Taking the Stage Across America
Posted on August 7, 2026
#MyFirstJob is a series focused on recent graduates of the University of South Alabama.
One week, Ari Theodore is in South Dakota. The next, he may be hundreds of miles away in another small town.
The University of South Alabama graduate, who majored in English and drama, spends his workweeks traveling the country in one of the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s iconic Little Red Trucks. Along with a tour partner, he is guiding K-12 students from auditions to curtain calls to discover the magic of theater.
“We drive in on Sunday, hold auditions on Monday and start rehearsals that same day,” Theodore said. “By Friday or Saturday, they’re performing a full show.”
Each week follows the same whirlwind schedule. Theodore and his partner cast students in grades K-12, teach them their roles, rehearse scenes, help with costumes and a portable set (which they carry in their truck) and perform alongside them in one of the company’s original productions. The pair alternates weekly between performing onstage and managing backstage responsibilities.
The current production he is leading is “Aladdin,” not the Disney version, but Missoula Children’s Theatre’s own adaptation of the classic tale.
For Theodore, the job blends his passions for theater and education. He eventually plans to earn a graduate degree in English, aiming for a career as a college professor. Guiding a stage full of kids to a performance of a beloved folk tale isn’t a direct link to that goal, but he has found important parallels.
“I believe this job is, first and foremost, education,” he said. “I get to work with children five or six days a week while still doing something I really love.”
He discovered the opportunity while attending the Southeastern Theatre Conference Convention — an annual event that faculty and students from South and other universities attend for professional development, workshops and job fairs. After a competitive process that included virtual and in-person auditions and multiple interviews, he accepted the position.
One of his favorite parts of the job is watching students discover the joy of performing, especially in places where theater opportunities are scarce.
“Missoula Children’s Theatre tries to go to communities that don’t have a large theater presence,” he said. “It gives kids who may never have done a show before, and may never do another one, the opportunity to perform.”
One recent memory stands out. The youngest children in the cast of “Aladdin” in a South Dakota school portrayed a group of penguins who stole the spotlight with a featured song. After the performance, they rushed backstage, celebrating together.
“They were all giving each other high-fives and telling each other how awesome it was,” Theodore said. “It’s a very heartwarming job and a very rewarding one.”
As part of his senior thesis at South, Theodore’s original play “Finnegan’s Got a Secret” was staged at Laidlaw Performing Arts Center. He hopes theater will always remain part of his life and plans to continue writing plays alongside a career in higher education.
Theodore, from Spanish Fort, Alabama, continued a strong family legacy at South — both his brothers and his parents graduated from the University. His father, Philip Theodore, was a longtime history instructor and director of the Student Recreation Center.
Looking back, Theodore credits the faculty in both the English and drama departments with helping him discover his path.
“They were all such amazingly talented people,” he said. “They had a huge influence on how I viewed both disciplines and helped me realize my passion for teaching.”
