Theatre
- Alumni Profile - Talashia Keim Yoder
Talashia Keim Yoder (left) directs Bethany Christian School's production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. |
Talashia Keim Yoder
Freelance director, choreographer, and instructor working primarily with productions and classes at Bethany Christian School and Goshen College
Goshen, Indiana
How did you choose Hesston College?
I grew up in Hesston and my parents taught at HC, and those two factors actually made Hesston pretty low on my list when I first began to make my college decision. Thankfully, I decided to go for a visit anyway, and it just felt like the place I needed to be. The environment was warm but freeing and the academics were excellent but not exclusive. I originally planned to major in secondary education, but quickly became undecided. While getting a very general associate of applied arts and sciences degree, I took all of the Bible, theater and music classes I could fit in, and those classes led me to my eventual majors - Bible and theater communications.
Describe your Hesston Experience.
Looking back, I know that my Hesston years were very formative, laying groundwork for the growing that continues to happen in my life. I was nurtured and allowed to nurture others. I was given permission to explore, discover, and be who I was. I was helped to form a foundation that prepared me for the rest of life. And I had fun!
Tell me about two or three key memories from your time as a Hesston student.
Hesston did a great job of pairing me up with my roommate, Melissa Hochstetler. She and I were in room 206, directly across the hallway from the bathroom. We learned that this was a very handy location for meeting people - if the stalls were full, they came to our room to chat! We had conversations we never would have had otherwise, ranging from the very fluffy to the very deep.
European choir tour was a perfect way to end my two years at Hesston. The whole trip was unforgettable, but I had a particularly good experience staying in Joure (Netherlands) with a couple in their 70s. They were so open and welcoming, and so ready to share their lives and heritage with us. When Daniel and I went to Europe this year, our trip included a night and two days with Gerrit and Jannie in Joure.
Around Thanksgiving of my first year, my mom stopped me midway through my recounting of adventures by laughing and exclaiming, "You remind me of a puppy!" At the time I wasn't quite sure what to think of that, but I now look back and realize that I was a bit puppy-like; running from one thing to the next, learning from everything, thoroughly enjoying my world and the people in it.
What was your favorite course? Why was it your favorite?
My favorite course, although it had absolutely nothing to do with my eventual majors, was Infants and Toddlers. I had wanted to take a class from my mom, and this seemed the most logical one to try. I had never been that drawn to young children, but in this class they began to intrigue me. I learned a new respect for them; I learned to consider their stage of development. This has actually helped me in a lot of areas of life, including directing. I look at another more as a whole person now. I think that the usefulness of this class (and my enjoyment of it) is a testimony to liberal arts education. In learning about things beyond our natural realm, we understand the world better. We are usually best at what we do when what we do is not the only thing of which we have any knowledge.
Who was your favorite prof? Why was she or he your favorite? What did you like about his or her classes?
This is a hard one! I think I’ll call it my "most influential" professor instead of "favorite." Mariann Martin was my theater professor, and she was very influential in my life. She was a friend and mentor as well as teacher, and really gave of herself to her students. Mariann taught me to broaden my definition of "theater" and "art." While teaching me the practical aspects of theater, she also helped me to let it become a part of who I was. In allowing me to choreograph and direct in my first year of college, she helped me to explore the possibilities of theater and to realize I was worthy of that trust. Mariann was one of the people along the way who empowered me to be who I am.
Talashia (left) and Jessica in the Hesston College production of As You Like It |
What was your favorite HC production? What did you like about your role in that play?
As You Like It was my final Hesston production. It was my first real experience with Shakespeare, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Mariann allowed Jessica Schrock and me (playing Rosalind and Celia) to really dig into the language, dissecting it and then communicating the meaning to the audience. I learned a lot about physicality in that production - I had to use my whole self at all times in order for the audience to be able to follow the story. I also choreographed it, and it was a very different kind of dancing than I had worked with before. What a good challenge to end my HC theater experience.
What other roles and responsibilities did you have in Hesston productions during your student years?
I played Amy in Little Women, Chava in Fiddler and the Roof, and Nan in The Family Nobody Wanted. I took voice lessons and was in performances for that, including musical theater scenes programs. I directed a one-act, Laundry and Bourbon, my first year. I also assisted with choreography for Fiddler on the Roof and As You Like It. Knowing my directing interest, Mariann let me in on all parts of the process, from show selection to set building, props, costumes...
How did your Hesston education shape you as a person?
Probably in part because it is a two-year school, Hesston allows people to take leadership from their first day on campus. I was trusted with responsibility, but guided through the process. I also felt that my professors took time to talk with me and appreciated those conversations. Being given leadership and being valued gave me confidence and freedom to explore who God wanted me to be. There was something very open but rooted about the culture of Hesston College that enabled me to form a solid foundation for what was to come.
Where did you go/What have you done since graduating from Hesston?
I went on to Tabor College after Hesston and majored in Bible and theater communications. Daniel Yoder (whom I met at Hesston) and I married after my junior year. As I was completing my senior year at Tabor, I was the interim theater director at Hesston College. We moved to Goshen right after I graduated, and are in our third year here.
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