Staffulty Spotlight: Ms. McCarron Theatre

Vistamar gained an amazing staff member and theatre director this year, Ms. McCarron. Now that the fall play Clue has come to a close, I got to ask Ms. McCarron some questions to learn more about her and to share with the Vistamar community. Stay tuned for inside information about the spring musical Little Women!

Why did you decide to become a teacher?
When I was in college, I worked at the YMCA and ran a program called Norton Youth Theater (Norton was the town I went to college in). The program was for elementary and middle school students, through eighth grade. We did lots of musicals, and I had a blast working there. I graduated from college and moved to Providence to work professionally as an actor. About nine months in, I realized that I loved theatre—the industry and theatre in schools. So I took my experience from Norton Youth Theater and started looking for jobs where I could teach theatre. That is how I landed in LA.

What is your favorite show to direct?
My favorite show to direct is probably Waiting for Godot, which I will do with the acting class in the spring. It is a play by Samuel Beckett.

What show would you love to direct at Vistamar?
Hmm, there are so many great shows. One I’m currently doing in acting class and really enjoying is The Importance of Being Ernest. I don’t know if I would have the chance to do it here because it has a small cast, and we have a lot of students in theatre—which is great—but it’s a wonderful show.

What is the hardest part about putting on a production from your perspective?
It’s balancing control and chaos. It’s having enough of a role to maintain a vision and direct, while also building a team that works collaboratively and lets each individual do their thing. That messy collaboration, where you can’t control everything that happens but also don’t want to, is the hardest part.

What do you see for the future of Vistamar theatre?
I want it to continue to be a student-led space. I want students to come together, choose plays, and work on plays they feel passionate about, where they can bring their own unique talents to. For example, in a year when we have a lot of musical students, we lean more into musical theatre; if there’s a year with a big Shakespeare crowd, we lean into Shakespeare. Basically, the program is responsive to the students who are benefiting from it.

What advice would you give to students looking to go into theatre or teaching?
I think the best advice I’ve ever gotten—and where I thrived—is “to go back to the text.” Whether you’re an actor or a director, let the writing inspire the creative process. There is so much we can learn from the text, which can provide a strong artistic outlook. Whether you are going to be a professional actor or a teacher, it requires the same skill of continuous studying and growth.