HARRISON-CARSON TAKES REINS OF MHCC THEATRE DEPARTMENT

Mace Archer, longtime director of the Theatre Department at MHCC, got a job in Arizona last summer – leaving the department in the well-traveled hands of Daryl Harrison-Carson.

Her first Mt. Hood theatre production kicked off last week and continues this weekend: The play “All the Great Books (abridged),” a comedy compilation of classic works, based on the book by Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin.

The play runs at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19 and 20, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 21. For tickets, see: https://www.mhcc.edu/TheatreBoxOffice/. (Please note there is a requirement of a COVID vaccine or negative test record.)

Harrison-Carson has been at MHCC for 21 years, where she has been a full-time instructor, teaching theatre design, stagecraft and history. She also has assisted as the Assistant Lighting Designer at the Oregon Ballet Theatre, helped with light at Cleveland High School productions, and has assisted Stumptown Stages and Bouand Dance Company, locally.

Her favorite thing about being a theatre director is seeing students do things they didn’t think they could do, and how their confidence of students grows, she said. She enjoys working on new shows each term and says that it never gets boring.

Harrison-Carson grew up in Virginia, close to Washington D.C., where her father worked in TV production – this is when her interest in theater and the arts began, she said. This is also when her mom and dad, Carole and King Harrison, met during a show.

She is also married, has one sister, and her son Sutter attends the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. They also have one dog named Pretzel.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from James Madison University, in Virginia, in 1986 and graduated with her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinatti Conservatory.

Harrison-Carson’s husband, Steve, works at Intel Corp. The couple first came to Oregon in December of 1998-January 1999, having spent a month traveling across the country.

Before coming to MHCC, she worked at Central Florida College from 1991 to 1997 and at Sante Fe Community College in 1998 before moving to Oregon. She also worked at Ocala Civic Theatre for about two years during her time in Florida, and has contributed to the Maine State Musical Theatre, as well.

Away from the theatre, Harrison-Carson’s favorite foods include mac and cheese, and her favorite TV show includes the sitcom “Letterkenny,” she said. Among her favorite musicals are “Hamilton,” “Jesus Christ Superstar” and other rock/opera productions.