Georgia Southern theater student using stage to build confidence and camaraderie
Georgia Southern theater major Javanna Rogers began her stage career at a very young age by singing in her church. She performed in her first musical in middle school. Her first lead role came in high school.
After years of taking the stage for Georgia Southern, Rogers was under the lights as the main character in her senior performance.
“I was nervous, but I felt very honored with my nervousness,” she said. “If you're not nervous, that's not good. You always have to be nervous, because that's how you know when the good vibes come in.”
While Rogers worked on her nerves, she was also working on developing an innovative character.
The Jenkins Mainstage recently hosted “Carrie the Musical,” which was a musical interpretation of the novel by Stephen King. In the play, the main character, Carrie White, is a misfit. At school, she’s an outcast who’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else.
While Rogers was far from committing the evil acts of her character, she found ways for herself and the audience to relate to Carrie.
Rogers was the victim of bullying in middle and high school. She said she and her character felt out of place.
“It's heart wrenching because some people don't get through it. But luckily, I'm a person who can say that they got through it,” she said. “And so, why not tell that story? Why not have that one person in the audience look and see and be like, ‘Yeah, I'm Carrie. I'm that person who is going through things behind the scenes.’”
Rogers said she encourages others to not be afraid to step out of their comfort zone. To help be comfortable, she relied on a growing trust between her and her fellow thespians. With her experience and rank, she has watched herself grow into a leader for her younger cast members.
“I've had people to mentor me into the student that I am, And I am so grateful for them and hopefully I am that person to them,” said Rogers. “We grew together; we gave advice to each other; we vented to each other. It’s always time for someone to step back and for other people to get into that spot. And I'm glad to see them there. I want to see all of them.”
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