June’s YP of the Month is…

Mari Wilson!!!

Most of her early experiences with CYPT are watching Mainstage shows and waiting for the day she could perform with such wonderful actors. Those actors inspired Mari to keep auditioning and to keep working in theatre in any way she could. The least she could say is that she would not be where she is today without them. Now, the crazy thing is, she knows she is becoming that actor now. Inspiring kids in the audience to pursue their dreams and try out the arts. It’s like a big cycle, and it’s terrifying. As Jamie Dunsdon once said, ‘Once the kids get to a certain age, they say ‘everyone is graduating! That group of amazing actors are gone! Who is going to play those roles?’ You are that group now. Step up.’”

Sound familiar? That’s an excerpt from Mari’s bio for when she was June YP of the month three years ago. At that point, Mari had taken on some of her biggest projects with CYPT, which included writing and directing CENTRE STREET at the ripe ages of 11-13, and acting in shows like SNOW WHITE and GROUNDED. Not to mention directing her second Cannonball! production SUPER SPUD, and assistant stage managing THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST. But 2019 Mari wouldn’t know how true her words would become three years later.

After being in A PLAY ABOUT A DRAGON, Mari took a season or so off to focus on her music career, but nothing could keep her away from CYPT for long. Mari broke her acting hiatus with CYPT’s 2021 production of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, where she revived the character of Hero’s mother, Innogen. She has also been able to step back into the world of directing with PURLOIN: IN THE COMPANY OF SCOUNDRELS, which is part of the 2022 Cannonball! Festival. 

Things are different from when she was first YP of the month. Mari is now a long-time CYPT participant, inspirer-er of young directors, and solidly a member of the CYPT family. She has been able to take young actors under her wing, just as other CYPT greats had done for her. She went from watching and being in Outpatient shows, to now writing one herself. She has gone from someone who looked up to others in the company, to (hopefully) someone others look up to now. Mari cannot wait to see what the next generation of trailblazers, innovators and generally just amazing people do at CYPT. Finally, she hopes that she will be remembered at CYPT for years to come, especially because she will never forget CYPT for the rest of her life.