As part of IU – Indianapolis’s Class of 2025, 22 year old Merillville native MICAH R. RAYBURN shares insights and experiences (including the significance of working with REACT THEATRE of Indianapolis) as the first graduate of this innovative program. 

As you reflect on your four years on campus and in the Applied Theatre Concentration, what anecdotes, memories, or takeaways come immediately to mind? Why are these impactful or significant to you?  One of the biggest memories that immediately come to mind with my experience in the Applied Theatre major would be the T100: Devising Issue-Based Theatre (formerly Rehearsal and Performance) class experience. The whole class forced me to come out of my shell, which I believe helped me throughout my four years on campus. Acting and collaborating in that type of way to create something new around a “theme” was very eye-opening. It really solidified theatre as being something that I wanted to commit to as a career. It laid the foundation for the confidence and creativity I brought into every project after that. Looking back, T100 wasn’t just a class—it was the starting point of my growth as both an artist and a person.

How did your experiences with REACT Theatre of Indy this year (as part of your fall coursework and your Senior Capstone) shape, and inform your perspectives on career paths in applied theatre, teaching artistry, and or what you can do with your degree? How did these experiences impact you the most? My experience with REACT gave me a preview of what a career in doing Applied Theater in a community (especially with teens and youth) might look like. As one of our program’s partners, REACT collaborated to allow me shadow students and teaching artist Ryan Mullins in the fall semester through one of my core classes T275: Community-Engaged Experiences in Applied Theatre. In the spring, this prepared me to be do a capstone an assistant director with one of their teen ensembles for their upcoming performance called “The Tree”, alongside Artistic Director Georgeanna Smith-Wade. Being with REACT this year allowed me to see the active process that a community goes through to create a performance but also the real-world impact of theatre in educational and community settings. Collaborating with the leaders of REACT and engaging with students through devising gave me a clearer sense of how teaching artistry combines creativity with social purpose. These experiences showed me that my degree can lead to meaningful work that supports youth, sparks conversation, and addresses social issues. It showed me how applied theatre is not only my passion but also a powerful avenue for change.

How are you planning to activate the skills you’ve learned in the Applied Theatre concentration in the next part of your artistic, career, and/or life journey? What comes next for you after graduation? What are your immediate plans? After graduation, my immediate plan is to move back to Northwest Indiana with my family. After that I plan to look at Chicago and connect with different theatre companies, especially those that focus on community engagement and social impact, to find opportunities where I can apply my skills in applied theatre. At the same time, I’ll be working with my mother in her business, which will give me the flexibility to pursue theater and continue building my network. Our program’s head (Mr. Emilio) has already connected me with two companies (Lookingglass and the Goodman) in Chicago that I hope to do some shadowing and investigating with over the summer. I want to stay open to both performing and facilitating, knowing that applied theatre allows for a wider range of roles and pathways than a typical theatre degree. The different skills that I gained from being apart of the ATFT program and working with REACT will guide me in both my artistic and professional life.

What advice would you give to a prospective student entering the program (or considering it)? What qualities and skills will help them succeed and get the most out of what this degree has to offer? My only advice to new students is just to be open, curious, and willing to step out of your comfort zone.  This program thrives on collaboration with your peers, and professors, so listen well. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable or to risk being artistically brave—much of the most profound growth happens in the most surprising moments. Most of all, have confidence that your voice matters and what you create will have the potential to make a difference. This program is what you make out of it, so make the most by doing your best and connecting with as many artists in this field as you can while you are here. For example, my instructor for Intro to Directing (Bonnie Mill) is the Artistic Director for Sapphire Theatre Company of Indianapolis. Everyone has been very willing to share their experiences and careers, I am so thankful for that.

Micah R. Rayburn (pictured here with Assistant Professor Emilio G. Robles) is the first degree recipient in the Applied Theatre Concentration from the IU-Indianapolis School of Liberal Arts.This degree is part of ATFT and is housed in the Department of Communication Studies. Congratulations, Micah!