FALL 2015
TISCH DRAMA
FOLLOWSPOT
DAY OF
COMMUNITY AT TISCH DRAMA!
INSIDE 2016 Artistic Review Tour Locations!
DRAMA-UNITY
Atlantic students are led in a guided meditation about community.
A Meisner Studio alumnus discusses a faculty-created nonprofit organization that provides aid to children in Madagascar. In addition to donating supplies, the group conducts clown and storytelling workshops.
Students at Experimental Theatre Wing teach studio mates to juggle.
ETW, Production & Design, and departments at Tisch collaborate with fourth-graders from Public School 3.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA JOINS TISCH’S
CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY This year, the Tisch School of the Arts is marking its 50th year as a center of creativity and artistic learning. Over the coming months, Tisch will “celebrate the past/create the future” with a series of anniversary-related programs that kicked off on October 2nd with a weekend of community activities across the school. At Tisch Drama students created a Community Arch. Reflections on community were written on post-it-notes and attached to the arch. In some cases students videotaped their message. To one student, community is “joyous safety.” To another it’s “life!” The post-it-notes will be distributed to new students during Welcome Week in 2016. Tisch Drama’s studios also honored community. Students at Stonestreet Studios shared a lunch. The Classical Studio enjoyed a Friday night dinner and panel discussion of art and politics. New Studio on Broadway’s students and faculty explored ways to engage community. Among other activities, NSB seniors wrote letters to the first-year class. Playwrights Horizons planned a
A student shares his thoughts at Tisch Drama’s Community Arch.
“Community Based Theatre” lab in collaboration with The Public Theater. Students at Stella Adler learned about the studio’s Outreach Program, which supports under-served populations at schools and prisons. At the Strasberg Institute, students shared memories about their hometown. It was a day of joyful recognition of the many rich communities at Tisch and in the Department of Drama.
A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
EXPLORING COMMUNITIES— OLD AND NEW
As part of the school’s 50 th Anniversary celebrations, this past week Drama students have reflected on their many communities, from the networks they have formed throughout TSOA and NYU, to the small group of students and faculty with whom they work daily, to friends and family back home. We are anchored in our communities, but to quote Maya Angelou in Anna Deavere Smith’s Fires in the Mirror, “the rope attached to that anchor should be long enough to allow us to move into other
WELCOME WEEK
communities to understand and learn.” To train as theatre artists is to cultivate one’s ability to understand and empathize. It’s why we at Tisch Drama want our students to explore beyond their primary studio, whether that means trying out a different advanced studio, participating in an outreach program, studying abroad, or pursuing a community based or professional internship. Edward Ziter Chair, Department of Drama
An Extended
HELLO! This year Tisch Drama rolled out its welcome in a big way. Upon their arrival, incoming Drama students participated in an array of activities, from a pancake breakfast served by the Chair, Associate Chairs, and administrators to all sorts of theatre workshops. On September 3rd, the Class of 2019—more than 400 strong —met the school’s Dean Allyson Green and their new faculty. Upperclassmen presented “pop up” performances of scenes and songs.
Alumnus Jayson Prim inspires brand new Drama students at Orientation.
Breakfast is served. Come ’n get it.
Drama Ambassadors get ready to greet the Class of 2019.
The line up was part of this year’s expanded Welcome Week. “Our goal with the revised Orientation was to welcome new students in a way that felt personal and fun,” said Kim Kressal, Academic Advisor/Special Events Coordinator. “We wanted students to build relationships with fa c u l t y, u p p e rc l a ss m e n , t h e i r advisors, the Department's Chairs, and of course each other.” To help solidify these relationships through the year, the department is presenting a new series of First Year Workshops until next March. Topics will focus on everything from Career Development to Wellness.
ADMISSIONS 2016 BE YOURSELF
First, apply to NYU. Second, schedule a Drama artistic review!
OUR DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS OFFERS SOME ADVICE
You might perform monologues, perhaps do a little singing and dancing. You might share with us a portfolio of your work as a director, designer, or stage manager. You will have a chat with your evaluator. With the artistic review process, our goal is to take a snapshot of you at this moment in your own artistic growth.
Do you have Drama on your mind?
At the same time, we want to help you decide if our program is one in which you can grow and thrive and achieve your artistic goals.
Two steps will help you realize that dream:
Check out the websites of both NYU Admissions and Tisch Drama.
ARTISTIC REVIEW
TOUR In addition to New York, we will visit the following cities:
CHICAGO LOS ANGELES DALLAS ATLANTA MIAMI LONDON Before scheduling your artistic review, please be sure your discipline is offered in your desired location. A digital submission option is available for those unable to travel to one of these cities.
Learn about studios and theater studies. Plan a visit. Pop into an NYU information session and hop on a campus tour. Enhance your visit by including a Drama info session, too. As you consider applying to Tisch Drama, remember this: you are who we’re looking for. We’d like to get to know you! And the best way for us to do that is for you to be yourself. If you, your family, or your teachers would like even more advice, we’d be glad to hear from you. Give us a ring at 212-998-1850 or drop us a line at tisch.drama.ug@nyu.edu. Here’s to you!
Chris Andersson Director of Admissions
ARTISTIC REVIEW ADVICE FROM
CURRENT FRESHPEOPLE "During your artistic review, the most important thing for you to remember is that your true self is your best self. Be real and be 100% genuine. It's cliché, but it's true. Best of luck, hope to see you around next fall!" Patrick Yeboah The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute “Take big breaths (from the diaphragm) and above all be yourself. You may be nervous at the time of auditioning, but nothing beats the feeling of getting your acceptance letter. Know your strong suits, but take the advice of the faculty evaluators. They like to see you grow in the few minutes they have to work with you.” Timothy Baker The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute “Avoid choosing material just because you think it's challenging or showy. Choose monologues and songs that you love to perform and that best represent your passions as an artist.” Evelio Sotolongo New Studio on Broadway “Do everything in your power to prepare yourself thoroughly for your audition! That way, when the time comes, you know that you have done everything you could have possibly done to prepare, and the result of your audition will be the decision of fate, not the consequence of you being unprepared or not good enough; honest hard work will always take you exactly where you are meant to be.” Caitlyn McCain Stella Adler Studio of Acting “My biggest advice for anyone preparing for their artistic review (as cliché as it sounds) is to be true to yourself. Don't get caught up in trying to present yourself in whatever way you think NYU is looking for, just be your genuine self and show your honest point of view.” Ricky Reynoso Costume focus in Production & Design
ALUMNI
Drama Abroad:
BERLIN
Learning to Find
Tisch Drama is going on the road. Destination: Berlin. Next spring the department will launch the study away program Stanislavsky, Brecht and Beyond: An Integrated Approach to Contemporary Actor Training in Berlin. The semester long program will be offered by NYU Berlin and the Department of Drama in affiliation with faculty from the world-renowned Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts, The Berlin University of the Arts, and the internationally acclaimed Berlin Schaubuhne. In addition to their course work that interfaces the Russian-based Stanislavsky Method of Physical Actions with aspects of Brecht's Epic Theater, advanced Drama students will create and perform realistic and devised theater. They’ll also participate in the international FIND theatre festival hosted by the acclaimed Berlin Schaubuhne under the leadership of Thomas Ostermeier. “The Berlin program will enable students to study with an international faculty of professional artists and master teachers in one of the world’s most exciting centers for contemporary theatre,” said Arts Professor Kevin Kuhlke, who spearheaded the Berlin program. Watch for more news about its premiere semester in the spring 2016 issue of FollowSpot.
INDUSTRY
Drama at The Jimmy’s Tisch Drama is a proud partner of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. Last June fifty-two high school students from across the country worked with faculty at the department’s New Studio on Broadway to prepare for the annual Jimmy Awards ceremony, hosted by Fun Home's Tony-Award winner Michael Cerveris (right). Robert Fairchild, star of An American In Paris, joined in the fun. Congrats to all.
My Way I like to think of my time at Tisch Drama as the time I learned how to learn. My path through the department’s studio programs—each with its unique approach to the creative process—taught me that there is no singular way to train or to be an artist. I found out that if I wanted to have a life-time of learning, it would be up to me to keep expanding my skill set, assess what I learned, and challenge my own limits. I left NYU wanting to approach every audition, every job, as the next step in my education, with a goal of doing better work each day than I did the day before. Following that approach has shaped my entire career. After NYU, I became an Associate Artistic Director with The CRY HAVOC Company, which develops new plays and reinvestigates existing ones. With CRY HAVOC, I’ve built a nonprofit theater; I’ve developed new plays; I’ve been an actor; and I’ve launched a directing career. My NYU training prepared me to challenge myself every single day. I never imagined that I’d become a director, but all of my experiences have brought me here—to a thrilling new artistic career. And NYU was just the beginning. Jennifer Curfman Associate Artistic Director The CRY HAVOC Company NYU/Tisch Drama, 1998
A TASTE OF
STAGEWORKS 2014-2015
THE SECRET GARDEN
DOGVILLE
TROILUS AND CRESSIDA
OUR LADY OF 121ST STREET
ENGAGED
STUDIOS CRAZY FOR YOU New Studio On Broadway
WOLVES
THE CITY, TOWN & COUNTRY Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute
On set at Stonestreet Studios
Playwrights Horizons Theater School
PRODUCTION
TIME AND THE CONWAYS
HOUSE OF WIVES
Stella Adler Studio Of Acting
Experimental Theatre Wing
STAGEWORKS SHOWCASES 2015-16 TOP GIRLS
BLUE STOCKINGS
The Meisner Studio
NOVEMBER 12-21
RENT FEBRUARY 18-27 WORD ORGY The Classical Studio
Building set models at Production & Design Studio
UNCOMMON WOMEN AND OTHERS Atlantic Acting School
Department of Drama Tisch School of the Arts New York University 721 Broadway, 3rd Floor South New York, NY 10003
FollowSpot is published two times a year, Fall and Spring by the Department of Drama of NYU/Tisch School of Arts. The newsletter is edited by Joe McGowan and designed by Gregory D. Chan. We welcome your comments and suggestions at tisch.drama.ug@nyu.edu