A well-known staff member at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music and School of Theatre recently left the university.
Angela Polk, OCU alumna and production coordinator for the School of Theatre and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music, finished her last day at OCU on Sept. 25.
Polk said she spent 18 years at OCU as a student and staff member.
“I was an undergrad from 2002 to 2006. I stayed and did my masters until 2008. Both were for musical theater, a bachelor’s in musical theater and a master’s in musical theater,” Polk said. “And then I came back in 2012 after working in New York for four years as a casting assistant and talent agent.”
Polk said she was partially offered her position as production coordinator in 2012 due to her work as a student production assistant. She said she spoke to Dr. David Herendeen, director of opera and music theater, before deciding to return to campus as a faculty member.
“I was one of the first student production assistants. In fact, I think I was in the very first stu-pro position that was ever created. I was working for the university when I was still in school,” Polk said. “When I told Herendeen I was moving back, he was like ‘well you should come work at the school,’ and I was like ‘yes please,’ and that really was it. It started with me assisting the School of Theatre and morphed into a position as a production coordinator.”
Polk said her time as a professional at OCU taught her the value of collaboration.
“There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but in the best way possible. There’s a lot of people to go to, so there’s always someone to ask when you need help,” Polk said.
Polk said the relationships she formed with faculty and students made her time at OCU worthwhile.
“I think that’s the whole point in working for the school. It’s the only reason, in my book, that I feel like staying for seven years made sense. The relationships you cultivate and watching the students grow and become full people is worth every moment,” Polk said. “And you’re working with some of the top-notch people in the community. So, you’ve got not only incredible students, but you’ve also got incredible faculty who are building the program.”
Polk said her next chapter in life will be as an executive assistant for a financial advising company, and continuing as executive artistic director of Kismet Arts, a local theater education and production studio.
“Kismet Arts has been open five years now, including the pandemic year. Socially distant classes are happening this semester, but we’re putting a pause on shows until next semester,” Polk said. “Normally, we do nine shows a year. We have seven faculty members, and we teach dance, acting and voice. Every summer we do a mainstage production that includes the community.”
Zachary Prall, acting senior, was one Polk’s work study assistants and assistant showcase coordinators. He said he started working with Polk freshman year.
“A couple weeks into my freshman year, my friend Andrew had connected with her and introduced us. I was looking for a work study job at the time, and I knew her area was where I wanted to work and what I wanted to do,” Prall said. “She just seemed like such a great boss, and I wanted to work for her.”
Prall said he helped manage showcase auditions for the music and theater schools, as well as performed with several Kismet Arts shows.
“I was in ‘Theory of Relativity’ and ‘Into the Woods.’ She needed a bit more guys in her shows, so I auditioned. It was a way to get experience outside of the school.”
Prall said Polk quickly made a massive impact on his life.
“She literally became my second mother and one of my best friends. She was just always there whenever anything happened, whether it was related to theater or not. She was always the person you go to who would sit you down and say ‘OK, let’s talk. What’s going on with you?’ or ‘what’s wrong?’ and then she would help you figure it out,” Prall said. “Honestly, it’s not a relationship that’s going to go away. She’s going to be a part of my life for the rest of my life, and I’m very thankful for that.”
Prall said the number of messages Polk got in her last week was an excellent display of her impact on the life of OCU.
“In her last week, a lot of students from the past were contacting her, telling her how great of an impact she had on them. I truly believe OCU would not be the place it is now without her. I think she made an incredible impact on the school, on both programs, through the theatre school and the music school. I think she is a class act and helped a lot of people get to a lot of places,” Prall said.
Polk said she will not forget the time she had at the university and looks forward to staying in touch with the entire community.
“I’ve had 18 years of a relationship with OCU, so it feels a little bit like a weird breakup. But honestly, it’s crazy to think you can spend 18 years working as a student assistant, being a student, working as a staff member, teaching classes, being a faculty member and helping cultivate the program,” Polk said. “I think 18 years is a long time, and we don’t realize it goes by pretty quickly. I’m pretty grateful for those 18 years.”
Leave a Reply