He doesn’t get nervous or scared, even when performing in front of hundreds of his classmates.
Mass communication freshman Jacob McManus has loved theatre since a young age. He has been in plays and musicals such as “Into the Woods,” “The Addams Family,” “The Sound of Music” and more. He was born in San Antonio, Texas, moved to Alaska and eventually ended up at the University to take part in the LSU theatre program where he said he’s grown as an actor and made lifelong friends.
McManus said his most prized memories of LSU theatre were made during “Marjorie Prime” last semester. He said he spent months alongside his cast mates, perfecting his character, Walter. Walter was a challenging character to master because he wasn’t a real person – he was a robot.
McManus’ role was not only a robot, but the robot version of main character Marjorie’s late husband. He played a character that would challenge the audience to suspend their realities to another dimension.
“An incredible amount of thought went into every word and every action in ‘Marjorie Prime,’ it was a learning experience,” McManus said. “I had scenes where I had to remain completely still and scenes where I had act like a robot learning to become more human.”
McManus said “Marjorie Prime” has been his favorite play in his acting career thus far. It forced him to step outside of his comfort zone with an interesting, complex character.
“I definitely grew as an actor last semester,” McManus said. “It was my first time playing ‘something’ instead of ‘someone.’”
He said the LSU theatre program is great for anyone willing to put in the work. Students don’t have to be a theatre major or even close to an experienced actor to join.
“Even if you’re just slightly interested, you should do it,” McManus said. “I have grown a lot through it and plan to stick with it throughout college.”
He is currently enrolled in Theatre 1025 and in theatre 2022, along with his mass communication classes. He said he hopes to continue acting and is looking into publicity as a career.
McManus said his acting process has developed over the years. Before a play, he spends a good amount of his time trying to understand his character on a deeper level.
“It’s important to read a play and understand who you are as a character,” McManus said. “It’s even more Important to become the character, instead of just memorizing your lines. If you are truly prepared for a role, you won’t feel nervous when you’re actually performing.”McManus also works for Playmakers of Baton Rouge. He is an assistant stage manager and is currently working on “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales,” which will run from April 26-29.
“I really enjoy the whole process of acting and preparing for plays and musicals, it’s different for every show,” McManus said. “Sometimes it takes weeks to prepare and sometimes it takes months, but every time the hard work pays off.”
LSU mass communication major and theater actor Jacob McManus enjoys Garden District Coffee on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018.
