Jamie Gilbert has not always been the bold and outgoing human being she is today. She was quite shy in her youth. It was her mother who encouraged her to step out of her shell and try something new when signing up for her middle school electives. Her mom told her she should sign up for drama class and though she was reluctant, Gilbert took the plunge and go for it, having no idea that her seemingly small choice would have a grand impact on the rest of her life. She continued drama classes throughout middle and high school, as well as joining the drama club. Her high school theatre teacher inspired Gilbert to go to college for theatre and even teach theatre herself, and that she did. In 2020, Gilbert graduated with a BFA in musical theatre from Ferrum College and became the drama teacher at O.T. Bonner Middle School in Danville, VA.
Being a part of the theatre world for so long, Gilbert has performed and directed many shows. When asked what her favorite part of putting on a production was, she shared that “As a director, it is seeing it all come together. There is something so satisfying about seeing my students’ faces and energy when they know they have done an amazing job. All the blood, sweat, and tears are worth it to see them proud of what they have done.” As an actor, Gilbert gets the most satisfaction out of hearing from the complete strangers in the audience about how her performance moved them to tears or made them laugh so hard their sides hurt. She says, “It is the highest compliment I can ever be paid.”
Whether comic or tragic, there is a lot of work that goes behind creating a character. Gilbert has a rather extensive process for this. She says, “I do a lot of research. I watch other actors in the role. I read any articles or interviews with playwrights/directors/actors I can find. I like creating a vision or mood board for the character. I also make sure I can answer any question about my character as possible and can tell you why… just creating as much detail as possible about a character that isn’t always specified in the text. I do this for lead roles and ensemble roles. It definitely helps bring characters to life.” The hardest thing for Gilbert is making sure all the thought and work she has done behind the scenes shows through in her performance and that the audience clearly understands the character’s intentions and motivations.
For Gilbert, there is one show in particular that was a special experience. SpongeBob the Musical. Silly as it sounds, it was for good reason. Gilbert got to share the stage with one of her students for the first time. “I taught Kloe Marshall my first two years of teaching (this is year three now). I took her to audition with me. She and I ended up playing the Electric Skates. It was wonderful to see Kloe in her first “adult production.” I was happy to share that experience with her.”
Gilbert always knew she wanted to be a teacher. But it wasn’t until high school when teaching theatre specifically became the clear vision. Now she cannot imagine teaching anything else. “My favorite part is watching them grow. Not just grow on stage, but in their social and personal lives as well. I have had students who barely talk to me in the beginning of the year become more confident in themselves and more social and make friends on and off the stage.” Gilbert spends all day inspiring her students and hopes the inspiration translates to others to try acting as well. Whether speaking to her students or a potential thespian, her advice is the same. “Fully commit to whatever you are doing! Show up to rehearsal, go for that role you want, don’t be afraid to look silly and step outside of your comfort zone, and always ask for help when you need it.”
