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Leading a student production and landing a role on his favorite TV show was nice, but Camryn Lezama ’26 said the overall learning experience has been the best part of majoring in Theater Arts at Emmanuel College. 

“It’s been absolutely fantastic,” said Lezama. “It’s not just about acting. You get to learn skills that you can use anywhere, such as teamwork and problem solving.

“When you are doing live theater, things go wrong all the time and you have to be able to think on the fly,” he added. “You need to be able to build relationships quickly and know how to put heads together to fix things.”

A professor wearing a grey sweater gestures while talking to a student in a red shirt
Camryn Lezama ’26 shares a light moment on the set with Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Scott Gagnon during a dress rehearsal for “The Mousetrap.” Lezama directed the show in December as the capstone project for his Theater Arts degree.

Directing a production is the culminating experience for Emmanuel Theater Arts majors. Camryn opted for the classic Agatha Christie murder-mystery “The Mousetrap,” which opened in London’s West End in 1952 and went on to become the longest-running stage production in history. 

Having acted in a production of “The Mousetrap” in high school, Lezama knew it was smart, well-written, and fun to be part of. He embraced the opportunity to bring it to Emmanuel and lead a group effort to build the production. 

“From the beginning, I knew I wanted it to be a collaborative experience…the collective vision that we had for the show," he said. “Everyone was extremely talented and had so many ideas—I really loved seeing the show evolve from that and come together.”  

First TV Role 

It was a busy year in drama for Lezama, who also earned a background role in his favorite television show, “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” over the summer. 

The series planned to film in Taunton and Quincy. Camryn applied for a role, mostly for the fun and experience of it. Then came an email from the casting director, inviting him to get squared away with costumes. 

“It was really fast-paced and one of the coolest experiences I’ve had,” he said. 

Two student actors dressed as pirates face each other at a table
Acting is the primary interest for Theater Arts Major Camryn Lezama ’26 (right), seen here portraying Captain Billy Bones opposite Maya Bennett ’27 in the Emmanuel College production of “Treasure Island.”

Lezama was on set for four days, and will be in the first two episodes of “The Walking Dead: Dead City” as a “background soldier” when the series resumes in 2025. Due to the secrecy requirements of program, he couldn’t reveal much more—but added it was a great experience, something the Theater Arts program prepared him for. 

“Something that’s unique about this department is that you get to try everything,” he said. “Our Theater Arts major is not just acting—I got to do directing, learning what happens behind the scenes, making our own sets—you’re getting a ton of different experiences on what the theater world is like all around.” 

The Right Fit at EC Theater Arts 

A Brookline native, Lezama enjoyed theater throughout high school and it was definitely on his radar as a major when applying for colleges. He wanted the right school, close to home, and Emmanuel fit the bill. 

“I fell in love with Emmanuel,” he said. “I love the atmosphere here and it really felt like a great fit.”

Theater Arts at Emmanuel is run by Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Scott Gagnon, who has a deep respect for what the program can offer students. 

“When I was an undergrad I stumbled across my school’s theater group and it became such an integral part of my life,” said Gagnon. “I determined that I had found a life mission: to create that experience for other students.” 

Two students cross swords as part of a drama production
Theater Arts Major Camryn Lezama ’26 (left) engages in some swordplay with Maya Bennett ’27 in the Emmanuel College production of “Treasure Island” in October.

Gagnon has been the architect of Emmanuel Theater Arts since 2001, and has guided its growth from an extracurricular activity to a major. In practice, the curriculum combines academics—such as the history, structure, and conventions of theater—with opportunities to gain a range of skills and experience by contributing to productions. 

While creating and performing is at the heart of the major, the area of study excels at enhancing self-confidence, creative thinking, and public presentation skills. It’s also designed to encourage and accommodate double majors—with some students applying their theater skills in other fields. 

 “There are many jobs in theater and not all of them are in front of the camera or on stage,” said Gagnon. “If you are involved with one of our productions, there’s a very good chance you’ll be sewing costumes Monday, painting sets on Tuesday, and maybe acting on Wednesday, and those are all courses that we’re offering.”

What’s Next 

Looking ahead, Lezama is very interested in acting, but also considering theater education as a possibility. An avid horror fan, his dream role is the title character in Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” In the meantime, he’s focused on honing and diversifying his acting skills.

“I would say the biggest thing I’ve learned recently is just being open and vulnerable,” he said. “A lot of the time we think of acting as being dramatic and crying on demand, but there’s so many different types of stories and genres.”

A group photo of students on a couch
The cast for The Mousetrap” strikes a pose during a dress rehearsal. The cast was: (left to right, back row) Delia Donovan ’25, Caroline Fahey ’27, Max Popoloski ’26, Elizabeth Hughes ’25, Kyle Wood ’28, Ainsley Shrout ’26. Seated: Andrew Le ’27 and Brynn Nogiec ’27.