The new hit musical “I Love Lucy” is coming to Wharton Center this weekend. Viewers will become part of a live studio audience witnessing the production of two well-known “I Love Lucy” episodes, in which students will see cast member and MSU alumnus Richard Strimer as the Dance Captain.
The last show Strimer did as an MSU student was 25 years ago and he said he can’t wait to see his company members experiencing the Spartan atmosphere.
“I can’t wait to get back there and see the campus and venture into my past,” Strimer said.
Strimer’s passion for theater started as early as fourth grade, since his mom was a theater teacher and both of his older siblings went through the high school theater program.
Strimer said up until college he had only been doing school shows, but once he auditioned for the MSU Department of Theatre he was able to get a scholarship.
At MSU he began to focus more on theater as a career. After graduation, he immediately moved to Chicago and began work after only a couple years.
“I’ve been working ever since. I’ve been very blessed,” Strimer said.
Strimer said his experiences as an MSU theater student prepared him for a career because of the professional atmosphere. The department required students to recognize union rules in terms of backstage behavior and how they treated themselves and their costumes.
“That was a good warming pot to basically what you need to do in theater,” Strimer said.
Strimer said the theater professors were also a huge help, as they had all been on track for an acting career and came from that professional world. He said they would promote professionalism every single class, whether that encompassed being courteous and considerate or simply giving 100 percent.
“Being in theater is more than just being onstage and performing, it’s also about working together backstage,” Strimer said.
He said not only did his counselor take him under her wing and was a huge inspiration to him, but the entire dance program was a motivator.
“Theater for me is always about the social aspect and working together as a company,” Strimer said.
It is the hardworking and friendly group of people involved in the “I Love Lucy” production that keeps him going.
Strimer said he had actually missed the initial audition call for “I Love Lucy,” but a friend who knew the director insisted he try out. Now he has a feature in the episode where Lucy learns how to jitterbug, thanks to his skills in swing dancing.
He said his favorite aspect of performing in front of an audience is the immediacy of it.
“The audience is there and they’re just as much a part of the show as we are as performers,” Strimer said.
This give and take response has been explained as tossing a ball back and forth — the performance starts this dialogue of shared energy. That’s what makes theater an exciting, live experience.
For the future, Strimer said he would love to venture into directing at some point, but he will continue acting as long as he can keep performing and enjoying what he does.
“I wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world,” Strimer said.
