First Week of Classes

All Drama Division classes begin at 9:00AM Monday through Friday. The classes end between 5:00 - 6:00 PM. Rehearsals begin between 6:00 PM and 7:30PM and end between 10:00 PM - 10:30 PM. We get Wednesday nights off. Saturday rehearsals are from 1:00 - 6:00 PM and then we get the whole Sunday off.
Classes range from Movement, Voice, Speech, Theater History, Vibrant Traditions in American Theater, Point-of-View, Ballroom Dancing, Play, Improv and Music Studies. If you want to check out the full curriculum click here.

Highlights:

1. Drama Division Photoshoot
Each year the Drama Division schedules a day for all its students to get head shots to be displayed at the lobby of the Stephanie P. Mclelland Drama Theater. This year it was scheduled last Tuesday, September 15. Each student gets 3 minutes to be photographed by Gregory Costanzo. After an entire group (batch) is done they get to have a group shot with Jim Houghton (Director of the Drama Division).

Group 48!

Group 48 with Jim Houghton

One of many shots taken that day

So many (shots) I had time to fool around a bit

2. Artist as Citizen
Last Thursday, September 17, Kathy Hood (Administrative Director of the Drama Division) got us seats to a panel discussion entitled "Artist As Citizen." Adam Driver and Jim Houghton, among others were part of the panel. I cannot begin to tell you how important being there was to me and how grateful I am that we were given a chance to listen to the discussions.
Many of you have yet to know how global Group 48 is and how rare it is for a group to be composed of such a diverse set of actors. We've come all the way from Florida, Canada, Boston, DC, Pittsburgh, New Haven, Texas, Brooklyn, El Salvador, Israel, Pennsylvania, California, England, India and the Philippines!
I am truly grateful to the Drama Division for having taken this progressive step into gathering this global group together. We as actors are here to communicate stories about the human condition. The human condition encompasses a wide range of people from different origins. Gathering this group together and giving all of us an opportunity to train as artists and become larger human beings gives a chance for other ethnicities to have a human representation, a face.

3. St. Malachy's
For the first time since I arrived in New York I finally was able to hear mass at St. Malachy's Chapel along 49th Street. I learned about this chapel from my grand aunt who told me that it was called an "Actor's Chapel." It has a special mass every Saturday at 11:00 PM to accommodate the schedules of NYC Broadway performers coming from Saturday night shows.
I went there last Saturday (September 19) and apparently the Saturday night services are very short because even though I was 10-15 minutes late I completely missed the first part of the mass and the homily. Feeling guilty, I decided to go back for the Sunday 11:00 AM mass and was grateful I made the decision. They've got a fantastic choir every Sunday at 11:00 AM.
I'm not a devout Roman Catholic though I was raised by a Catholic family and have a couple of relatives who are devoutly Catholic. I decided to go to mass not because the Bible or someone told me to but because I felt, what the heck? It matters to me to be able to go to a place where I can let go of "roles" attached to my being an actor, graduate student, etc. and just be a human being.

4. The Strand
After mass, I went over to Union Square to visit this neat bookstore called "The Strand." It's a bit of a thrift store which sells new and second-hand books in good condition. It's amazing!

It is not easy to be a Drama student at Juilliard but I am truly grateful to be here. I have always wanted to be part of a nurturing community that will give me the tools that will enable me to live my life more fully and awake, to be more compassionate and sensitive towards fellow human beings and to guide me towards figuring out, "Why am I here? Why am I alive?"

The amount of life and "awakeness" that is required of me in a day here in Juilliard is equivalent to a week in my previous life. They are squeezing and stretching every moment of my life for me. And though it is challenging, it is what I have always wanted. 

I hope you have a great week ahead of you!