Acting and the theater have long captivated audiences and artists alike, offering a unique avenue for self-expression, creativity, and emotional connection. The world of acting is not just about playing a role on stage; it involves a deep exploration of human emotions and experiences. It’s not a place for people unwilling to put in a great deal of work, nor a place for prima donnas prone to temper tantrums. The theatre, with its immersive and collaborative nature, requires people working together to create a magical space where stories come to life. It’s challenging and also one of the best excuses to never stop learning and growing.
It was one (or perhaps all) of these attributes that compelled high school senior Logan Sledge to make the long walk from Byrd High School in Shreveport to the Centenary College Campus to talk to Dr. Robert Buseick, the head of the theatre program. That walk would take him on a journey that would deepen his love of this art form, where he would ultimately find a new love for sharing his talents with others through teaching.
Logan’s interest in theatre didn’t just come out of the blue. He credits his early performance experiences to Randy Edwards at First Baptist Church. Edwards produced choir shows that incorporated sermon-style performance pieces. “That’s really where I got some very early and valuable acting experience, being up there myself in front of everyone. We traveled the country with that choir,” Logan says. He recalled one tour stop at a prison. When he took the stage for his “sermon,” he got a reaction from his audience. It turned into more of a call-and-response moment. A give-and-take that happens with a live audience. “It’s that moment where you meet them, and they meet you, and there’s that exchange that happens, I got to experience in that setting – different setting, obviously. I’m doing something that’s working. I’m doing something that has some meaning to it. These people are with me. It’s touching them. Here. (pointing to chest) It’s touching them. It’s having an impact. I think that’s what they talk about when they say that bug that you get. You know? It’s just that energy from an audience.”
He played numerous roles in Marjorie Lyon’s Playhouse’s opening show, Bent, also set in a prison. His most memorable show? There were several. “Lost In Yonkers. That was kind of a breakthrough performance in my mind just because it was more of a character role. Lonely Planet stands out. That was just me and Patric McWilliams. It was a 2 person show. Even at that stage, I was still getting this complete master class in acting from my acting partner. It was the show that really taught me what Patric and Buseick, and others had told me all along. If you are just present and listening, your attention is on your acting partner; they’re going to give you your performance.”
Fast forward to graduation and a big move to the West Coast to naturally pursue a film acting career. “Being all of 23 years old, I just thought that was the direction I wanted to go. I love theater and had so much fun doing it, but I really wanted to get into film and television and film in particular,” says Logan.
He enrolled in grad school at Cal State University, Fullerton, and started teaching as an adjunct there to earn income while auditioning for films. For the fall semester, he had 365 students in one class. That’s extreme, coming from a small campus like Centenary to such a large population of Fine Arts students.
Returning to Shreveport was just the beginning of his journey back to Centenary, where he is now the Chair of the Theatre Department. He was instrumental in developing the Centenary Theatre Program’s (CTP) curriculum, designed for four years of progressive learning. Graduates of the program are “prepared for a successful transition to graduate school or professional work.”
Logan and colleagues John Gayle, Don Hooper, and Alan Berry used their downtime during the COVID-19 pandemic to develop a strategic plan for the future of CTP. They modeled it after the college’s strategic plan of growing enrollment, recruiting, and retaining students. The result? The incoming class this past fall was the largest they’ve seen in quite a while. This fall’s class is shaping up nicely, with thirteen students already committed. Once enrollment increases, the department can “put in for another tenure track.” The short-term goal is to work with the music department to develop a musical theatre minor and to bring dance back. The long-term goal is to build a new performing arts building in the field adjacent to Marjorie Lyons Playhouse.
All it takes is money, right? This is just a suggestion, but if a person wants to help fund the performing arts program at Centenary, they can earmark their donation to ensure it goes towards the goal of Logan’s dream theatre. “I’d like to see us actually get to the point where we had probably somewhere in that 60 major range.
Four full-time faculty members, a musical theater program reinstated, dance back with us the way it’s supposed to be. A collaboration with a professional theater company that shares our stage with us,” he says.
Would Logan rather be performing in New York as a professional actor? (Because he absolutely could – he’s that talented.) “…along the way, I discovered that I really do like teaching. There’s nothing like it. You get to watch these young, emerging theater artists do what they love to do. If you’re open to it, the joy that it actually gives you is immeasurable. We meet them where they are, and they just make these leaps, and it’s like, wow!”
It’s true what they say. The rewards of teaching theatre go beyond the classroom when you can stand back and watch a student blossom and grow. When you give them the opportunity to become a successful adult on whatever path they choose to take, actor or not, you have done your job well.
As audiences continue to be captivated by the art of acting and the allure of the theatre, the world of performance will continue to thrive and inspire generations to come. It’s comforting to know that we have professionals like Logan Sledge in our community. He is committed to nurturing and teaching up-and-comers so that live theatre remains a thriving source of entertainment that continues to enrich our lives in countless ways.
