BENJAMIN BUHRMAN

WHAT CLASSES DO YOU TEACH / HAVE YOU TAUGHT AT THE MOUNT? Right now I teach classes about the technical aspects of theater: stage craft, scene design and theater administration. I also like to supplement them with other courses such as costume design, lighting and sound design. The most interesting class I’ve taught so far was LARP and cosplay. The course was absolutely wonderful because I got to see the students start from nothing and build their own cosplays they could take to a convention.

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH LARP. LARP stands for live action roleplay, but it’s better defined as an improvised theater production game and it’s all three of those: improvised, theater production and game. Each one is different. Some are more athletic; some are more like a live action game of Clue. You take on a role and there’s a setting, props and a rule structure to give you a way to resolve conflict or problems. I started in 2006 and it has been a whirlwind of adventure learning real-world skills and ways to work and network with many different people. I’m involved in Amtgard, a local nonprofit in Hagerstown, Maryland, and recently got a chance to LARP with an internationally known larper.

HOW DO YOU HELP PREPARE STUDENTS TO "LIVE SIGNIFICANTLY" THROUGH THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS? That’s a multi-faceted thing that’s really, really beautiful. Looking at the world of theater, it’s this idea that ensemble and coming together really make the difference. Being a community and being one within the group is really important. Each person has a skill; it’s about what you have to give and what you can bring that makes the performance great. I make the joke, and it’s actually not a joke, that if you can pick up a hammer, I have a job for you. If you can sew something, if you’re great at scrapbooking or marketing, painting or making costumes, I have a place for you. That's the beauty of it: No matter what you do or who you are, you’ve got a place, and we can use those skills. Students can also use their experience to build their professional portfolios and résumés. Our theater helps students develop their future selves.

WHAT'S SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUR THEATER PROGRAM? We have a really good theater at the Mount! It is the students’ sandbox to come in and get an experience for performance—especially in the world of theater. The beauty of what theater gives us is the ability to understand others and learn their mindset and walk in their shoes. Students can understand themselves and others and become better versions of themselves from those performative experiences.

Mount Professor Benjamin Buhrman

Time teaching at the Mount: 3 years Title: Lecturer and Technical Director for the Horning Theater

By Nicole Patterson

You're Invited! UPCOMING EVENTS AT HORNING THEATER

October 24-26: One Act Festival November 21-23: “Trojan Women” April 2-4: “She Kills Monsters”

Tickets are $7 per person and can be purchased at the door. The Horning Theater is located inside the Delaplaine Fine Arts Center.