What Great Minds Can Do: Samantha Dyar  

 

With many young people in the midst of deciding where to develop their creative passions, Seton Hall's proximity to Manhattan and network of creative professionals make it an attractive destination for dreamers. One such dreamer is Samantha Dyar, a graduate of 2020 who majored in Theatre with a minor in Public Relations. Having spent her formative years dreaming of one day performing on a Broadway stage, Samantha entered the program seeking opportunities that would allow her to develop her skills as a performer and give her an opening into the professional theatre industry. For an undergraduate student like Samantha, who aspires to join one of the most competitive businesses in the world, gaining experience is key. Dyar credits her internship experience with giving her the real-life experience she craved.

In January of 2019, Dyar began her first internship at Press Play, a public relations initiative spearheaded by Broadway veteran Emily McGill. In her role there she worked directly with journalists and news publications, developing the skills necessary for a career in public relations. Having never worked an internship before, she was nervous when starting out and had to learn how to be confident both during in person interactions and online. "I thought because I was new to public relations and still a student I couldn't share my ideas on certain projects or during certain meetings. However, I learned that if you do so respectfully, you can always be vocal and share your thoughts with superiors." Dyar also realized that it's ok to make mistakes on the job. "In fact, this is probably the best time to do so because your employer understands you're there to gain experience. It's the perfect setting to be a little bold." Dyar made such an impression at Press Play, she was asked to assist with the Educational Theatre Foundation's Broadway Back to School Gala, where she greeted press members for the event's red carpet. "To be exposed to an event of this kind was incredibly exciting and helped me grow as an aspiring industry professional." 

Dyar's professional pursuits also brought her to the Peoples Improv Theatre, an award-winning comedy theatre and training facility in Manhattan. There, she was able to refine her administrative skills by maintaining the theatre's website and developing the weekly newsletter. Dyar's work there also afforded her the opportunity to plan community-based mixers and pitch show ideas for one of the house teams. "I learned so much working for The PIT, they really allowed me to stretch my creativity in a new way."

 

In addition to her professional endeavors, it was equally important to Dyar that she develop her talents as a performer. While attending the American College Theatre Festival in January with the CommArts' Theatre program, she auditioned for the Open Jar Institute's Summer Intensive program, a weeklong workshop where aspiring actors and performers are trained by Broadway's elite. For one week she attended classes at Open Jar Studios in Manhattan, a state-of-the-art rehearsal space nestled in the heart of the city's Theatre District. Dyar followed a rigorous training schedule, attending daily classes in everything from singing and dancing to acting and audition techniques. She participated in energetic dance classes, learning routines from such hits as Hadestown and Chicago under the direction of cast members who starred in the original Tony award-winning productions. Her acting classes were just as exhilarating as she ran through quick rehearsals of scenes with other actors and gained valuable audition strategies from casting agents and coaches, giving her a valuable advantage for professional auditions.

Dyar described this opportunity to work closely with Broadway professionals as invaluable. "It was always a dream of mine to be placed in a setting like that because it truly challenges you both mentally and physically. The Broadway professionals that came in to teach us were so kind and open to any questions we had either about the material we were learning or the industry."

As evidenced by Dyar's success, to be a student in the Theatre program in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media requires a passionate drive and devotion to their craft. Dyar attributes her success over the past year to her training and involvement at Seton Hall. "From SHU Theatre, to my public relations classes and my extracurriculars in between, Seton Hall has really enabled me to immerse myself in my passions. My education here has made me a better writer, performer, networker, and person."

Currently, Dyar is using her Theatre degree as part of the crew of A Sherlock Carol, an Off-Broadway show. A Virtual Assistant at Emily McGill Entertainment, Dyar first interned as a publicist during her undergraduate career and two years later she holds this new position working behind the scenes on the show. Crediting her experiences from her time at Seton Hall, Dyar notes that "Hazard Zet Forward has never rang truer for me than it did these past two years."