Marie Tredway
Marie Tredway
Class Year
’17
Current home
Grayslake, IL
Major(s)
Theatre Performance
Current Position
Series regular on “Chicago Med” (NBC); Director; Actor; Choreographer; Blogger
Marie Tredway ’17 is an award-winning director and actor in the Chicago and Milwaukee area. She has also performed in numerous works, earning multiple awards, including a Kennedy Center’s 2018 American College Theatre Festival Award for Distinguished Performance as Fannie Lou Hammer, in the Carthage production, “A Seat at the Table.”
Originally studying nursing at a college in Illinois, Ms. Tredway first learned about Carthage when she saw a production at a regional theater festival. She was so impressed with what she saw, that at the age of 30, she applied to the College, auditioned for a scholarship, and transferred to Carthage. As a non-traditional student and mother of two, she graduated Magna Cum Laude, made the Dean’s list four times and won multiple scholarships and awards along the way.
Ms. Tredway says the idea of “artist activism” is very important to her and credits Carthage theater faculty for inspiring that in her as well as her love for directing. She practices using theatre to make meaningful commentary on society, and recently directed the political satire “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” for Three Brothers Theatre.
Every day, she looks for opportunities to use her art to uplift, inspire, and build.
What have you enjoyed most about your career?
“Collaboration is such an integral part of my industry so getting to work with talented artists who are so skilled in what they do and creating unique and special productions with them is so fulfilling.”
How did Carthage prepare you?
“The skills and training I gleaned from Carthage’s theatre department are things I utilize in my profession to this day. They’re not just educational milestones, but important tools that I employ in my work every day.”
How has your liberal arts education benefitted you?
“The liberal arts approach, particularly in the theatre department, gave me a lifelong appreciation for artists specializing in their respective talents. Working in the scene shop with skilled scenic designers and shop workers, sewing in the costume shop with gifted costume designers and expert sewers, studying non-Western theatre with knowledgeable professors: I’ve cultivated so much respect for everyone’s passion and gifts. I think this is so important in a collaborative setting like the arts.”
What's your favorite Carthage memory?
“Traveling to Italy and performing a play. Working with Golden Globe/Emmy/OBIE award winners. Attending the Kennedy Center College Theatre Festival multiple times to perform and compete.”
Tips for current Carthage students?
“If you’re interested in becoming an actor, know that theatre is a hard job. Be prepared to work jobs that help supplement your acting and more often than not you’re auditioning/taking classes/scouring theatre websites/networking more than you are in a show. Stay humble and hungry. Complacency and entitlement are two things an actor should never cultivate. Finally, work hard and treat everyone nicely. The stage manager/audience member/assistant director/castmate from your show will remember and approach you about their next project.”