Olmsted Performing Arts' Megan Hyde, Director of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, Talks About Her Experiences with Theatre

The talented, energetic, bubbly and beautiful Megan Hyde of Olmsted Falls is the director of the July performance of "Once Upon A Mattress" at the Olmsted Performing Arts Center. Megan has been involved with Olmsted Performing Arts and acting since grade school.

"I first started getting interested in theater when I was 9," Megan says. "It was mostly my mom, she kinda forced me to do it and I ended up liking it."

Megan grew up taking theater and dance classes at Olmsted Performing Arts (OPA) and performed in youth stage productions at OPA. Her favorite musicals are "West Side Story" "Beauty and the Beast" and "Newsies." However, she is very excited to be directing "Once Upon A Mattress" because she has performed in it before and is using her experience and putting her own twist on it.

"I remember thinking 'I woulda done that differently' and now I get to do it differently," Megan says. "The cast is really talented and strong and I'm excited to work with them, they've been really great."

From early auditions a few people stood out as the leads and were going to get cast right away, without callbacks even, Megan said. Casting decisions are often hard, Megan says, finding the right person who can sing or act or dance or do all three is essential for casting a good musical production. Megan says she always has a vision for the person she wants to play each part, but the choreographer, musical director and producer also help with casting.

For "Once Upon A Mattress" Megan is both director and choreographer. She has been choreographer for all the shows she has directed at OPA. Her first directing position came when she was just 17 and was supposed to be assistant director, but she took over directing duties when the director had to be replaced on short notice. Since then she has directed 7 shows at OPA

Directing her first show Megan says she was nervous. "I think it was just scary 'cause I didn't really know what I was doing, that's why I was assistant directing," Megan says. "But when you get put in that position you have to learn as you go 'cause you really don't have any other option." The first show was a struggle but Megan says she ended up loving directing and enjoys seeing how the cast grows from the casting to the completion of each show so much, nowadays.

The cast for "Once Upon A Mattress" is incredibly talented and were so good at auditions it made the audition process easy to choose, Megan says. The audience will enjoy the infectious and impressive singing, dancing and acting the cast brings to the show.

Megan feels her own acting and dancing help her be the best director she can be. She also learns to get better watching other shows and talking to friends who are performers in productions throughout the area.

"(Directing) is definitely a learning experience. Every time you direct you become more comfortable with certain things and you learn other things from watching other directors or working with other directors on stuff"

Each show Megan directs she says she is constantly perfecting the best way to work with the cast and give the audience the best outcomes and make the experience of a show at OPA an enjoyable and memorable one.

Megan says she enjoys both the theatre and her dancing activities; she is a Youth and Main Stage Director at OPA, as well as a theatre instructor, a home school art teacher, a dance instructor and a party coordinator. Her favorite activity and class may switch from day to day, she admits.

"I consider myself a performer, and a director," she says.

She spends most of her time working at OPA but says she is trying to learn guitar and drums, although she is not sure she is coordinated enough to play either.

At OPA we are sure that Megan is an outstanding teacher, dancer and director.

Purchase your tickets to see "Once Upon A Mattress" directed by Megan Hyde now at http://www.opatickets.com.

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