By Nicole Thomas
Brannon Godwin possesses a creative mind, and she brings her characters to life on stage.
She credits SHS’s award winning theatre department with developing her talent as an actress. She’s starred in Footloose, Mary Girard, Anything Goes, and Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. She’s also experienced as a director leading the productions of Spamalot and While the Lights Were Out. While Brannon professes she enjoys her stage experiences, her real passion is film.
Brannon was selected as a People to People Leadership Ambassador for the film and arts program at UCLA this summer where she discovered the world of filmmaking in Hollywood.
As a leadership ambassador, Brannon had the opportunity to explore renowned acting and production studios and work with instructors, producers and directors.
“The filmmaking industry is tough,” Brannon said of her experience at UCLA. “There are numerous challenges, but there’s also a lot of opportunity.”
Brannon said she was prepared for the grueling 10-day schedule thanks to her SHS biology teacher Tate Fischer.
“When I first entered high school, I didn’t realize the hard work required to earn good grades but Coach Fischer taught me how to study my subject and apply my knowledge,” Brannon explained. “ I have carried that with me since 9th grade whether I was studying a character or a chromosome.”
As a student at Stella Adler Academy, Brannon said she sharpened her acting in improvisation and movement before beginning work on a two day film project with instructors from New York Film Academy on the back lots of Universal Studios where she collaborated with her peers from around the globe.
Brannon, who is serving her second year as president of the SHS Thespians, promises another exciting year for Starkville theatre fans.
“SHS has a phenomenal theatre program,” Brannon said. “We have a new teacher this year, Michael Dendy, and we are already preparing the set for our festival show.”
When the final curtain closes on her high school career, Brannon hopes to pursue her passion in the filming arts industry as a student at Syracuse University.