(Photo by Aubreonna Chamberlain/DePaul University)
Sarah Johnson, The Theatre School
Degree: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts and Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media
Hometown: Covington, Kentucky
What brought you to DePaul?
My cousin graduated from here four years ago, and I follow in his footsteps in just about everything. I wasn't considering DePaul at first, because I honestly didn't think I would get in to The Theatre School. But he told me all about the program and the different opportunities, and I thought, why not? I also visited Chicago quite a few times growing up, so I love the city. I applied and got in, and here I am!
What inspired you to pursue theatre?
I went back and forth about it for a while because COVID was really tough on the theatre industry. I wasn't sure if that was the industry for me, but I had a love for theatre that I didn’t have for anything else. I wanted to expose myself to the different avenues within theatre, such as directing, which I started to explore in college.
What do you think is special about The Theatre School?
There’s such a tight community here. Each class is so small, and I feel like everybody knows each other, which makes for unique relationships. I feel like the type of situations you would find yourself in high school theatre carries through with college. It can be a little bit dramatic at times, but it makes for a fun community that really thrives on supporting one another.
How did you connect with the DePaul community outside of the classroom?
I take on a lot of extracurriculars outside of The Theatre School, like with the School of Cinematic Arts. I'm always looking for things to do around DePaul, especially during freshman year. When I was first getting acclimated, I got excited about doing a bunch of different things around DePaul, and I try to show my support to students outside of The Theatre School.
Can you tell me more about your involvement with the School of Cinematic Arts?
I was on my first film set at the end of my freshman year as a first assistant director. I had never done this before, but I was itching to get involved. They ended up asking me to come back for subsequent days and I fell in love with the process of a film set. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I declared my double major. Since then, I have worked in a range of positions such as producer, first AD, actor, sound mixer, lighting design and cinematography. I am always searching for ways to increase collaboration between the School of Cinematic Arts and The Theatre School and highly encourage other students to do the same.
Do you have a favorite class that you took while at DePaul?
I took a directing theories class with Damon Kiely. It was a two-quarter class where we studied directors from history, and then we would do exercises about them. We developed our own directing theories based on these exercises at the end of the course. That was a really informative class to take.
What’s your favorite memory from your time at DePaul?
There's an organization here called STARS that hosts a musical theater cabaret each quarter, which my roommate and I have participated in since our first year. It’s my one chance to perform with my roommate every quarter, and it’s a really fun experience because so many people show up and are so supportive.
What advice would you give to incoming students?
My biggest piece of advice is just to take it day by day. Sometimes it's going to feel so overwhelming, and you're always going to want to pursue so much and maintain something every single second of every single day. Take a step back from work and prioritize your mental health, while also embracing the opportunities you have!
What are you doing next?
I'm hoping to continue directing a show that a friend of mine wrote that we produced a few months ago at a festival here. We’re planning to continue that this fall. I love all things performance, film and theatre, and I'm so excited to graduate this year alongside all my friends.
Meet more of the Class of 2025 here.