At only 15 years old, Winona resident Seamus Schwaba started a community theater after writing a play he wanted to bring to the stage. While there was some caution from the community about a teenager directing a play, Seamus and the theater he created saw success right from the start: Sugarloaf Theatre sold out all three of its "Deep in the City" shows. “Theater has always kind of been a part of my life," said Seamus, who is now 17.
He has participated in productions since preschool. While both of his parents have experience in theater, Seamus never had to be pushed into their footsteps. He's always wanted to move in that direction, except for maybe one year of his life where he lost interest.
He was drawn back to the arts, though, and now he wants to be involved as much as he can. Seamus Schwaba helps his mother, Jamie Schwaba, hang her art at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts on Aug. 19.
Seamus has a supportive role model to learn from when it comes to the stage. His mother, Jamie Schwaba, has been a lover of the arts since she was a child. After graduating high school, Jamie joined the international traveling performance arts group Up With People.
Afterward, she studied theater in college and eventually took on a variety of professional roles in the arts, including as the education director at the Milwaukee Youth Theatre, the children's theater director at UW-Marinette and eventually the managing director at the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts. While in her rol.