Mbali Guliwe

What you’ve seen him in at OU:

• Charles Guiteau, Assassins
• Magistrate, Lysistrata
• Ensemble, Metamorphoses
• Orlando, As You Like It
• Carl, bobrauschenbergamerica
• Zachariah, Blood Knot
• Selwyn, Dauphin Island

Does one role stand out amongst the rest?

I really enjoyed playing Orlando and Zachariah. First of all the plays themselves, you have a Shakespeare play and you have something very far from Shakespeare — it really deals with humanity, deals with today’s problems. So I just like where they both sit and what they both mean in our society today. … And that’s why I really enjoy doing those roles. As old as Shakespeare is, it’s still relevant. … It’s the same as Athol Fugard’s work. As much as it focuses on the history of South Africa, we’re still questioning those issues today. … By doing them and experiencing my work in them, I start understanding an answer to ‘Why (we’re doing the work) today.’

What will you miss most about OU?

The first thing I’m going to miss about OU and Athens is really the community. I’m going to miss the community vibe that this town and college has. … I’m going to miss living in a place where a community really supports arts and culture. I’m going to miss Union Street Diner, those mac and cheese bites and my sirloin steak dinner. … And I think I’m going to miss the ambience of this place. I know that when I was still in South Africa looking at grad schools, I was looking for a small town where I could focus on my work. I saw how small (Athens) is and saw how everything is connected to each other. It was the perfect place to be. … The Division of Theater will always be a dear home to me. I will always owe my success to the school and especially to the acting program and all my acting professors. I have nothing to pay them back with except my success.

Any other reflections on your time at OU?

I’ve learned so much about understanding the world as a whole and not just from a perspective of my country and not just from a perspective of being in America. … It has made me understand what my goals should be as an actor … I hope to carry on doing what I started to do and embark on a new career here in the US, and I couldn't have done that without the School of Theater and faculty and my Tantrum studio. The support system here has been very strong, and I appreciate and love everyone because of that.

Who do you think has impacted you the most at OU?

For me personally, someone who means the most to me and who has made a lot of opportunities available to me, someone who really believed in me is Shelley Delaney. I consider her as my American mother, whether she accepts it or not. … and of course all the other acting professors, especially I want to mention David Haugen and Brian Evans.

What advice do you have for the incoming graduate acting class?

I would say that I just wish that every incoming freshmen would start thinking of education and school as not as a tool enforced by their parents on them but rather looking at it as an opportunity to train yourself how to think logically as a person. …  And I hope that we work hard to become a strong generation that will make the world into a better place. It doesn’t matter what your major is but as long as on same page in generation, a small change will make a big difference.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans immediately after grad school are to take a month to relax (laughs), and I’m joining the Apprentice/ Intern Company of Actors Theatre of Louisville in Kentucky. After that, I’m planning to move to Chicago and carry on my career in that city. I hope in the long run that I end up teaching, being in a position where I’ll be able to give back and share my knowledge and experiences to future generations.