Meet Alivia Roach: Our July Leading Woman

Back in her senior year of high school, Alivia starred in Sugarhouse, a drama centered around faith, love, and family struggle. Alivia has been working the past few weeks to promote the movie’s premieres before it’s available for streaming, even making an appearance on local news. Hear more about Alivia, her experience starring in award-winning film Sugarhouse, and her time in Theta below!

Name: Alivia Roach

Major: Strategic Communication with a minor in Spanish

Hometown: Jackson, MO

Can you tell us about Sugarhouse and the character you played in it? What drew you to this story?

Sugarhouse is a movie about a family struggling to stay together after the loss of their mother. Still in high school, Maisie struggles to keep up with everything that she’s juggling: her sister receives a shocking health diagnosis, her brother brings trouble, and a piece of her mother begins to fade. Through it all, this story is one of loss, struggle, and ultimately hope. Maisie clings to her faith and love for her family to make it through.

I played the character of Maisie Mae, who is the middle child and trying to keep the family together. She holds to her faith and wants each of her family members to feel loved and to come home, as it used to be. She is quiet, sweet-natured, and is willing to sacrifice for the people she loves.

This story is so beautiful in that it touches on many lives of people around the world. Anyone can relate to it in their own way, not only because of the story, but because of the characters in it and how there is a perspective for everyone to appreciate.

Did you relate to your character in any way, and were there moments in the film that felt especially personal to you?

Maisie and I are very similar in a lot of ways - our faith is important to us, we only want the best for our families, and we’re soft-spoken in a powerful kind of way. Although Maisie’s life is pretty different from mine, there were many parts throughout the filming process where she felt some pretty deep emotion, all of it having to do with her family. I was able to relate to that because of how much I love and appreciate my family, and was thankfully able to use that to better my acting.

I’ve always loved acting; it’s been a way I can express myself. I’ve found myself admiring the acting profession even more because of how much emotional intelligence one can gain from it. I’ve gained so many friendships because of it, and learning what really goes on behind the scenes of a movie was so educational. It’s more than just having a camera and getting someone to hold a boom stick - it’s a whole team of people who are eager and ready to not only get the job done but tell an incredible story in the process.

What did you learn about yourself through the filming process, and now all these years later promoting the premieres?

After several years of the filming and promoting process, it can be hard, especially with an independent film like this. You want to get as many people to watch it as you can because it tells an amazing story. But in today’s world, that can be really difficult. It’s taught me so much, that movies take time and more effort than most. Just like in life, all of the best things will take more time and effort, but will reap the most reward.  That’s why I’m so excited for the film to be released this fall, not because I’m expecting a big payout, but because I know and hope so many people will watch and be inspired by it.

What are your career and life goals?

If a door opens and I get more opportunities to act, I would love to continue acting. It’s so exhilarating and such a gift to be able to be a part of something bigger than myself. Other than that, I plan to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communications and a minor in Spanish. Afterwards, I hope to travel around, experiencing different cultures and meeting amazing people. In the far future, I hope to settle down and have a family, putting my major to work at a local church with their marketing and/or social media.

What is your favorite part about your major and why did you choose it?

In Strategic Communications, there’s so much you can do with it. There’s an unlimited amount of options. I don’t really like the idea of being tied down to one job or skill and only doing that when there are a myriad of other opportunities I could also be good at. Strategic Communications gives you the freedom to not only do that, but be successful and help people in the process.

What does Theta mean to you?

To me, Theta means finding the women that are home to me in a place where life can feel rushed and confusing. It means finally belonging to a group of people when all my life I never felt like I belonged. It means being loved so much more than I could ever know by women who continue to inspire and amaze me every day.

How has your experience in Theta changed you?

Theta has changed me for the better because of all the beautiful and fantastically talented women I have met. They have pushed me and continue to push me to be the best in all that I can do, and feel so incredibly loved, appreciated, and seen through it all.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

My favorite Theta memory would have to be when we won Homecoming. It seems cliche, but I really have never been so proud to be a part of Theta at that moment because I was able to see from a birds-eye-view that we are a sorority that is filled with so many women that are intelligent, hard-working, and passionate. Winning Homecoming was just proof of how remarkable Theta truly is.

With recruitment coming up in August, what advice do you have for someone unsure about registering or nervous to go through recruitment?

For PNMs going through recruitment, the best piece of advice I could give you is to have all kinds of fun during the recruitment process! I really didn’t know anything about Greek Life at the time, but now that I do, I wish someone had told me to really enjoy recruitment. Although it can get hectic, you are going to meet so many amazing girls and have the experience of a lifetime. You won’t want to miss out on it because you’re nervous or scared! Take care of yourself, have fun with it, and make it your own.