Gabrielle Brawner
MC Contributor/Staff Writer
Tackling black stereotypes and every day experiences in the African-American culture, MADDRAMA Performance Troupe put on a show to remember at the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium.
On Sept. 9, MADDRAMA held their annual fall interest show for the students of JSU. For over ten years, hundreds of students have gathered in McCoy to gain knowledge and be entertained by the performance troupe.
For the Jackson State University students, mostly freshmen and transfer students, who may not know about the organization, the interest show provided an opportunity for current members to showcase that MADDRAMA is more than just a bunch of students who enjoy acting, dancing and singing.
“MADDRAMA is an organization of performers. When I started, I first called it MADDRAMA Acting Troupe but, I said wanted more than just acting, I wanted performers and performers involve speaking, singing, dancing, make-up, and costumes, some of everything. So that’s basically what it is,” said Mark Henderson, founder and artistic director of MADDRAMA, and Chair of the Department of Speech Communications.
The audience was entertained from the beginning of the show to the very end. People laughed, cried and occasionally sang along to some of the tunes that were played between the scenes as the audience members patiently waited for the next act to go on.
DeLana Ector, a senior majoring in both electrical and civil engineer from Hattiesburg, Miss., is a loyal fan and supporter of MADDRAMA.
“As an organization, they like to empower people and they like to bring things to the stage and educate and entertain people,” said Ector.
Marcus Jones, a graduate student from Houston, Texas got involved with MADDRAMA while he attended JSU as an undergraduate student and has many fond memories of his time with MADDRAMA.
“I really appreciate my S.C.E.N.E. as they grew. Miss Jackson State is one of my S.C.E.N.E. sisters, Rashad Moore, SGA President, is my S.C.E.N.E. siblings. And a lot of my S.C.E.N.E brothers and sisters have grown and done great things. I guess that’s what I most proud of,” said Jones.
Many members say they joined because they have a love for the arts, while others, like Gregory Chambers, joined to gain a confidence.
“I thought that MADRAMA would help me get over my fear of being in front of the camera, because they say in my field, you have to be able to do both. Be in front and behind the camera. It helped me come out of the shell I was already in. It helped me find my voice that was already there,” said Chambers, a sophomore mass communication major from Jackson, Miss.
To join MADDRAMA, you don’t have to be a theatre major or have experience with being on stage. For those who would like to become a part of MADDRAMA and missed the Sept. 15 deadline, there’s always next fall.
