By Jacob Nelson
Oluwamuyiwa Oyatogun loves theatre. Specifically, he loves the way that a theatrical production can bring a story to life, and the impact that process can have on the audience.
“I’ve always loved being on stage doing,” the new MSLCE student said during a recent interview, “I love the ability for someone to take real life situations and bring them onstage. It transcends race and ethnicity — it means the same thing to different people.”
Oyatogun is quick to point out that theatre isn’t the only artistic form he enjoys. It’s just the one that happens to maintain the closest bond with the audience.
“I love watching a really good movie, but one thing that sets theatre apart is how everything is happening in real time,” he said. “The audience is literally how any meters away, and can basically touch the characters, which makes people feel more a part of the story.”
Oyatogun, who is originally from Lagos, Nigeria, studied at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. While there, he performed in the school’s production of “Hamlet,” an important experience in determining his love for the stage.
“That’s definitely a show I love so much,” Oyatogun said. “It’s a story written hundreds of years ago, yet it’s relevant to every generation.”
After he finishes with the MSLCE program, Oyatogun hopes to find a career that allows him to “engage cultures through the power of stories.” His plans are not more specific yet, because he wants to allow himself to follow his passions.
“I don’t know what’s going to take my interest in the next year. I’m always looking in whatever I’m doing, ‘How can I be innovative with this thing? How can I bring a new spin to this thing? How can I bring it past culture?”