Theater graduate takes the stage in iconic Western revue

Originally Published by University of Miami On June 25, 2025, by Kyra Gurney

Joy Missey had never been to North Dakota when she was hired as a singer for a summer musical production in the historic town of Medora. But the Medora Musical, which attracts over 200,000 annual visitors from across the country, was too good an opportunity to pass up.

“It was a very scary jump for me,” said Missey, who graduated from the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences in May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in comprehensive musical theater. “But it’s been a wonderful experience, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it.”

Medora, which has a year-round population of less than 200 people, sits at the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, named in honor of the former president who owned ranches nearby and frequently visited the area. The musical, an outdoor country music revue about the history of Medora and Roosevelt, adapts well-known songs like “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “Summer Nights” to reference the town’s history.

Throughout the summer, the musical is performed for crowds of up to 2,800 people. This is the largest audience Missey has ever performed for, and the musical is also her first experience working with trained animal actors—a group of horses she has befriended by feeding them apples.

“I think my favorite part about this summer is just how much I’ve been learning—learning what it is to be a theater professional and working with people who are so much more experienced than I am,” she said.

Missey was cast in the Medora Musical thanks to Senior Showcase, an annual spring break trip to New York in which graduating musical theater students perform for casting directors and agents. One of the people for whom Missey performed was Kendra Lucas, the casting director for the musical.

Missey said that studying in the Department of Theatre Arts prepared her well for working as a professional actor. In addition to her coursework, she performed in several musicals during her time at the University, including the Spring 2025 production of “Seussical,” in which she played the Cat in the Hat.

“I feel like UMiami definitely prepped me for being a professional actor, especially how to embrace my individuality on stage,” she said. “It was a wonderful experience.”

Rehearsals for the Medora Musical, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, started right after graduation, so Missey didn’t have an opportunity to learn the material before she arrived in North Dakota. She described the experience of mastering the songs while she was adapting to a new place as “good intense.”

Living and working in North Dakota has also brought other new experiences for Missey, who grew up near St. Louis, Missouri.

“As soon as I got here, there was a real tumbleweed going across the road, and it was a really big moment for me of like, ‘Oh, tumbleweeds are real,’” she said, laughing. “It’s like a different world up here.”

When her contract ends in September, Missey will embark on her next adventure: moving to New York to audition for other theater productions.