By day, Fishers resident Devan Mathias is an instructional assistant at Hamilton Southeastern High School. But each night, you’ll find her singing and dancing through Oklahoma!.
Mathias is one of eight performers making their main stage debut at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in its current production of Oklahoma!, the very first collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.
Originally from the village of Whitehouse, near Toledo, Ohio, Methias came to Indiana to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Musical Theatre from Ball State University, graduating magna cum laude. After living and performing in Chicago for nearly two years, she returned to Indiana where she married and settled in Fishers two years ago.
“I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the amount of opportunities to perform in the Fishers and Indianapolis area. There is great work happening all over the city,” she said.
At Hamilton Southeastern, Mathias choreographs the spring musicals, designs costumes for the fall play, and co-sponsors the student council. Her husband, Ethan, also works at the school, where he is an English and Theatre teacher.
“So we work together on the plays and musicals,” she says. “He co-directs the plays with another drama club sponsor, and we co-direct the musicals: he is the musical director, I choreograph, and we direct as a team. We feel really fortunate to be working in a district that is so supportive of the arts, and with students who are so passionate in learning all aspects of theatre.”
While this is her debut at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, it’s also her first time performing in Oklahoma!, which, she admits, is unusual considering her musical theatre background.
“I am fascinated by the history of musical theatre, and to perform in the show that was the first collaboration by Rodgers and Hammerstein – and the first true American musical – is definitely an educational experience,” Mathias said. “Performing in Oklahoma! has been such a joy and a privilege.”
Oklahoma! is on stage through Oct. 5 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Tickets range from $38.50 to $63.50 and include Chef Odell Ward’s dinner buffet, prepared in-house for each performance, and select beverages.
For reservations, call the Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre Box Office at 872.9664 anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays.
