Show biz isn’t for everyone, but Lawton’s Bryson Petersen has found a niche that fits him and his life in southwest Oklahoma and beyond.
Before settling in Lawton, Petersen experienced the bright lights on stages in New York City, Dallas and Wichita Falls. Now, he calls Lawton home as technical director for the city’s McMahon Memorial Auditorium and works part-time in the same role for the Lawton Community Theatre.
Petersen started with Lawton’s theatre group in January 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic took off, causing the thespians to find creative ways to entertain their patrons. Using livestreaming and radio as the main conduits for performing, the LCT found a way to continue their scheduled season.
“It was either close or roll with the new rules that came out every week,” he said. “We had to be creative, so we partnered with a Lawton radio station and the audio was done at the auditorium and then I did all of the editing and sound effects.”
As a result, the LCT performed “It’s a Wonderful Life” over the radio for Christmas 2020 and used the same setup for its December 2021 performance of “A Christmas Carol.” Performers also conducted readings of “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” and “Horton Hears a Who” over the radio in an effort to retain their fan base.
Petersen isn’t guaranteeing he’ll be in Lawton permanently, but for now he’s content in his dual role with the LCT and the city.
“The theatre has been pretty good to me,” he said. “My first job was at the Wichita Falls theatre. I’ve seen every aspect of the theatre being on stage: directing, being the technical director and writing grant applications for funding. The theatre had a huge impact on me growing up.”
Petersen began acting when he was 10 years old.
“I just knew this was what I was going to do with my life,” he said.
But his acting also had an effect on those who attended the shows.
“I remember being in a cast working together for two months or six weeks. We had so many stories of people coming to shows and it made such an impact on their lives,” Petersen remembered.
For instance, the Wichita Falls cast of “Little Mermaid” performed the play for one family, which included two sisters, and one was suffering from leukemia. The sisters, Petersen said, typically couldn’t go out in public together because of the disease and the cast decided they wanted to do something special for the entire family. It turned out to be a special performance, he said.
And in small town theatre, it’s fun for the cast and crew to see young patrons experience the thrill of seeing their first play.
“So many kids come through here and their lives get changed,” he said.
The lives of actors can also change in the blink of an eye.
“It’s a tricky business to get into. There is so much competition out there. There are actors who do jobs for free. We had summer camps in 2021 to focus on how to make a living in the theatre,” Petersen said. You have to treat it like a business.”
For Petersen, the technical side of the productions has allows him to stay working when acting gigs were not coming his way.
“I’ve been fortunate by being on the tech side of things,” he said. “The (city hall) people want the arts to thrive, and they built this position because it’s needed. There are so many events at the auditorium, and they need someone to manage the lights and sound.”