The Best of Ellijay, Blue Ridge & Jasper Funpaper issue 7 | Page 33

he show, there is an egg shaker (percussion instrument)
hat sits on the corner on my piano. I came out from behind the piano and I knocked it off. I didn't think it was
oud, so I just pretended it didn't happen. But apparently
t was really loud, because the entire cast stopped, turned
and looked at me and the audience cracked up. I thought
o myself, well this is awkward!
That stuff has got to happen.
We all can laugh about it. And I love the style of the show
because we can do that.
So nobody has fallen off the stage yet?
No, but I'll probably be the first one to! (laughs)
So in the show you are a singer, a musician, an actor…
Yes. What's funny is typically I am a dancer.
How did you decide this was what you wanted to do?
Did you know when you were a little kid?
got started in high school. I am from Louisville, Kentucky.
hung out with a lot of the theater kids. I auditioned for a
show and ended up being the lead, and kept doing shows.
went to college for English Education and after a year I
ransferred schools and went into musical theater.

TYLER

You are lucky to be able to work in your field. Those
aren't easy jobs to get.
I am so lucky and fortunate.
Obviously talented too. But that's one of those jobs
that are few and far between.
I am the one of the only people from my graduating class
working right now.
What is the best thing about your job?
The people. I really love the people. There is always somebody in the cast or production team where you can see it
in their eyes that they love what they do so much. We
don't have a normal 9 to 5. We actually get to change people's lives. It's really cool to watch. Especially this show.
It's a trip down memory lane. It's very cool to take people
somewhere else for a little while.
I've always wondered what it is like to be on stage in
front of an audience. Do you get energy from the
crowd? Are you looking at individuals while you are
performing?
Oh absolutely. In a quote, unquote, normal musical theater
show, I try to stay in character and focus on the actors on

stage. But in this show, I get to look around and make
faces at people in the audience. When the audience is really into it, we can feel it and it pumps us up. Everyone is
happy and laughing.
I imagine people bring their kids to this kind of show.
It's been cool to see them. Some are in the teenage thing
where they sit there with their arms crossed. But one night
there was an entire row of maybe ten year olds who stood
up and danced the entire show, and they had never heard
the music, they were just enjoying it.
We are looking forward to seeing it Tyler! I'll see you
in February.
Thank you so much. I'll see you then. I'm looking forward
to visiting you in the mountains, and hopefully missing the
snow!
At press time there are still tickets left for the February 15th show, but we are pretty sure this will sell
out. So get your seats while you can by calling Gilmer
Arts 706-635-5605