SPOTLIGHT! Featuring SWEET CHARITY herself, Freshman Margaret Burrus

PAUPER talks with Margaret, the delightful freshman who has the lead role in next weekend's performance. Read a little bit about her in this week's SPOTLIGHT!

Hello! My name is Margaret Burrus and I am playing the role of Charity in the upcoming performance of Sweet Charity. Getting involved in Pauper Players the first semester of my freshman year has been the second best decision I’ve made this year- the first being my decision to attend UNC. I came to UNC from Nashville, Tennessee and was initially thrown by how many people knew each other from home! I wanted to get involved on campus so I could create my own family of friends (aww).

I have been singing and acting my whole life. I have endless home videos of me putting on “shows” for my parents where I would tap dance on the hearth or would sing songs I made up off the top of my head. My mom, bless her little soul, saw that she needed to get me on a stage for my own sanity. I remember, when I was younger, my mom would pour over the newspaper trying to find ads for community theater auditions. Thus, my performing career began: I went to camps, sang in children’s choirs, yaddayadda… I missed out on some of my soccer games or going to some movies with friends, but being in that community really made me who I am today. I have gone to private schools my whole life, so my love for performing allowed me to meet people who were different.

Anyways, the moral of my little saga is that I am drawn to this community. It is not just my love for musical theater that causes me to audition for shows it’s the people who go along with it. Pauper Players is a community of talented, free-spirited students who have lovingly welcomed me into their community. I no longer feel like an “out-of-stater” when I walk across campus and get bear-hugged by someone in the cast. Yes, it has been challenging being the lead my first semester of college. However, it has helped me stay focused on what is important. I find myself doing work ahead of time or leaving parties early so I can be ready to rehearse. I am obsessed with everyone in the cast, especially those who are making it happen. I am in awe of how professional my directors are and their patience with the entire process. I am looking forward to opening night so we can show everyone all of our hard work! Now, I need to wrap this up because…. I have some lines to memorize!