By Audrey Bullock and Kayla Raynak
On Monday, March 30, the University Program Board (UPB) hosted singer and actor Jordan Fisher on campus.
Fisher is known for being part of the cast of Teen Beach Movie and Liv and Maddie, as well as winning Dancing with the Stars. The actor is also known for his roles in Broadway musicals, including Hamilton, Hadestown and Little Shop of Horrors.
The event was held at 7 p.m. in Miller Auditorium. Fisher sat down for a moderated conversation with Dr. Aaron Galligan-Stierle. The event concluded with an audience Q&A.
Students began lining up outside the auditorium at 2 p.m.
SRU student Emma Penders was among the first in line for the event. “I hope he talks about his Broadway experience,” Penders said.
SRU student Daniel Rodenbeck hoped Fisher spoke about “Dancing with the Stars” and his experience.
“I loved his version of ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’ Like, that is awesome,” Rodenbeck said. “So when I saw he was here, I had to come.”
The Rocket had the opportunity to speak to Fisher prior to the event.
Fisher said he had not heard about SRU prior to being asked to speak, but shared that the area felt similar to where he grew up in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Birmingham and Pittsburgh have very similar feelings,” Fisher said. “Working-class cities that are surrounded by trees, little towns with all sorts of culture within the little pockets of Pittsburgh…just something that’s really special to me, and I appreciate that deeply.”
Fisher said Slippery Rock in particular was “adorable.”
“There’s a sense of familiarity here already, which I loved,” he said. “I’m excited to meet some of the students and see more of the campus, but it’s just beautiful.”
Fisher said when speaking on college campuses, he focuses on “removing the smoke and mirrors” of the profession he is in.
“My big thing at any of these kinds of speaking engagements is to bring reality to where we are today,” Fisher said. “And to show people that what we want is tangible.”
The actor discussed how he got to where he is today, from his involvement in theater classes as a child to his current role on Broadway.
Fisher was asked about winning the Mirrorball on the television show “Dancing with the Stars,” and about his experience on the show.
“It is about dance, it is about choreography; the show really is about your personality, it’s about your relationship with your partner,” Fisher said. “It’s about how hard you work and how much you dedicate yourself to it. It’s about improving, it’s about showing people that you can start from square zero and work up to something.”
“It might not be perfect. I’m not a professional ballroom dancer, but I did improve week to week, and I learned so much and had the time of my life doing it,” Fisher said.
Towards the end of the event, students had the opportunity to ask Fisher their own questions.
One student asked what it was like to sing “Happily Ever After” for the Disney Castle Show.
“Happily Ever After, it is the most important thing that I think that I have [done] and ever will do. It’s hard for me not to get emotional talking about it,” Fisher said.
“I have gotten to meet some really special people that have seen the show, heard the music, and they tell me about where they are in their life or whatever it is, and how the show has affected them. How it’s been a place of peace, a place of solace,” Fisher said.
Another SRU student asked about Fisher’s popular video from Disney Channel of him singing “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from Frozen with a group of fellow actors.
To the audience’s enjoyment, Fisher stood up and sang a small piece of the song’s chorus.
Fisher also gave advice to his supporters at SRU.
“I feel like the advice that needs to be given is always to lean in to the people you are learning with right now,” he said. “You’ll find that your strengths and their strengths will be able to complement each other.”
