For a Starkville High School theater teacher
all too familiar with the theatrical term "break a leg," the painful
reality of breaking both her legs at the same time last year robbed the phrase
of its well-intended irony.
"It took me completely out of service," said longtime English and
drama teacher Paula Mabry, remembering the mishap last spring on a downtown
Starkville sidewalk that broke both her legs.
Mabry returned to SHS after her bones
healed, but she suffered from blood clots that required vascular surgery. She
did not bounce back as quickly as hoped so Mabry decided to "take
five" - permanently - last May.
Under Mabry's direction, the SHS drama program thrived and her students
routinely made the cut to compete at the Mississippi Theater Association state
festival over the past decade.
Mabry's husband, Donald - a former history professor - also retired in May from
Mississippi State University. The two have a passion for travel and make several
trips per year to the United Kingdom where they take in as many theatrical
productions as they can.
Aside from their tremendous appetite for travel - including cruises and other
European vacations - the Mabrys are avid dance enthusiasts and belong to a dance
club in Starkville.
Mabry first discovered her love for the stage when she performed the lead role
in a school play in the third grade.
While attending high school in Louisville, she continued acting, but in college,
she discovered a new role she relished - directing.
Mabry knew she wanted to teach children after college so she merged her
interests and majored in theater education.
But with a son and daughter, Mabry found after-school the rehearsal hours
involved with teaching drama did not mix with her role as mom.
"It's hard to leave small children at night and that's what you have to do
when you are a theater teacher; it's a hard life for a family," Mabry said.
So Mabry returned to college and earned an English degree. She began teaching
seventh grade English and gifted and talented programs in Starkville in 1970. By
1986, with her children grown, Mabry took a position at the high school teaching
theater.
She turned the SHS program into one of the best in the state, earning
appearances in the state theater association competition for 10 straight years.
The program's success helped convince the school system to build a new drama
center at the school.
Because her work kept her so busy, Mabry had little time to participate in
theater outside of school. That changed with retirement and she has poured her
passion into the Starkville Community Theatre.
Mabry recently directed an award-winning eight-member cast in the group's
production of "Deadline Dawn."
Mabry was named best director at the Mississippi Theater Association competition
in Biloxi earlier this month. The SCT also won best ensemble acting, best
actress for M.J. Etua and actors Gabe Smith and Elizabeth Williams were named to
the all-star cast.
"This was my first play working with adults ... and it was quite easy
compared to teenagers," Mabry said. "But (it's) not any less
fulfilling - the benefits are different."
Mabry also is involved with the Mississippi Arts Alliance in Education committee
and works to encourage funding and support for the arts and recognition for its
teachers.
Additionally, she serves with the Starkville Arts Association and on a literary
committee that helps sponsor the local art festival.
What first got you interested in acting?
In the third grade - I know I had a lead in a play when I was living in
Florence, Ala. I think that was maybe the first time I was ever on stage, and I
did like it.
I can't remember (what play it was), I just remember dressing up and we did the
play for a PTA meeting in Florence; it was kind of neat.
I always enjoyed playing with dolls, dollhouses and furniture. That was always
just a real turn-on for me - making rooms with doll furniture. It sort of was a
nice transition. In fact, I wanted to be an architect for a while.
Is there any particular role you've played that stands out as your favorite?
I was in a high school play called "Miss Personality Plus" and that
was probably one of my favorite roles. Also, I played Scarlet (in "Gone
With the Wind") in kind of a skit in high school; that was fun. I remember
getting a crush on the Rhett Butler.
Who is your favorite playwright?
My favorite Mississippi playwright is Tennessee Williams, but I've never
actually directed a play by him.
My favorite overall playwright is a man named Anthony Booth, and I have done two
of his plays. He's a Great Britain playwright, he's modern and the plays that he
has written I really enjoy directing.
In fact, that was the one I directed recently with SCT. That particular play was
written in 1977, but its message is just exactly what is in the news now. It was
about the Palestine and the Israeli conflict - a group of kidnappers from
Palestine try to make a deal with the ambassador of Israel to release a
prisoner. ... But you could have set that play for today and it made just as
much sense.
What is the best part about directing a production?
I think as you read a play and visualize what it's going to be in your mind and
then work through the rehearsal process and actually see it come to life.
I never actually enjoy them until I see it and it's opening night and there is
nothing else you can do. You sit there and actually enjoy the play without
trying to find all the things you could change.
What do you like directing better, dramas or musicals?
People ask me that a lot.
I guess I like doing the dramas best, in a way, because you don't depend on as
many outside forces - it's usually you and your cast working toward a goal.
In a musical you have to depend on other people to do so many other elements of
the production - and you're dealing with more people.
Does any one opening night stand out in your mind as a great moment?
I can't give you a specific, but I can tell you that there is nothing more
exciting than sitting down and waiting for the curtain to rise and music to
begin and then everything just goes.
I have never been a director who went backstage because I probably would have
just made everybody nervous. So I've always prepared the backstage people to do
their jobs ... everybody knows their job and they do it. I think that is one of
the great learning experiences involved in theater.