Who is Marissa? A dancer, a singer, an actress: Marissa Barnathan is an impressive triple threat. She’s eloquent and vivacious, a girl who just bursts with character. Despite a sprained ankle and a full course load, Marissa has made it through six weeks of rehearsals and will be starring as Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera. Although you won’t see Polly running around campus, you can check out Marissa this weekend at Edison Theater in what promises to be a Kuumba-certified fresh production.

// CONNECT

Connect with Marissa at mbarnathan@wustl.edu.
Showtimes for The Threepenny Opera: October 22, 23, 29 & 30 @ 8pm;
October 24 & 31 @ 2pm. For tickets to the show call 314-935-6543 or visit metrotix.com

// INTERVIEW

Kuumba.tv: What play are you in this semester?
Marissa: I am in The Threepenny Opera, a musical, written by Bertolt Brecht and composed by Kurt Weill. It’s about a guy named Mack the Knife who is kind of like a player, has all these women, and the story follows him. The style is different from a lot of shows. This type of play is supposed to alienate the audience. It’s done behind a screen. It’s not your run of the mill musical

Kuumba.tv: Who is your character
Marissa: I am Polly Peachum, she is Mr. Peachum’ s daughter who marries Mack the Knife.

Kuumba.tv: How hard is it to get into the role of Polly?
Marissa: I’ve learned that you can’t be the character. You are yourself. I am me playing Polly. You are putting yourself in the given circumstances of the character from the play…You live in those circumstances… You have to, as an actor, live it as truly as possible. Easier said than done (laughs).

Kuumba.tv: Do you find that in class you are thinking like Polly?
Marissa: I haven’ t had too many “Polly” moments (laughs). That has happened in the past though.

Kuumba.tv: What are your emotions pre-performance?
Marissa: Always a lot of adrenaline pumping. Trying to think of lines, making sure costume is OK, right spot on stage, making sure you are with the music and band. It’s exciting, exhilarating, and nerve-racking and fun at the same time.

Kuumba.tv: How hard is it to be a student and do a play?
Marissa: It’s hard but not impossible. You can get one credit for doing the show. You have to manage your time if you really love it, and it’s something you want to do. I find myself connecting things between my classes and the shows I do; it’s the application of what I’m learning with my major.

Kuumba.tv: Why do you keep coming back?
Marissa: One [reason] is the people. Usually in shows you get very close with the people. I have a lot of close friends in the performing arts department. For as crazy, stressful and nerve-racking as it is, it is a good way for me to express myself.

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Collaborators: Dakari Quimby; Taz Ahmed; Luke Terrell; Sohrab Golestani