ArtScene by Gus Gordon
10 Questions with Steve Sykes
What art form are you involved in?
I am an actor, director, playwright and singer in the Springfield theater community.
Where might we have seen you or your work?
My favorite roles over the years include the Wizard in “The Wizard of Oz,” Julian Marsh in “42nd Street,” and an apostle in “Godspell” at the Muni; Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady” for Lincoln Community Theatre; and Willy Wonka in STC’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” I’ve also directed several area productions, including STC’s “Winnie the Pooh” and “Evita”; independent productions of “The Bald Soprano” and “Mr. Barry’s Etchings”; and the upcoming UIS Studio Theater production of “Almost, Maine.” That was also the venue for the debut of my 10-minute play, “Lost Cause.”
Can you give us a 20-word description of yourself?
I’m an actor, writer, gamer, and an overall agent of chaos. I love science fiction and a fully-accessorized Bloody Mary.
How long have you been in Springfield?
I moved to Springfield in 1988, and my first area show was in 1993.
What is your day job?
I’m a caseworker for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
What was your first artistic experience?
I first caught the theater bug at 10 years old when he saw a production of “Hello, Dolly!” on board the cruise ship SS Norway. Shortly thereafter, I was cast in my first role: FDR in a magnet school production of “Annie” – a role I’ve revisited several times in Springfield.
What has been your proudest artistic moment?
I’m proud – and at the same time, humbled – to have made a little Springfield theater history in the past 30 years. In the Muni’s 1993 production of “Hans Christian Andersen,” I became the first full-time wheelchair user to appear on the Muni stage. Three years later, I would be first wheelchair user to be flown by the renowned Flying by Foy company in “The Wizard of Oz.” And in 1999, I became the first wheelchair user to be cast in a Muni leading role in “42nd Street” – a tap show, at that!
What is your latest project?
I’m the current Artist in Residence for UIS’s Our Stage/Our Voices program, which seeks to boost the voice of marginalized communities in theater. My goal this year has been to increase opportunities for members of Springfield’s disabled community to enjoy and participate in theater. The final project in my residency is the upcoming production of “Almost, Maine,” which runs March 13-16 at the Studio Theater. It’s a wonderful show about a magical town in which nine tales of love found, lost, and regained unfold under the northern lights. Our cast is divided pretty evenly between disabled and non-disabled performers, which allows us to which tell some stories in which disabilities are integral to the story – but aren’t the whole story.
What advice can you give to those who would like to do what you do?
Participate in every aspect of theater. You can learn as much being a stagehand as you can as a lead. And don’t let rejection kill your love of performing.
Why do you do it?
For the love of telling a story. For the lifelong bonds you form with fellow cast and crew members. And, of course, for the applause and the laughter.
