Thanks for the Memories and Wisdom

By Kelechi Imoh

I’m not going to lie; when I first told people about my apprenticeship and only heard good things, I thought it was too good to be true. I was worried that they were speaking from an actor’s perspective, and since I wasn’t going to be acting, I wasn’t sure if my experience would be the same. Like maybe some others who weren’t too involved with theatre, I didn’t know much about T3 before joining the team. My only visits were seeing two shows my friends were a part of and one more before I started the next month.

I take a minute to warm up to people in a new environment. Yes, I have a presence with my height, but my voice won’t initially reflect that. I even wrote on my paper that I start out quiet then I get to the point where I don’t stop talking. I was lucky enough to have my friend Grace be the other apprentice whom I met through school. I had very little experience coming into this apprenticeship based on what I learned from school and working two shows at Theatre Arlington during the summer.

I got through the first show trying to make minimal mistakes, but it’s inevitable working in this industry. I was lucky enough to have a team that supported and helped me when I was learning. I start to come out of my shell and be a little more vocal as I’m going along. I get to learn more about the ins and outs of T3 and the DFW theatre scene. I think towards the middle of the season, I finally stopped being bashful and more myself in terms of how I carry myself and there was a difference there.

I also got lucky enough to work with one of my friends Lexi on God of Carnage and I think that’s the smoothest production I will ever be a part of. I’ve gotten to spend more time learning about everyone here, their hobbies, and backstories. The more I hear the more I feel gelled and connected to them.

There’s a long and rich history of T3. In the stairwell leading to Theatre Too you can photos from when they opened in 1961 up to the 2000s and today. On the website, you can look at old programs, photos, and logos and it’s amazing to see how much these people have done over the 63 years. T3 is a company that doesn’t have to tell you how they treat people because the second you walk through that door they treat you like family. They do everything and more with about half the size of a regular staff. I have been so fortunate to get the opportunity to be a part of this team. I couldn’t recommend this place more. So many people have come and gone to accomplish such greatness, and have roots that will forever connect them back to T3.

T3 is a phenomenal place to be and THE place to get your start. I’ve favored getting to meet some of the most incredible people in the past year. I wouldn’t have heard about the apprenticeship without Fatima and additional help from Dean, Julienne, Bethany, Lexi, and Renee, I owe y’all the biggest thank you even though it’s not enough praise. To Jeff, Christie, Kat, Sarah, Jon, David, Dylan, Nic, James, Isa, Tayla, and Grace I cherish everything that this year has been. I thank you for all the wisdom and memories I now have. I cannot wait to see what the future holds.