Sue Gillespie Booton is the highlight of this weeks Throwback Thursday: Rose Edition! Sue has a big role at The Rose as she fills the shoes of Director at Broadway at The Rose, Resident Choreographer and Actor!
As the Director of Broadway at The Rose, Sue teaches classes throughout the summer and school year, directs students in the Rose Brigade, choreographs dances for The Dance Lab and manages other teachers and choreographers at Broadway at The Rose. Sue also choreographs the dance numbers for many of The Rose mainstage productions as well as acts in various productions.
We asked Sue if she would share with us what her first theater experience was and she told us:
“My first theater experience was when I was four years old performing onstage in my very first dance recital. I wore a red leotard with a white tutu and performed “I’m a Little Eskimo.” I still remember the choreography and the lyrics to the song this very day!”
Sue has spent a lot of time dancing and performing in theater, and she has no doubt been impacted by it. Naturally, we took a minute to ask her how it has impacted her life. Her response:
“Theater has impacted my life by bringing me to life. It has brought an inner joy to me that stems from an inborn desire to create using my body, voice, and imagination. It’s the outlet used to express joy, love, fear and sorrow onstage. It has also brought about so many awesome, amazing people into my life that have been a part of shaping who I am today.
I was born with the DNA to do theater and am blessed and thrilled to do it everyday. It fills my cup. And I can only hope I have, can or will be a part of filling someone else’s cup here at The Rose Theater.”
Sue works with so many students day in and day out that there is no doubt she has had a hand in “filling someone else’s cup.” She is, after all, a joy to be around and work with.
Thank you for all that you do for the students and productions that you work with here at The Rose, Sue! And thank you for sharing your experiences with us.