The Partnership Between Webster University and The Rep of St. Louis Helps Students Shine on Stage

Photo: The Company of Little Women on stage. Photo by Jon Gitchoff, courtesy of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Ineffable. It’s an adjective that means a feeling that is “too great or extreme to be expressed with regular words.” For Addison Foote, a senior in Webster University's Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts, that word perfectly described the overwhelming feeling of joy she received when she learned she earned a role in The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ current production of “Little Women.”

It was the culmination of nearly four years of work, both in the classroom and through positions she previously earned at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, colloquially known as “The Rep.” Starting her freshman year, she worked jobs ranging from a parking lot attendant to a ticket taker. But this was the first time she would be on stage in a professional production.

All of this is possible because of Webster's longstanding partnership with The Rep, which connects students with professional theatre experience while completing their degrees.

Photo: Addison Foote. Photo courtesty of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

“I can confidently say that this has been one of the best experiences of my life,” Foote said. “To see how the theatre I strive to participate in is created is incredible to witness. Hearing the conversations between the actors, discussions with our director, and seeing how everything operates to come together is surreal.”

The call for auditions for “Little Women” came just a week or two before the end of the semester. Foote, along with numerous other Webster students tried out. After going through two rounds of auditions, she was told that a decision would be made soon.

Then came the wait. Weeks later, Foote moved back to her parents’ house for the summer. While unloading boxes from her car at her parents' home, an email arrived from Delaney Piggins, associate artistic director at The Rep. Foote had auditioned for professional theatre during her student career, but this email was different. She had been cast in a lead role. 

“To say there were tears when I got the news, is an understatement. Truthfully, the best word to describe my feelings is also my favorite word: ineffable,” Foote said. “I have auditioned for professional theaters. Every audition and every callback is valuable and a great experience. I would not be where I am today if I had not learned what I had in those rooms at Webster University. But this was my first ‘yes.’”

She is currently one of the students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre working on this production. Other students are involved including such key roles as production assistants and design assistants. These students are working alongside their faculty and notable alums, such as Paige Seber, a 2015 graduate who was recently nominated for a Tony Award for lighting design. 

Overall, the partnership between the University and The Rep stretches back 60 years, when the performing arts organization was founded by faculty members and community supporters who desired a professional-level performing arts company that could bring original productions to St. Louis. During that entire history, Webster Conservatory students and faculty have been involved in all The Rep's productions. The partnership is so strong, it is now included as part of the curriculum at the University, creating a unique bond that gives students a head start in their careers.

That was the case for The Rep’s Associate Artistic Director and director of Little Women Delaney Piggins, who received her BFA in Acting from Webster. “Working with Webster students and faculty on ‘Little Women’ is a full-circle opportunity for me. Having had the chance to work with a professional company of actors as a Webster Senior years ago, I know the way these relationships, opportunities for mentorship, and experiences with artistic excellence can launch a career. As a professional it’s renewing to see the work through students' eyes with the insight and passion they have for it and the fresh perspective they bring to collaboration.

“For Webster University, the partnership provides opportunities for faculty and students to hone their skills and remain at the top of their game, while also serving as a hub for the arts in the region. Paul Steger, the Dean of Webster’s Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, home to Webster's Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts, also had a role in "Little Women," one that was backstage. He taught the cast how to perform a fight on stage and make it appear real.

"The unique partnership between Webster and The Rep, nationally recognized for producing top-notch theatre, provides invaluable experiences for our students. Our students experience working with professionals every day - in the shops, in the rehearsal hall, front of the house, on the stage, and backstage. They work with them, alongside them, and learn the rigors of pursuing a professional career," Steger said. "The Rep staff are impeccable professionals and provide our students with something no other undergraduate training program can provide - the opportunity to work as a professional while they are in school.  The faculty in Webster's Sargent Conservatory are all working professionals as well.  Students get the opportunity to learn from the faculty in the classroom and then see them execute in a professional environment.  Webster's and The Rep's creative teams' dedication and collaboration foster a sense of professional preparation that is hard to match anywhere else."

For Foote, the experience started in the classroom.

“I cannot begin to thank my professors enough for the training I have received in my time here at Webster. My vocal warm up, how I approach conversations, knowing what questions to ask, and diverse ways to approach the work have all come from the teachings I have received here,” she said. “The technique I learned in acting my very first year at Conservatory continues to give me the tools I need to feel confident and ready to work. I feel proud to share what I have learned through my work in the rehearsal room. I hope my professors know how grateful I am for sharing their passion of theatre with me.”

At The Rep, Foote has put all that training into practice while continuing to learn alongside professional actors, directors, designers and technicians. 

“The experience has changed me,” Foote said. “It turns out I can love what I do even more that I thought possible. I did not think I could fall in love with theatre any more than I already had but every day I experience more ineffable joy.”

Ineffable. Because words cannot adequately describe what she learned at Webster and gained from The Rep.

“Little Women” will be performed through Sept. 27. Visit The Rep’s website for more information and tickets.

Visit the Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts page to learn more about Webster’s arts programs.