Dr. Leslie Werden is used to playing a number of different roles. Just on Morningside’s campus she is the chair of the humanities department, a professor or writing and rhetoric, and a faculty advisor for on-campus groups such as ODK. She takes on even more roles as an avid community theatre actor.

Originally from Wadena, Minnesota, Dr. Leslie Werden attended the University of Minnesota. She originally entered college with the intention of studying theatre. “I saw everybody else and went ‘I am not that talented’ and I gave up.”

She decided to major in communications instead and moved to California where she worked in cable television for 10 years. “I wrote some commercials and directed a couple of 30 minute shows and I loved it and it was a great time!” She ended up doing some freelance writing work which convinced her to pursue her masters. During that time, she was persuaded to take a teaching assistantship to help pay for tuition and decided then that she wanted to teach at the college level.

While living in Winona, Minnesota she got back in to performing with the local theatre groups. “I was in my late twenties and I was thinking ‘I need to do theatre again.’” In a period of five years she was involved in seven productions. Among them were Crazy for You, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, and 42nd Street. Also during this time, she started music directing shows.

Her involvement in theatre stalled once again as she worked on her doctorate. She didn’t take the stage again until she moved to Sioux City. Her first show was Move Over Mrs. Markham at Sioux City Community Theatre in which she played the title role.

That show introduced her to Sioux City’s theatre scene. Currently there are three community theatres in town. Sioux City Community Theatre, LAMB Arts Regional Theatre, and New Stage Players. Until recently, Shot in the Dark Productions also put on community theatre shows.

Dr. Werden has been involved in at least one show with all of the theatres in Sioux City. Most recently she made her debut on the LAMB stage playing Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!

In September, LAMB Regional Arts Center held auditions for it’s winter musical Mamma Mia! Though the company usually does in-house casting from their usual pool of talent, they held an open call in the hopes of finding new talent to take on the smash hit ABBA musical. One audition stood out. As soon Dr. Werden left the room music director Donny Short turned to director Russ Wooley and said “That’s Donna.”

Community theaters, especially in the Midwest, have a bit of a bad reputation. The productions are said to be low quality and the acting always varies in quality because of the level of dedication the volunteers are able to give to a show.

Dr. Werden worked on her character extensively during the rehearsal process finding ways to relate to a character that was anything but like herself. “I am not a single mother. I don’t have any daughters. I am kind of a free spirit. So there are a few things within Donna that I thought I could portray, but I kind of had to dig around to figure out ‘why is she still on this island, by herself?’”

Because she has a background in Shakespeare and has studied drama extensively, her approach to a character starts with the script. “Playwrights pick and chose their words very carefully so that they connect from one person to another. Words have certain meaning and words are said for purpose. Words set things up so if you miss a word it can be detrimental to something later.”

From there she worked with the other actors and the director to come up with a persona for Donna that was a mother figure who loved everyone on the island. This realization came to Dr. Werden one night and was so eye opening that she wrote it down when she woke up the next morning.

The mothering persona was not just carried out on stage. Dr. Werden played a bit of ‘mom’ off stage as well hosting cast parties at her house, handing out flowers and cards to everyone on opening night, leading dance parties in the dressing room, and being the first to help out in a pinch.

During one of the performances, Carolyn Chauncey, who played Sophie, was unable to get her mic to attach to her costume because a clip was missing. “Fifteen minutes before the show was set to start, Leslie worked with me to MacGyver a belt pack with a belt from the costume shop and a plastic bag.”

This behavior would probably come as a shock to the students at Morningside, as many are nervous to take classes with Dr. Werden. She is aware of the reputation that she has around campus and attributes it to the fact that she is loud and walks with a heavy step.

“I let them know right away that I do have high expectations, but my job is to help you to achieve them. It’s not that I’m just like I want you to do this and then I’m like ‘do it yourself.’ I want you to do this, I want it to be good, I want you to be better and I’m gonna help you along the way.”

Senior English major Amy Jackson would agree that this is how Dr. Werden operates in the classroom. “She is one of the easiest professors I have worked with. Not because the material is easy or she is not a difficult professor, but there aren’t any bullshit obstacles standing in the way of success in her class.”

Whether she is playing her role as a professor or playing a role on stage, Dr. Leslie Werden believes in supporting others in their work. “I think the arts, specifically theatre, reading, jazz band bring people together. I think at this time in our world we should not be cutting any programs. We should be enhancing them. We should be going to productions, we should be supporting the people doing these artistic endeavors because that’s what makes us happy and brings us together as a community.

In September, LAMB Regional Arts Center held auditions for their winter musical Mamma Mia! Though the company usually does in house casting, they held an open call in the hopes of finding new talent to take on the smash hit ABBA musical. One audition stood out. As soon as this actor left the room music director Donny Short turned to director Russ Wooley and said “That’s Donna.” That was Leslie Werden.

Originally from Wadena, Minnesota, Dr. Leslie Werden attended the University of Minnesota. She originally entered college with the intention of studying theatre. “I saw everybody else and went ‘I am not that talented’ and I gave up.”

She decided to major in communications instead and moved to California where she worked in cable television for 10 years. “I wrote some commercials and directed a couple of 30 minute shows and I loved it and it was a great time!” She ended up doing some freelance writing work which convinced her to pursue her masters. During that time she was persuaded to take a teaching assistantship to help pay for tuition and decided then that she wanted to teach at the college level.

Her involvement in theatre began again when she moved to Winona, Minnesota. “I was in my late twenties and I was thinking ‘I need to do theatre again.'” In a period of five years she was involved in seven productions. Among them were Crazy for You, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, and 42nd Street. Also during this point she started music directing shows.

She took another break from theatre to work on her Ph. D. “I had no time to do anything.” But she started back again when she moved to Sioux City.

Dr. Werden is known for the commanding presence she has around campus. She is aware that many students are nervous when they first come in to her class. “It’s because I am loud and I walk with a heavy step [laughter].” She lets her students know right away that she has high expectations for them, but she is not above helping them to achieve those expectations.

Amy Jackson, a senior who has taken classes with Dr. Werden would agree that this is how her classes have gone. “She is one of the easiest professors I have worked with. Not because the material is easy or she is not a difficult professor but there aren’t any bullshit obstacles standing in the way of success in her class.

Though her presence is so dominating, she is not like that in theatre. The roles she plays vary wildly. “I love playing comedy. Absolutely love comedy. I don’t care if its a lead, I don’t care if it’s chorus. I have loved every role I have ever played.”

Currently she is playing Donna Sheridan in LAMB’s production of Mamma Mia! the hit jukebox musical based on the music of ABBA. This role is one coveted by belters everywhere because you have the ability to show off a range of emotions and a wide vocal variety.

As this was her first production at LAMB, she went in not knowing very many of her cast mates but quickly developed relationships with all of them. She hosted an opening week party at her house, brought flowers to everyone on opening night, and is the first to help in times of need.

During one of the performances, Carolyn Chauncey who plays Sophie was unable to get her mic to attach to her costume because a clip was missing. “Fifteen minutes before the show was set to start Leslie worked with me to MacGyver a belt pack with a belt from the costume shop and a plastic bag.”

Leslie says that one of her favorite parts of theatre is the people and the relationships she builds with a cast. Due to her busy schedule she had to give up hanging out with her friends that are not in theatre for the time being but she says that it’s fine because she loves the theatre people. “There’s just something about being with theatre people. They are so welcoming! Never have I found theatre people to be clique-ish.”

She feels that it is important that people understand that every role in theatre is vital. “There is no play, there is no musical without the chorus, so you can’t dismiss the hard work that that group does. There is a place for every weirdo.”