When Dajzané Meadows-Sanderlin paid a visit to Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell Campus at the suggestion of her mom in 2015, she was exploring options to become a professional actress through MCCC’s Theatre Arts program.

Once Meadows-Sanderlin enrolled and started the program, it was  long before she realized she was in for more than she bargained for. However, that turned out to be a good thing for her, because MCCC opened her eyes to more aspects of theatre production than she could have ever imagined.

“When I first got to Montco my only thought was acting,” Meadows-Sanderlin said. “In the program I got to learn different things, like lighting design and costume design, and I learned there is more than I can do than just acting.”

Being put in a position where she had to learn various skills outside of her initial scope showed Meadows-Sanderlin a bigger picture, which has become an asset to her.

“It makes you a better actor because you have a better understanding that it’s not just you – it’s more than just you,” Meadows-Sanderlin said.

It also enabled her to acquire a level of confidence in knowing that she can take on multiple roles in the realm of theatre.  

“Other than just being in front of the camera, I could do things in the background,” she said.

The Theatre Arts program at MCCC includes a theatre production workshop, theatre history, acting and directing courses, among others, that are essential in producing a rounded graduate.

Theatre Production Workshop

As for Meadows-Sanderlin, she spent three years going to MCCC full-time before earning her Associate of Arts degree. During the Theatre Production Workshop course, which takes place over three semesters, students work on different roles.  

“My first semester I did carpentry, the second was costume design for “Say Goodnight, Gracie” and the third, I got to do lighting and direct a play,” she said.

During her time as a student at MCCC, Meadows-Sanderlin, who was also the secretary of the drama club at MCCC, said that each theatre production she worked on felt collaborative.

“You come together as a team – the director, the lighting designers, the costume designers – you all come together to create this beautiful story and vision,” she said.

MCCC’s Theatre Production Workshop is currently being taught by Theatre Assistant Professor, Tim Gallagher  and Theatre Regular Lecturer, Katherine Fritz. 

“We provide an atmosphere for students to learn things on and off the stage,” Gallagher said. “You are a better actor if you have had to design a costume and had the experience on the other side.”

Gallagher, who taught Sanderlin-Meadows when she was a student,said she fully embraced a whole new world that opened to her at MCCC. He recalled  she stood out from day one because she was ready and willing to jump into anything.

“She is very humble and asked the right questions,” Gallagher said. “She was also very into supporting others and being collaborative – it’s never about Dajzané, it’s always about what she’s working on.”

Well-rounded in theatre arts

Gallagher pointed out the benefits of being well-rounded in the theatre arts when it comes time to graduate.

“Having a multitude of skills, they can draw upon to create content is a significant advantage as opposed to someone without those skills,” he said.

Meadows-Sanderlin recalled the  true turning point happened for her at MCCC when she had her first experience costume designing.

“That’s when I became very motivated,” she said. “I was so into being able to create my own vision.”

Getting to wear all these different hats, both literally and figuratively, is something Meadows-Sanderlin has only had the experience of doing at MCCC in comparison to other places of theatre study she has experienced.

“What I loved about Montco is that everywhere else I went, I didn’t get to do that, but at Montco I did,” she said.

After graduation, Meadows-Sanderlin went on to get her Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre at Temple University with a concentration in acting. This is when she realized how unique and hands-on MCCC’s theatre program was.

“As far as Temple, you don’t get to do design or pick the show you do there,” she said, adding the faculty made those decisions. “What I love about Montco is everything is hands-on, and you get to have a voice.”

Audition process

After Temple, Meadows-Sanderlin decided to further her education even more through a graduate program at the University of Iowa where she received a full scholarship. Her admittance was based on an audition process through University Resident Theatre Association (URTA).

“It’s a huge audition for multiple grad schools in the country,” she said.

Meadows-Sanderlin had two different graduate schools reach out to her after the audition, but the University of Iowa won out because she clicked with their professors during the interview process.

“They had the same vision I had,” she said. “My goals of what I wanted to do as an actor – they aligned together.”

Meadows-Sanderlin, who is in the second semester of her first year, described the approach of the three-year Master of Fine Arts program.

“At Iowa it’s more so in trying to find your true authentic self,” she said. “It’s on the method of coming to a place of truth within yourself.”

Once Meadows-Sanderlin gets her MFA, she would like to take advantage of the opportunities it will give her to teach to give back to her community.

“When I was first thinking of acting, I never thought I’d be teaching it,” she said, adding that teaching basic acting for non-majors is a part of her curriculum at UI.

In addition to teaching, other goals include an interest in doing theatre.

“I would love to be on Broadway, film and TV one day,” she said.

Expressed gratitude to MCCC

Meadows-Sanderlin expressed gratitude to MCCC for teaching her many aspects of the world of theatre that she uses to this day.

“It helped me to be disciplined, it gives you agency over what you want to do, it taught me that there are so many different lanes I can go into if I want to,” she said.

Meadows-Sanderlin added that MCCC was also responsible for opening her mindset, which gave her a more fulfilling way of looking at theatre arts.

“It made me feel fuller and notice more things about myself that I can do – it made me broaden my own horizons,” she said. “I never in a million years thought that I could costume design or direct a show, or do lighting design for a show, and Montco showed me that I can do that.”

Gallagher expressed his excitement around the professional and academic opportunities that a master’s degree will open for Sanderlin.

“We have been proud of her since day one,” Gallagher said. “She has worked so hard and earned everything she’s got.”