically for people who are scared to audition, take that terrifying first step and know that everyone there is rooting for you. The people watching you audition want you to succeed. They want you to be the perfect person for the role, that would make their jobs so much easier! So go in there and try your best. Even if you don’t get a role the first, second, third, or tenth time, there will be a role for you someday, so keep taking that chance. When you do, you will find the most welcoming community of people who just want to see you succeed. Be willing to try things out of your comfort zone, and get involved any way you can! It’s an incredible community to be a part of in whatever way you are.