Final Interview :)

JP Welliver says that he has been in theater longer that he can remember. He was doing shows as early as elementary school! He has been working with kids since high school through different sides of theater such as kids for kids productions and a as a music teacher with his church’s summer bible school program over the years. All in all, it’s been a little over 12 years (give or take a few years). In regards to seeing a person’s morale be changed by doing a show or going to rehearsal, JP says that that is something that he has gotten to experience many times, which he says is an overwhelming emotion (in a very good way) for him to see. Being able to witness the children with all of their friends and having huge smiles on their faces from ear to ear–it is something that gives the soul true joy like nothing else in this world can, he says.

I then asked if he thinks that theater helps or hurts mental health and he said he thinks the theater can be a bit of both. He thinks the positive impacts are tremendous for individuals who participate and the theater gives you a place to be yourself, free of judgment and surrounded by love and support from people of all walks of life. It is truly incredible. JP said it helps individuals to focus on something specific and work hard for a common goal–to bring entertainment to the masses of the surrounding community. JP also said that theater can affect mental health. An intense rehearsal schedule can cause you to become stressed out because of the large time commitment that sometimes allows little time for downtime or moments to do other entities that you are passionate about. The audition process is also something that can make you crazy. Working hard to get the part that you really want–practicing for hours on end trying to perfect everything–it can make you crazy, especially if you do not get the part, he says.

In addition to that, JP said the theater has positively impacted him since the day he stepped through the door. He said 9 years ago, he walked through the doors of the EPAC at a time when he was going through some very difficult personal struggles. He even said that for his very first audition, which was a mainstage production of Willy Wonka, he almost got back in his car and drove home because he was too nervous to have the courage to just do it. But luckily he found that courage and now he says that even though it sounds cliche, walking through those doors changed his life and acted as a safe haven where he could be himself without any type of judgment. And, 9 years later, he is able to call this theater a second home. When I asked JP what makes him passionate about theater, he said that there is nothing like putting on a costume, pretending to be someone else, getting under the lights, and working your butt off to make a LIVE audience in the comfort of their seats smile at what they are watching. He says It is so fun to play characters of all shapes and sizes and he loves being able to make people smile and the true passion comes from his heart when he sees the energy from fellow actors on the stage and the energy from the audience in front of him. He says there is no way to describe it in words because it is something you have to experience.  

In response to me asking if he has ever worked with a child in a show who truly inspired him, he said that he has worked with so many kids over the years and it’s hard to single out one individual. He said that they are all truly inspiring. No matter their back story or their struggle, they all end up having a special place in his heart. Their energy, smiles, passion, and love bring out the best in JP, he says, adding that they are the true beacons of light that can make positive change in this world and he couldn’t be more excited to see how those that he has worked with over the years accomplish that as they continue to grow and mature throughout the stages of their lives.

At the end of the interview, JP adds that the theater is a special community to be a part of. The arts are an integral part of this community, this world–and they are vital in the development of our kids. It teaches discipline, it embodies a world of non-judgment, passion, and love. JP says that he has been blessed and lucky to have many opportunities throughout life thus far to be in the theater community and he looks forward to how it evolves in the coming years.