Currently a sophomore at Olivet Nazarene University, Sam Mason is studying Mulitmedia Communication with a concentration in Film Studies. She is a driven person through art, music, and media. Everything she does, she puts her all into and it has paid off. But before she got here, she had to come a long way. Mason was born in Adrian, Michigan to her parents Lillian and Boyd Mason and her brother Andrew. She grew up in Adrian along with going to school and church there as well.
Some of Mason’s hobbies include reading, painting, singing, and acting. She is a part of Show choir and Apollo, The Olivet Gazette podcast group, and as many plays and musicals she can juggle at one time. Currently she just finished two, Ordinary Days and Cabaret. She also enjoys watching musicals as well as participating in them. Recently she watched Hamilton for the first time and fell in love with it. One of Mason’s best friends Jordan Pfeiffelman said, “She loves the songs and the way the actors portray the characters. She is going to see it in person over Spring break and won’t stop taking about it because of how excited she is.”
Sam playing piano 
Sam reading The Return of Sherlock Holmes 
Sam painting autumn scenery
Growing up, v spent a lot of her time acting in churches and the Croswell opera house performing in over 30 shows there alone over many years. Some of her favorite performances include Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman, and Moana, but her all-time favorite is Rocky Horror Show. This was so special to her because of the amazing friends she made and got to perform with and because Tim Curry is one of her biggest inspirations and a main reason why she is pursuing her acting career in the first place.
Juggling plays with other activities has become easier because Mason started doing this in high school. Working on one play and auditioning for another at the same time was normal. Rehearsing for two different plays at once seems very overwhelming.
A normal day in her life includes waking up at 4:50 am to start work at a coffee shop at 5:30 am. Then going straight to classes from late morning into the afternoon. Then, right after classes, she goes straight to rehearsal, or even opening night like she did October 27th for opening night of Ordinary Days.
Sam working hard on homework for Western Civ 
Sam likes to paint in her free time
All of this hard work is paying off because her acting is taking her to Los Angeles, California. Over the summer Mason did some training with Josh Greigo, the man who helped Taylor Lautner and many other actors get started. After this training, she was chosen to go to Hollywood for a week in January to work and train with other early actors who are getting started. At the end of the week, she will audition by performing her own skit in front of managers and agents. Afterward, they will let her know if any of the agents would like to sign her and find jobs for her, like commercials, tv shows, and possibly movies.
Mason described the feelings she experiences before and during plays in the perfect way.
“I always get a little anxiety before I go on, but once I step out and start performing, my anxiety is gone. I move into some sort of other world while acting, where I can finally see colors, everything is light, and I don’t have a worry in the world.”
It seems like Mason is exactly where she needs to be, doing exactly what she is meant to do. This is really inspiring.
