Faces of ITS:
Lady Matthews-Mason

Lady Matthews-Mason

How has theatre impacted your life?
Like most people, theatre provided me with a home. Theatre has given me both a place to express my truest self and a family to share it with. Without theatre, I wouldn’t have found my calling and my passion, nor would I have found my closest friends. Additionally, theatre has given me an opportunity to see the world through other people’s eyes, allowing me to communicate and connect with all types of people.

What is one lesson you’ve learned from theatre?
Theatre has taught me so much about how to be me and how to live my life [with Jonathan Larson’s Rent in mind]: “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.” I like to say there’s a showtune for everything. But I guess the better way to say it is that each show has a lesson; you’ve just gotta tune in to learn. Because of theatre, I don’t doubt myself or regret the past. I get up every day knowing that, as long as I give it my all, my all is good enough.

What has been your favorite theatre experience so far?
My sophomore year, I had the pleasure of co-directing a show for the Michigan Thespian Festival. We did The Audition by Don Zolidis. I had a great time working on the show, but nothing compares to the moment just before it started when my troupe director pulled me aside and said, “How do you feel?” We talked for a bit, then as I was walking away, he said, “Hey, Lady, good work!”

Who is your theatre hero?
My theatre hero is Hattie McDaniel because she was not only a phenomenal actress, singer, and comedian but also the first black entertainer to receive an Academy Award, which she won for her role in Gone with the Wind. She was given an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and she paved new ways for future black entertainers like me.

What theatrical character or show best describes your life?
In name only, Catch Me If You Can best describes my life. I love to travel and am heavily involved in my school and community, so I’m often running from one thing to the next without much of a break. My parents like to play a game called “Where on Earth is Lady Mason?” But I enjoy staying busy, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.