Humans, are by nature, storytellers. Whether told through song, dance, or acting, stories call upon the senses, especially when performed live.
Live storytelling calls upon its performers to engage in multi-dimensional realities, providing empathy to its audience in a way that doesn’t always happen on screen.
“Now, more than ever, it’s very important to connect to other people,” said Mallory Swisher, Social Media Director of The Impostors Theatre Co. “Technology can be a great thing, but it can also be a divide between the world around us—seeing the world through a screen. Live theater is something special that leads you to discuss and connect with people in the community.”
Mallory felt this connection her junior year at Lowell High School in a production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.”
“I felt it was important that we were telling that story in that capacity [on stage] to really connect with the audience,” she said.
In that moment, she knew she wanted to impact the lives of others through theatre for the rest of her life. After graduating from Lowell High School in 2011, Mallory went on to Valparaiso University, where she majored in Theatre with a minor in English and graduated in 2015.
Mallory has always been inspired by a variety of art forms, from books by fiction novelist Neil Gaiman to the works to her own cousin’s photography, but her love for theatre always circled close to heart.
“My grandma and my aunt would take me to plays in Chicago; those were my birthday presents growing up,” she reminisced. “Seeing [productions] like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ really impacted me.”
Her exposure to the world of theatre was only enhanced by her love of books.
“I read a lot,” Mallory chuckled. “I’ve been reading since I was a little kid. I read about three or four books a month.”
Her interest in fantasy and mystical storytelling was the catalyst for her first play, titled “The Wood.” According The Impostors Theatre Co. website, “The Wood” is a modern fairytale that “examines relationships through the lens of fable, where loyalty, memory, choice and sacrifice manifest themselves.” The Impostors produced the show in October of 2018.
Along, with her success and experience in live theatre with The Impostors Theatre Co., Mallory also shares her love for the art form with students at Lowell High School. She choreographed and acted as technical director for productions of “Pippin” and “Big Fish.”
She also has coached several academic teams for her alma mater, taking the Academic Spell Bowl team to state in 2018.
“We had a bunch of hardworking kids,” Mallory said.
Her involvement with the students at Lowell High School, as well as the children she nannies part-time, keeps her own creative energy flowing.
“Kids really help you with different ways of thinking,” she said. “It’s awesome when a kid makes an observation or tells a joke, and it makes you stop and see the world in a different way.”
In between writing questions for the next Academic Super Bowl, nannying, helping promote her boyfriend’s "Cyber Shindig" podcast, and finishing her new untitled play, Mallory still finds the time to regroup and refocus her vision.
“People might be surprised I take breaks, which is something you don’t hear from theatre people a lot,” she laughed. “It’s important for my mental health to be able to reconnect with people [in my life] and stay grounded.”
The advice that Mallory gives to those entering in the world of theatre is to work hard while not getting in your own way.
“What has worked for me is trying not to let myself be influenced by what has worked for other people," Mallory said. "I try to stay true to myself and do the things that I want to do.”
To learn more about Mallory and how she continues to spotlight her community, as well as the upcoming productions she is involved in, please visit http://www.theimpostorstheatre.com/.