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Nissi Smith in WIU's production of "Avenue Q."
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WIU Musical Theatre Student Captures Kennedy Center National Honor

August 13, 2018

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From the Summer 2018 issue of Western: The Magazine for Alumni of Western Illinois University

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By Jodi Pospeschil MA '15

For Western Illinois University junior Nissi Smith, the desire to become a professional stage performer began in her sophomore year of high school, when she played the role of a salt shaker in the musical "Beauty and the Beast."

Fast forward a handful of years, and Smith was back on stage in April 2018, but this time to accept the top prize in the musical theatre intensive category at the national Kennedy Center collegiate competition. The road between salt shaker and national award winner has been full of theatrical experiences that have shaped her path as a singer and dancer and as a WIU musical theatre student.

The national award provides Smith with a unique opportunity this summer at the Open Jar Institute in New York City, where she will attend a week of theatrical workshops, meet theatre industry representatives and attend numerous Broadway productions. Open Jar Artistic Director Jeff Whiting served as judge for the Kennedy Center competition and chose the winner.

During the Kennedy Center competition, Smith performed "I'm Here" from "The Color Purple." She said she's not sure she even heard the announcer call her name as the winner.

"I remember everyone looking at me like ‘go' as the announcement came," she said. "I think I rolled my ankle sprinting out to the stage."

Since the Kennedy Center win, Smith's life has become a whirlwind of trying to finish her junior year of college, while fielding numerous requests from national casting companies to submit audition videos.

"Jeff [Whiting] recorded a clip of me singing at the Kennedy Center and posted it on his personal social media account and on the one for the Open Jar Institute," said Smith. "After I returned to campus, I started getting emails from a casting company in New York inviting me to submit a video audition for a tour of ‘Dear Evan Hansen.'"

A second audition request came for a national tour of "Les Miserables." Smith is still amazed at the national audition offers coming in.

"These are opportunities I would not have been presented with if the Kennedy Center had not happened," she said. "I have one year of school left, so if these were to come through, I would have to make some decisions about my future."

With all of the excitement the spring semester has brought Smith, she also played the character "Gary Coleman" in the WIU Theatre and Dance production of "Avenue Q" and choreographed a dance in 25th annual Spring Gala Dance Concert.

While singing at the Kennedy Center, Smith said she never felt like it was a competition for something because the 10 competitors had so much fun together and she feels winning the award wasn't the most valuable thing she took away from the weekend.

"Everyone who I was participating in this ‘competition' with, and I use that word lightly, was just phenomenal," said Smith. "It was such a humbling experience working with fellow artists. The real award was meeting the people I met, learning from them and knowing that I found a tribe of like-minded people."

A highlight of the Kennedy Center event for Smith was having her parents, Darence and Cathedral Smith, and grandmother, Betty Cleveland, drive to Washington, D.C. from her hometown of Chicago.

"My parents have seen me perform many times, but they usually get to see me do fluffy things," she said. "They hadn't seen me in my element before."

Before her summer experience at the Open Jar Institute, Smith is scheduled to perform as the characters Lil' Inez/Shayna in the musical "Hairspray" through July 29 at the Crossroads Repertory Theatre in Terra Haute, IN. The performance is directed by WIU Theatre and Dance Professor Bill Kincaid. Also participating in the production is WIU Theatre and Dance Instructor Brett Olson '17, who, along with WIU alumnus Jeff Young '17, was a finalist last year for the Kennedy Center's Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.

Smith said the faculty at WIU and her fellow students have been so excited and supportive of her success, as have her family and friends and her church family in her hometown.

"I have such a great support system and that has helped me a lot in the last few weeks," Smith said. "When you have people behind you it keeps you humble. I couldn't do what I do without my faith. It molds everything together."

When Smith was a young girl, she knew she wanted to be an entertainer and "be in front of people in some sort of way." As she grew up, she had no formal vocal training, but instead was more involved in athletics, such as track, softball and cheerleading. In fifth grade, Smith thought she would be a fashion designer, an effort she said she has folded into her stage performances with her personal style.

As an African American woman, Smith said a goal of her stage performances is to advocate for people of color.

"Growing up, there weren't a lot of people like me doing this," she said of stage performances.

While in Washington, D.C. for the Kennedy Center competition, Smith was able to attend a performance of "The Wiz" at Ford's Theatre. She said the experience had a powerful emotional impact on her.

"I was crying, I was overwhelmed with joy and inspiration; it was so magical," she said. "It was an entire African American cast being amazing and telling a story. I want to make someone feel the way I was feeling … like I could fight a tornado and survive."

Smith said she is thankful to the faculty at Western who have encouraged her to focus on doing what she loves.

"It's becoming clear that I can have a career I love," she said. "Doors seem to be opening, rather it be small or large. This is literally a miracle from the Lord."

Musical theatre is one of Western's Signature Academic Programs, known for its comprehensive, professional training. WIU Department of Theatre and Dance Chair Tammy Killian said one of the program's main goals is to prepare students to work professionally, and 90 percent of graduates are currently employed.

"When you look at Nissi, and all our WIU Theatre and Dance students, you see what is at the heart of our program: discipline, accountability, perseverance, problem solving, communication, creativity, humility, respect and vision," she said.

Killian added that Smith came into Western's program as a "wide-eyed girl with passion and a drive to work hard and make it in this difficult career path."

"She is extremely talented and has benefited greatly from the training she has received—she soaks it up," said Killian. "She considers the subtleties within the work and the purpose behind playwright's words. She works tirelessly in production and in classes to create, develop and discover her own artistic identity. She has synthesized work in her dance, acting, voice and musical theatre courses to hone audition packages and the pieces she performed at the Kennedy Center."

When called upon to speak about the craft of acting, Killian said Smith speaks clearly and eloquently and responds to questions in a thoughtful way.

"She is an insightful, sensitive and self-aware individual driven to explore the arts, and through them a deeper understanding of the human condition," said Killian. "She has grabbed hold of the individual, holistic approach to the art of theatre we offer in the classroom and production and has embodied it. The Department of Theatre and Dance could not be prouder of her work in our program and her representation of us at KC/ACTF. We are proud of and grateful to Nissi for representing WIU and all we stand for in such a graceful and beautiful way."

College of Fine Arts and Communication Dean Billy Clow calls Smith a "wonderful success story."

"Her talent is undeniable," he said. As part of the Signature Musical Theatre Program, she is another example of the excellence to which we hold all our programs in the College of Fine Arts and Communication. I cannot wait to see what Nissi can accomplish as a senior, but I guarantee it will be something special."

For more information about WIU's Department of Musical Theatre, visit wiu.edu/cofac/theatre/BFA.php.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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