Good Soil Theatre Company plants roots in Cleveland

Is Cleveland, Tennessee, the new Broadway? Most likely not, but there is no harm in building a community that appreciates the arts. While the comradery of competitive sports is often the talk of most small towns, Cleveland is on its way to becoming a city equally equipped and excited for the arts, specifically, theatrical. 

In search of a space where Cleveland-based artists can come together in the name of theater, Emma Witz founded Good Soil Theatre Company. Focused on “reinventing” what it means to work in the theater industry, especially on a regional scale, Witz’s company seeks to be a place where artists can be themselves. 

“You can look any sort of way. You can be yourself and bring your full self to the table instead of having to fit in this box of, you know, ‘picture-perfect actor.’ So that's one of our huge values, just giving a place for artists to be able to perform in the area, but also where they can be their full authentic selves,” Witz said. 

After graduating from Lee University in 2020 with a degree in theater, Witz experienced first-hand the difficult reality of working in the entertainment industry.

“I think I was really burnt out after school and so I got to a point where I didn't even really know if I wanted to work in the arts anymore because it is such a difficult industry,” Witz said. 

Many of Witz’s friends shared similar stories and also struggled to break into the entertainment industry. However, it was not a lack of passion that kept them from the arts; it was a lack of local opportunities and financial uncertainty. Witz explains that working in the arts is truly a privilege because it often pays very little.

Ultimately, it was her heart for actors, the arts and the Cleveland community that finally spurred Witz into action. Her passion has always been rooted in the arts and founding Good Soil Theatre Co. has been healing for her. 

“Over time, I've realized that I wasn't burnt out because of the actual art itself because that gives me so much joy. It's more of realizing the reality of how hard it is to work in the arts as a professional,” Witz said. 

Witz no longer has to subject herself to the negative experiences of the entertainment industry. Now, she gets to provide a space where actors can flourish. 

“One of our biggest goals is to be able to compensate our artists fairly. So we're on the road to that and working towards the market rate for an actor, a technical director, a lighting designer. So that's the big priority right now, just getting more income coming in so that we can compensate our artists fairly,” Witz said. 

Laura Harris Hicks, Madi Rosenthal, Emma Witz, Jonathan Jarman and Ross Sampson of Good Soil Theatre Company. Photo courtesy of Hannah Taylor.

However, Witz does not want to stop at just fair wages. She aspires to make Cleveland a city where people can live locally and make a living off of being an artist. 

“Which is crazy to imagine right now, in our little town, but we're dreaming big. And then eventually when you have that, people are moving to Cleveland or coming to Cleveland for a contract to be an artist. So that becomes a tourism attractor and positively impacts our community overall just by retaining more artists and drawing more artists here as well,” Witz said.

Good Soil Theatre Co. is more than just a business; it is an opportunity for people to invest in the community.

Dr. Christine Williams, department chair of communication arts and professor of theater at Lee University senses that the Cleveland community is now more interested in the arts.

“As Cleveland has been growing, there’s been more and more interest in having more opportunities for artists. As more artists have been coming out of Lee, there has been a desire for more serious theater for them to be involved in, and there has been a lack of that… The timing is right to give those opportunities to people who want to do that, and I think our community wants to see that,” Williams said.

As Witz’s former theater professor, Williams is excited to watch Good Soil grow and is proud of the Lee alum’s endeavors. She said she enjoys seeing the confidence Witz has displayed in navigating the world of entrepreneurship. 

“I’m so excited that they feel like they have the creativity, the critical thinking skills, all of these things that we hope that we have implanted in them to be able to take this idea and make it run. I think it speaks to the success of our program in creating strong creative entrepreneurial spirits,” Williams said. 

On October 25, 2024, Good Soil had its inaugural performance. Running for one weekend only, Witz and her team proudly presented Daddy Long Legs, a two-person off-Broadway musical. Emma Segnini, a current senior at Lee University majoring in music with a concentration in voice, played Jerusha Abbott, one of the two main characters. Segnini loved the opportunity to work in a theater company separate from Lee and found Good Soil to be a welcoming environment. 

“They have a really great energy to them, and give their one thousand percent because they love the craft. So yes, it's a business, but it’s not just a business to Emma; it’s what she loves. She is an artist herself, so I know that this endeavor for her is her whole heart and more,” Segnini said. 

Witz’s passion for theater is unwavering, and young artists like Segnini benefit from that love. Although Cleveland could never rival Broadway, Witz hopes that one day, Cleveland can be a city where people seek out theater opportunities. Witz has fallen in love with the area and strives to make it a better place, not just for artists but for the whole community.