Ms. Thanaporn “Gus” Assavachai is no stranger to acting, being a senior Media and Communication student. However, being involved in a stage play, and as director at that, is a totally different experience, she says.
“Even though I studied Media and Communication as a major, this was my first time doing a stage play, and I never got involved in a stage play during high school as well,” she said.
For someone like her who has been trained in TV and film performances, working on stage has shown some interesting contrasts. “I am really passionate about acting. I am more accustomed to TV programs and films than stage plays. As an actress, we can redo the scene as many times as possible in order to get the best take. Also, the camera is already close-up, which helps convey the emotion, so the actors and actresses don’t need to increase the level of emotion since it is already obvious,” she explains.
However, in a stage play, she says, “everything is completely different. If we make any mistakes, we need to deal with them and let the show go on. In terms of acting, sometimes we need to overact in order to make the audience clearly understand the character’s feelings. This is so challenging as an actor, and this is also the reason why stage plays are so fascinating to me.”
During the Summer Term, Gus enrolled in ICGC 213: Topics in Comparative Literature: Drama under the mentorship of Asst. Prof. Dr. Analiza Liezl Perez-Amurao. Due to the shorter summer term duration, the students, after being organized in small groups, had to present a two-scene excerpt from a well-known play. Gus’ group chose “Proof,” the award-winning 2000 play by American playwright David Auburn. “Proof” won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. Gus was selected as the director.
Why did her team choose Proof? “I used to watch ‘Proof’ with my friends in an acting class. I found the plot very interesting, and people can relate to the story. At first, I had four choices for the play, and when I asked my team, they were all interested in ‘Proof’ so that’s why I chose ‘Proof.’”
How would she describe her experience as a stage play director? “It was incredible. I've always been an actress, so I wanted to challenge myself by becoming a director. I took a Directing class during my third year, and I found it very challenging because there were so many things to handle,” she says, adding that, “However, this class is my last one in college, and I really want to challenge myself by stepping out of my comfort zone and be a director. The experience I gained from this is priceless. It can't be denied that I feel exhausted handling everything and leading the team. Everyone comes to me and asks about anything in which I need to be able to provide answers to all those questions and I need to be the one who makes the final decision about everything. After all that I have done, I feel so grateful that I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do this, and I will never forget it.”
What are the benefits that a university student would get from being involved in a stage play / attending a course in Drama? “Being part of stage plays and taking Drama courses at university have really changed me,” Gus answers. “It's not just about directing; it's about discovering who I am and becoming better. Standing in front of people has made me feel more sure of myself, and learning to think creatively and solve problems quickly has been really cool. Understanding how people feel and see the world has been eye-opening. It's not just about skills; it's about how I think and act now. These experiences have given me special abilities that I'll carry with me in everything I do in the future.”
Well said. Theater indeed brings a world of experience to a university student. Many different factors come into play (pun definitely intended!), bringing new challenges that can only result in more skills and maturity to someone interested in becoming a well-trained thespian.
MUIC offers interested students the opportunity to learn more about drama and theater in the only way possible—actual stage play production. ICGC 213: Topics in Comparative Literature: Drama is an ICGC 200+ elective course offered by the English Studies Program, Humanities and Language Division. For more details, please click this link: https://muic.mahidol.ac.th/eng/programs/undergraduate-programs/humanities-and-language/english-studies-program/
