Tess Burgler Pursues Her Love for Shakespeare and Theatre

Tess Burgler is a self-proclaimed Shakespeare fanatic. The daughter of two theatre directors, Burgler has acted in more than 15 professionally directed equity shows since the age of 5, so it was clear that theatre programs would be pivotal in her college search. But Burgler was concerned about the narrowness of fine arts programs offered by some high-profile colleges and universities like the University of Virginia, which she considered attending. Friends and family stressed the importance of a liberal arts education. So when her grandfather sent her a newspaper clipping in the mail of the top 10 undervalued colleges in the nation, she decided that a visit to The College of Wooster was in order.

“A good theatre person has to be well-rounded, smart, and a critical thinker, not just a theatre person,” says Burgler, who found just what she was looking for at Wooster. Whereas larger schools put on seven or eight shows per year, The College of Wooster theatre department only produces two main-stage shows. Burgler is convinced, however, that the trade-off is quality. “The real clincher on my college visit was the quality of the show ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession.’ I knew immediately that I could participate in high-quality theatre at Wooster, and I also knew if I decided not to pursue theatre after graduation that I would have other options with a degree in the liberal arts.”

Burgler, a sophomore from Kent, came to Wooster on both an academic and a theatre scholarship, and, as a first-year student was involved in the production of “All My Sons,” “Once on this Island,” and “King Lear.” Richard Figge, emeritus professor of German and a talented actor as well, applauded Burgler’s skill as an actress as well as her versatility. As a fellow actor in “All My Sons,” Figge first came to know her as the character Lydia, a sweet, uncomplicated woman. He said he was astonished, then, to realize her effectiveness when cast as Regan, a wicked, scheming daughter in “King Lear.” He was equally impressed by the way she played the much more complicated role of Ann in the recent Weathervane Playhouse production of “All My Sons” in Akron. “Tess is a skillful, versatile actress,” says Figge. “She is a real professional and an extremely hard worker.”

Burgler decided to major in theatre and minor in English. She also landed a job at the Wooster Writing Center, where she assists fellow students with their writing — something she describes as “completely unprecedented.” In fact, as a student in Professor Ansley Valentine’s first-year seminar course “So You Want to Be Ken Burns?” she was skeptical of the required visits to the Writing Center with each assigned paper. Burgler’s doubts were soon overcome, however, when she experienced the benefits the center provides. “They really know what they’re doing there,” she says.

Burgler intends to study abroad in London with James Madison University during the fall semester. “I want to study Shakespeare as it is meant to be studied — theatre as opposed to literature,” she says. During her time abroad as a junior, she plans to begin research on her Senior Independent Study Project, an original research project on which she will work one-on-one with a faculty mentor as a senior. Not surprisingly, Burgler hopes to examine original Shakespearean practice methods and verse.

"My experience at Wooster has been unique and challenging, but above all, I have appreciated the quality of my classes and professors,” says Burgler. “I have thoroughly enjoyed every single class, and all my professors have been passionate and knowledgeable. I think that is the most important quality a college can have.”