蓝莓视频

Truman Students Make Theatre a Family Affair

Stage chemistry can make or break a theatre production. A cast that comes together well has the ability to whisk audience members away to the farthest corners of their imaginations where they lose themselves in the story. By all indications, the cast of 鈥淪eussical鈥� did just that during a five-show run in November. Audience members from children to adults packed the Severns Theatre to watch a production of the Broadway musical featuring the classic characters of Dr. Suess.

The Truman students performing in the production had a bit of head start on forming their stage chemistry. Two of the lead roles, those of the Cat in the Hat and Horton the Elephant, were played by brothers Cole and Mitchell Flottman.

Mitchell, a senior theatre major, encouraged younger brother Cole, a freshman studying linguistics, to try out for the musical. Although they have been acting since childhood, they have rarely performed together.

鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 the first time we worked on a show together, but it was the first time in a while, so it was interesting getting to explore that side of our relationship again,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淚t was just a lot of fun to play off of each other鈥檚 energies because we know each other鈥檚 energies quite well.鈥�

With each brother landing a lead role, they were more than just fellow cast members.

鈥淧art of the excitement came from not just me getting a role, but from Mitchell also getting one of the leads,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淚 thought it was going to be one of the coolest shows to work on because we were both leads and we would be able to interact so much.鈥�

Natives of Columbia, Mo., the Flottman brothers never had the chance to share the stage in high school. Mitchell attended Hickman High School. By the time Cole was a freshman, he was enrolled in the newly opened Battle High School.

鈥淗e was sort of the head honcho at his high school,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淗e had a lot of leads there.鈥�

Cole has reciprocal feelings toward his brother鈥檚 body of work. A veteran of Truman theatre, Mitchell has performed in nearly a dozen productions, including several on the main stage.

鈥淚 always feel a little bit of pressure to impress Mitchell,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 put kind of a standard up for us.鈥�

As brothers are known to do, Cole and Mitchell had their share of arguments and fights in their younger years, but they have become closer with age. Mitchell was an influencing force when it came to his brother鈥檚 choice of colleges.

鈥淚 definitely pushed Cole to come to Truman,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e had a couple different programs he was looking at, and I thought it would be fun to have him up here.鈥�

The encouragement did not stop once Cole arrived on campus.

鈥淗e made me tryout for 鈥楽eussical.鈥� I wasn鈥檛 going to, mainly because I didn鈥檛 know anybody, and I was a little worried,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淗e kind of made me do it because he knew I could.鈥�

The brothers mutually agree that Mitchell is the more laid back of the two, while Cole has been described as enthusiastic. Their distinct personalities determined the roles for which they auditioned.

鈥淗orton is just one of the most compassionate people out there. He鈥檚 also kind of meek, and lets himself get stepped over. It鈥檚 just someone I sort of identify with,鈥� Mitchell said. 鈥淐ole surely has to identify with being the Cat as well. He鈥檚 just that kind of prankster in real life.鈥�

Audience members might interpret the Cat as having fun at Horton鈥檚 expense throughout the show, and Cole was able to use that to his advantage. Although any significant feelings of sibling rivalry may have faded long ago, he did exact a little revenge on Mitchell for some childhood slights.

鈥淚 kind of saw it as a way to get back at my brother for all of his years of being kind of a teasing older brother,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淚t was just fun to play around with him.鈥�

The November production of 鈥淪eussical鈥� was the popular 鈥淭heatre for Young Audiences鈥� version. An 80-minute adaptation of the original Broadway musical, it was presented through arrangements with Music Theatre International. Due to the renovation of Baldwin Hall, 鈥淪eussical鈥� was also one of only three Truman Kohlenberg Lyceum Series events scheduled for the 2016-17 school year.

In addition to being well received by University and community audiences alike, there was one particularly engaged fan at most of the shows. Ellen Flottman was in attendance for four of the five shows featuring her sons.

鈥淲hen the cast list came out, it was a lot of fun to call my mom and be able to say we both got the parts, because she was so worried she was going to have to console one of us and congratulate the other,鈥� Mitchell said.

While it was a special time for the Flottman family, the moment was also fleeting. Mitchell will graduate in May, and 鈥淪eussical鈥� marks both the first and last time the siblings will ever share the stage at Truman. As one brother completes his collegiate career, the other is only beginning. Despite majoring in linguistics, Cole will carry on the Flottman name in University productions.

鈥淥ne of the cool things about 蓝莓视频 is that it鈥檚 so open to non-theatre majors that I was able to audition for the play and even get a lead, even though I鈥檓 not as involved in the program,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 sure at first whether I was going to fit in here or not, but I know that I鈥檓 very welcome here, and I鈥檓 definitely going to be pursing more theatre things here.鈥�

Mitchell plans to explore a career in theatre, most likely as a director. He is looking into options for internships, and he is keeping open the possibility of graduate school. He may have participated in numerous Truman productions, but 鈥淪eussical鈥� will always hold a special place in his heart.

鈥淚 always love doing shows here at Truman, but this show was just particularly fun and exciting to get to work with my brother again,鈥� he said.