If you’ve met him you more than likely remember him because Senior Theatre Honors major Thomas Buan is a man who doesn’t hold back in showing his passion and conviction for the things he cares about.

“Thomas is loud and has a commanding presence, that much I may not need to tell you. But what everyone might not know about him is his sensitivity to himself and others. This is reflected in his time in I Am We Are. His bellowing, spotlight-inducing voice is at its best when speaking on the behalf of voices who are otherwise silenced,” Junior Sam Keillor said.

Thomas has been involved in theatre from his start at Gustavus. His First Term Seminar was “American Drama in the Millenium” with Theatre and Dance Professor Amy Seham  and he’s been a teaching assistant for the course ever since. He has also been a crucial member and leader of the social justice troupe, I Am We Are.

“I’m heavily involved in theatre because it’s my passion. Theatre is very pure, very human, and never boring. I’m very fortunate to be studying in a field in which my day to day activities don’t feel mundane, or like work,” Thomas said.

There are two areas where Thomas’ passion for theatre shines through – in his commitment to helping others in shows and in his knowledge of theatre history.

Those who have worked with Thomas will tell you he’s actively involved and committed to the entire show, willing to help lead and help out his fellow actors.

“He is a performer who leads by example and who never gives less than his best in both rehearsals and performances. He’s also a cast member who is very quick to help his fellows figure out what about their performances work and what don’t, helping everyone give their finest performances,” Senior Nick Sweeltand said.

While his knowledge of theatre history is described by Seham as “encyclopedic”, Thomas takes a special interest in Irish drama from his semester abroad in Ireland his sophomore year. For his Honor’s Project, he has taken on the complex role of Hamm in Endgame by Samuel Beckett, an Irish Playwright, novelist, and poet.

“His dedication to research on Beckett, his exploration of the meanings in the play, his collaboration with me and with the rest of the cast have all been part of hidden process — and the restating performance captures all the pathos, philosophy, and absurdity of Beckett’s favorite work,” Seham said.

After college, Thomas plans on keeping his options open, but plans to continue to pursue theatre and acting in the Twin Cities. He’ll be leading Segway tours in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and working on a show with other Gusties in the Fringe Festival this August called The Invention of Baseball.

One word that accurately describes Thomas is passion. He’s been a staple of Theatre at Gustavus since his arrival, and he has never faltered in his commitment to helping others, whether that be through work with I Am We Are or being willing to speak up in the crowd.

With his time at Gustavus drawing to a close, Thomas offers advice to other Gustavus students.

“Find what you love and just do it. And if you want something hard enough, the process getting it will usually have been worth it. Also, let more creativity and art into your life, at least a little bit. A life without art is meaningless and bland,” Thomas said.