Marisa Morin (COL ’13) serves as the president of GU Children’s Theater, a group of student actors who produce and perform shows for kids in D.C. This fall, they are working on a production called “The Princess and the Pizza,” and will be previewing the show for the Georgetown community on Friday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. in McNeir Auditorium. Morin, a psychology major and education minor, has been involved with Children’s Theater since her freshman year and was elected president of the organization this spring. The Guide sat down with Morin for an interview in which she discussed how she combines her interest in theater and her enthusiasm for helping children in the community through GU Children’s Theater.

How did you first become involved in Children’s Theater?

I went to O-Show my freshman year, which is the orientation for all the theater groups. My brother is really into theater, and he’s trying to be a professional actor right now, so I’ve always been interested in theater, but I [was never] really the actress. But I love working with kids, and Children’s Theater is a low time commitment [that is] easy to get into, so I thought, “I can go into the community, spend time with kids and do a little bit of the arts,” [so] I auditioned then.

What are the goals of the organization?

Our main goal is to bring the arts to children who wouldn’t normally be exposed to them. We perform at parks, schools and children’s hospitals in the city, and they’re usually in low-income communities. We also have a preview show on campus, which is mostly for the Georgetown community, but we invite some kids to that show, too.

Could you tell us a little bit about the show you’re working on now?

It’s called “The Princess and the Pizza,” and it’s directed by Kaley Beins (COL ’14) and Adrian Prado (COL ’14). The cool thing about their production is that Kaley and Adrian adapted it from a children’s book, so the script is completely original. They made it very interactive, and the children get to talk with the actors during the production. It’s very good, I think.

What is the story about?

It’s about a princess, Paulina, whose father denounced the throne because he wanted to become a furniture builder, but she wants to become a princess again. There’s a competition to find a wife for Prince Drupert, so she enters this competition. It’s sort of like “The Princess and the Pea.” There are different parts of the competition, and the last one is to cook a meal for the prince.

So does she cook him a pizza?

Yes — spoiler alert — she cooks him a pizza, but by accident.

Is “The Princess and the Pizza” a typical show that you would do?

We’ve done a lot of student-written productions in the past couple of years. Last spring, we did “The Reluctant Dragon,” and this spring, we’re doing “The Wolves in the Walls,” which is another adaptation of a children’s book.

How is performing for children different from performing for adults?

It’s the interaction. We really love when the kids are participating actively in our productions. That’s something you can’t do in a more structured play environment, because the audience shouldn’t really be speaking. But we love when the kids say, “Oh, I want to be a princess!” or they just start screaming in the middle of the play, and you stop and laugh.

How could someone become involved in Children’s Theater?

We’ll have another production in the spring, so look for our audition dates then. You don’t need any prior experience at all, just enthusiasm and a desire to go into the city and spend time with kids. It’s so rewarding, especially if you want to get into a profession involved in working with kids. This is a great way to supplement any teaching experience that you may have.

What sets Children’s Theater apart from the other groups on campus that serve kids in low-income D.C. communities?

Our biggest mission is to bring them the arts. Other groups on campus are great for helping with academics, like DC Reads — they’re going in and they’re tutoring the kids, which is so important, and they’re giving them that mentoring aspect that they need so much. We’re giving them an outlet for frustration or passion. … That’s why we’re trying to give them art: It can be a supplement to their education.