SJU student Jason Schneider poses with actor Ed Asner

Inspiring Students

It's all about the experience

By Mike Killeen

Theater, according to Saint John’s University junior Jason Schneider, is a lot about the experience.

“Theater is the experience you get from watching it, and the experience that you get of doing it,” said Schneider, a theater major from Eagan, Minn. “Any experience that is good is really a good learning experience.”

Let’s call his most recent appearance on the stage a good learning experience. Schneider performed in the L.A. Theatre Works production of “The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial” – alongside professional actors Ed Asner (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Lou Grant”), Mike Farrell (“M*A*S*H,” “Providence”) and Sharon Gless (“Cagney and Lacey,” “Queer as Folk”) – Feb. 10-12 at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, Saint John’s University. The production was part of the 2005-06 CSB/SJU Fine Arts Series.

“It was definitely something very, very cool,” Schneider said of the chance to act with the pros.

At each stop of the play, L.A. Theatre Works asked local communities to select an actor to portray student Howard Morgan in the play (the company sent a description of the needed experience and a character description). Schneider was selected to perform in the play by Anna Thompson, executive director of CSB/SJU Fine Arts Programming.

Deb Lehman, director of community outreach for CSB/SJU Fine Arts Programming, said a “good, refined actor” was needed to fill the part, and Schneider came to mind based on his performance as Charlie in the CSB/SJU theater department’s production of “The Foreigner” in spring 2005.

“I find Jason to have a presence that is nice on stage,” said Adam Houghton, assistant professor of theater at CSB/SJU who directed Schneider in “The Foreigner.” “He seemed like a great guy to work with and would represent SJU and CSB in a good way and to the visiting actors as well. They treated him well and with respect.”

“It was great to be part of it, to know that I was going to be acting with some great people. It was a shock, really. I didn’t know what to think of it,” Schneider said

He was sent a copy of the script so he could study his character--a 14-year-old student who testifies at the evolution trial.

“Well, it wasn’t too terribly long of a part,” Schneider said. “It was only three pages, which is five or seven minutes of stage time, which isn’t really bad at all. So, I just read through it a couple of times the week before, and the only rehearsal I had with them was on (Feb. 10), an hour before we were going to go on. We just ran through my part like twice."

“They said I was the definitive Howard Morgan,” Schneider said, smiling. “They really didn’t give me much (feedback). They said I did a good job.”

Schneider did manage to have a short conversation off-stage with Asner. “I said, ‘What should I do? I’m thinking about acting (as a career).’ He says, ‘Chicago is a good place to start.’ So, he told me to go to Chicago, which I thought was good advice,” Schneider said.

Schneider was asked what he learned from his experience.      

“I learned how real actors work,” Schneider said. “It was fun, and it was a really good experience. I’m quite lucky.”

“I think it’s a statement to the quality of the theater department at CSB/SJU, and a statement to the quality of the talented students in the program,” Lehman said. “He (Schneider) is a pro. He’s a very poised young man.”

Schneider wasn’t the only CSB/SJU student to gain insight into acting and the theater. As part of the Fine Arts Programming, L.A. Theatre Works conducted three workshops for CSB/SJU students and faculty members while the company was performing in residence at Collegeville.

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