While Sean Moton loved living in New York and seeing almost every Broadway play to hit the stage between 2004 and 2022, the pandemic gave him a chance to pause, and he realized he wanted to return to his hometown as well as the community theater he was once part of as a teen.
Moton, who teaches drama at Hephzibah High School, is making his directorial debut with the Augusta Players with its production of “Dreamgirls,” and he’s excited to be part.
“We are making history in such a beautiful way,” said Moton of the show, loosely based on Diana Ross and the Supremes, with its predominantly African American cast. It will be staged Feb. 23-25. “’Dreamgirls’ is an amazing show.”
A graduate of Butler High School, Moton left the area to pursue his own stage dreams and attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. The experience of living in the big city was great for him as a young man and taught him a lot about navigating life.
“I learned a lot there – how to make friends and be comfortable in New York City as a young person who didn’t know what they were doing,” he said.
He got a few acting gigs including being part of the national tour of “Junie B. Jones.” The small cast did everything related to the show. They were cast as well as crew, loading in their own sets into the theaters, doing their own sound checks, performing then breaking everything down until they went to the next city.
Moton found several roles in children’s theater, but there was one part of the working actor experience he didn’t like.
“I got tired of waiting tables,” he said. “I was tired of that part of acting.”
Moton took his college degree and started teaching English with a side gig of doing theater with his students. He did some professional directing as well. He also took the opportunity to get as many theater tickets as possible.
“In 18 years, I saw a lot of Broadway. I saw more Broadway than any person needs to see,” he said and laughed.
When the pandemic hit, he spent the first eight months of it in his apartment. Teaching went remote, and that meant he didn’t have to be in New York to teach.
“I got in my car and drove back to Georgia,” he said. “I stayed here six months teaching remotely. I spoiled myself being back here.”
Surrounded by family and friends, Moton said he was “so happy being here. I wanted to come back.”
He also started catching up on the Augusta Players, watching interviews executive director Scott Seidl had done and learning more about its performances and outreaches.
Moton returned in June 2022. Since then, he has been part of a few productions including the voice of Audrey II in the Augusta Players’ production of “Little Shop of Horrors” – a role he had previously done more than two decades ago.
He also helped Roy Lewis who directed the Augusta Junior Players’ production of “Freaky Friday” in the summer of 2023.
“I was hoping to start directing with the Junior Players. That was my goal. I was trying to impress Scott with that. I said to Roy ‘Can I just pop in on your rehearsals?’ Roy said, ‘You’re my assistant stage manager.'” he said.
With “Dreamgirls,” Moton has been able to employ all the knowledge he’s gained as a professional actor and director and teacher. He’s got a mixed cast of veteran performers and novices, and he’s watched newer performers blossom.
“As a teacher, I’m able to pull a performance out of people who’ve never been on stage. It’s so rewarding to see someone who wasn’t comfortable — even though the (singing) voices are there, but they are unsure of themselves in acting — and get them to lean into what their strength is,” he said.
“Dreamgirls” will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 23 and 24 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Imperial Theatre. For tickets, go here.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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