Sydney Machesky chosen as emcee for Wayne State University's Charter Night
Sydney Machesky's acting career really began with a basketball injury. After dabbling in theatre and dance as a young child, she didn't return to the stage until she was benched from the basketball team during junior high school. Unable to play her favorite sport, Machesky auditioned for the school play instead-and was cast as the lead character in Curse of the Cobra's Kiss.
Today Machesky pursues her passion for acting as a junior in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University. She is majoring in theatre and public relations with a minor in English.
While at Wayne State, Machesky has starred in A Gaggle of Saints and Time Stands Still at the Studio Theatre. She also has performed in The Snow Queen and Arabian Nights at the Bonstelle Theatre. "Being on stage-that feeling is not equaled any other place," she said.
Machesky will take to the stage in a different role on November 16, when she serves as the emcee for Charter Night. This annual event welcomes new and upgraded members of the Anthony Wayne Society, Wayne State's prestigious donor recognition society. Machesky said she is very excited to be a part of the evening. She has previous experience serving as the master of ceremonies at a statewide speech and debate tournament.
In addition to theatre, Machesky has been involved with competitive speech and debate for many years. She is a member of Wayne State's speech team and was a semifinalist at last year's national championship. Her competitive nature has even earned her the nickname "Syd Vicious" from her teammates. But her nickname doesn't do justice to her caring personality. Machesky spends her free time volunteering as an assistant coach for a middle school speech team in Bloomfield Hills. "The kids are fantastic," she said. "It's really inspiring, and it just makes me want to give back to the speech community more and more."
A native of Shelby Township, Machesky also makes time to go home and visit her three younger siblings. Her parents are both Wayne State alumni: her mother earned a medical degree from the School of Medicine, and her father earned a Ph.D. from the College of Education. Machesky said she's glad she chose Wayne State as well. "I love the diversity here," she said. "I love being in Detroit."
After graduation, Machesky hopes to continue acting. She recently made her film debut as a cast member in Anything is Possible, an independent film starring musical child prodigy Ethan Bortnick. But for now, she enjoys being a part of Wayne State's theatre program. As Machesky put it, "How many people get to do what they love every single day?"
Posted September 30, 2013