Mark DiOrio

Over the course of her time at Colgate University, senior Molly Lambert has immersed herself in the department of theater by performing in three university theater productions, as well as acting as assistant director and stage manager in several others. These performances include Maggie in “For Z,” Lexi in “The Juniors” and Therese in “Victor, or Power to the Children.” Outside of university theater, Lambert has also performed in student theater cabarets, as well as in ballroom and theatrical dance groups for DanceFest. Her love for theater has allowed her to pursue her passions and express herself.

“The fact that a theatrical experience is completely unique every night is what keeps me coming back. The feeling of connection with your audience is different at each production, which is why live performance is impossible to replace, and why it plays such an important social and emotional function,” Lambert said. 

Theater has played a huge role in Lambert’s life; she began singing in her school choir in the second grade and began performing in musical productions in middle school, landing her first role as Tinker Bell in “Peter Pan Jr.”

“Theater, especially acting, allows me to process and express my inner life instead of just intellectualizing it. It’s so visceral and alive that I feel more and more in touch with myself at the end of every rehearsal, even when I’m embodying a different character,” Lambert said. 

As a theater and physical science double major, Lambert has had several challenging weeks but enjoys the balance between academic and artistic endeavors. 

“Theater at Colgate is what you make of it,” Lambert said. “I pour lots of time into it because I couldn’t imagine spending my free time any other way.”

Lambert has also been able to use live performance as an effective art style that can convey social and political commentary. Currently, she is working on her senior honors project in which she is acting in and producing a play titled “Another Revolution,” written by playwright Jacqueline Bircher. The play involves a female biologist and a male astrophysicist as they compete for a high-stakes fellowship amid immense American political turmoil in the 1960s.

The production is staged in a lab in Ho Science Center to strengthen the political commentary and is personal to Lambert’s experience at Colgate.

“This play bridges the literal and metaphorical gap between my majors, so it feels perfect as a senior honors production. We hope to bring attention to the hypocrisies and complexities of modern structures of power whilst telling a witty and heart-wrenching story about two young scientists, not unlike our student body,” Lambert said. 

The Colgate theater community allows for students to engage in a wide range of projects. As vice president of the Student Theater Club, Lambert reflected on her experience working with students and faculty.

“The faculty in the [theater] department are such fantastic artists and caring mentors that I feel both professionally and emotionally prepared to pursue theater after graduation,” Lambert said. 

Lambert has worked with members within the theater department, including Simona Giurgea, a senior lecturer in the University Theater. Professor of theater Adrian Giurgea spoke of Lambert’s talents and exceptional enthusiasm towards her work. 

“What sets Molly apart is not only her technical proficiency or acting talent but also her infectious love for the world of theater. She brings an unparalleled enthusiasm to the stage, inspiring her peers and enriching the creative atmosphere with her positive energy,” Adrian Giurgea said. 

Adrian Giurgea also elaborated on how Molly’s acting skills were especially highlighted during one of the senior projects directed by his students.

“Her performance was not only a testament to her acting skills, but also a demonstration of her commitment to the collaborative spirit of theater. Her ability to seamlessly integrate into the ensemble — coupled with an infectious passion for storytelling — elevated the entire production,” Adrian Giurgea said. 

When discussing how Lambert has grown over the course of her years participating in the Colgate theater department, Simona Giurgea spoke highly of Lambert’s achievements. 

“She has become more aware of her strengths, more assertive, less afraid of vulnerability, more knowledgeable and more invested in all and every aspect of theater-making. I think she has discovered how to be fully herself,” Simona Giurgea said.

Post-graduation, Lambert has plans to continue her passion for theater, specifically in theater management positions, in hopes of building her portfolio before applying to a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program for theater.