Junior student director of “Hello, Dolly!” Alyssa Young stood in the middle of her cast members as they waited in anticipation for the day’s practice. 

“When you’re on stage you have to look like you’re having fun, not bored out of your mind,” Young said to the cast.  “[To practice this] we are going to do the Macarena.” 

The cast members form lines and begin dancing, Young leading the way.  Everyone has smiles on their faces as they laugh out loud.

“[Having the cast do the Macarena] was a good idea because we saw so many smiles and everyone was happy and in a good mood after,” Young said.

Before the practice officially started, Young could be seen running on and off-stage, doing odd jobs and talking to the cast, all with a smile on her face. 

“[The cast] thinks I’m silly and strange, but for the most part they respect me,” Young said.

Being the student director can be fun, but the job carries a lot of responsibilities, from making sure rehearsals run smoothly to solving problems backstage.  She also takes care of the little details, such as taking attendance and helping leads practice. 

Director of “Hello, Dolly!” Jonathan Copeland called the list of responsibilities of student director “endless and constantly changing.”  

Among keeping the rehearsals organized, Young’s other main responsibility is making sure the director can be focused on directing. 

“[Alyssa] is the fire person,” Copeland said.  “[She] is putting out fires so I can be there tweaking acting.”

When selecting the student director, Copeland knew he would need someone with a lot of organizational skill.

“[Alyssa] was in my drama class last year, so I knew she was responsible and reliable,” Copeland said.  “She took her work seriously and I knew she would be dedicated.”

Copeland claims that things would be “more chaotic” if the job of student director did not exist, and Young agreed. 

“If I wasn’t there I think people would not be on time and more talkative than they are now,” Young said. “Not everyone would be in their place [or] have everything they need, like their props.”

Young knows that her job of student director is very important and that a lot rides on her shoulders.

“I have a lot of power, during show nights especially,” Young said. “[The cast members] take all orders from me since Mr. Copeland is out watching the show to make sure everything goes okay.” 

Being the student director takes a lot of work, but, despite all of the labor, Young has still benefitted from her job. 

“[I’ve enjoyed] getting to know everybody and seeing the show from the very beginning to where it is now,” Young said.  “It’s been a fun experience. Tiring, but fun.”