ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

What have you been up to since graduating from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

I’m currently the company manager for New York Live Arts and the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, where I’ve had the opportunity to support performances at venues like BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and the Whitney Museum. I also hold a 2025 residency at NYU Tisch through WADE. I debuted and performed a new choreographic work in June and will present it again in December 2025. I am also writing poetry and recklessly rollerblading.

Why theater and dance?

I always come back to a quote by a theorist I love, Brenda Dixon Gottschild, who said, “Dance is a measure of culture.” It is a magical, compelling, important, and moving way to think about the world. It can be as playful or as serious as you want it to be.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Doing a thesis in dance was really impactful. It gave me the opportunity to actually dream something up and create it to my fullest capacity. Huge shoutout to ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s crew and production team! I was able to do the majority of that research through the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, and the intellectual and creative freedom I had continues to inform how I approach my work.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Mr. Bill T. Jones says that art happens when you’re pushing against something. I think dance is a beautiful, challenging way to do this, and everyone should try it. You’re in your body your whole life; you should know that body well and start pushing.

Photo by Stephanie Crousillat, Courtesy New York Live Arts.

What have you been up to since graduating from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

After graduation, I joined the regional premiere production of Leopoldstadt at The Huntington Theatre in Boston as a child supervisor. I then traveled with the show to Shakespeare Theatre Company in DC to train their local child supervisor and perform in a minor acting role. After closing, I returned to The Huntington to work as a production assistant on The Grove and The Light in the Piazza. This spring, my work included generating stage management paperwork, moving props and furniture, supporting the cast and crew, and stepping in as an assistant stage manager to run the deck for a week. This fall, I’ll begin graduate school at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale to pursue my MFA in stage management.

Why theater and dance? What drew you to the major/minor and how has it shaped your path?

I had been teaching and directing at a children’s after-school theater program before college, so I knew I wanted to continue making theater at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. I minored in theater and worked in the department’s scene and costume shops. I loved the balance between creativity and organization that stage management offered, and the department supported me in pursuing that path.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

During my senior fall, I stage managed the department’s production of The 39 Steps. Since I had never called or led a show, I created an independent study to teach myself how to stage manage and wrote a handbook for future student stage managers that now lives in the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ scene shop. I spent the spring interviewing professionals in the field and ultimately landed my first role through one of those conversations. I am incredibly grateful to the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ theater faculty and staff: Davis, Germán, Deb, Jim, Gregg, and Lily. Their constant support and belief in me helped me see a future in theater. They were honest about the difficulty of the industry, and their realism prepared me to work hard and stay grounded.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

Email anyone and everyone, even if you don’t know them. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to respond and help. That’s how I interviewed Tony Award–winning designers and started working at a major Boston theater just three months after graduation. 

What have you been up to since graduating from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

After graduating from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, I lived abroad for a year in France where I was an English teaching assistant. During that time, I continued taking acting classes, one in French and one in English, and applied to drama schools in London. I ended up completing a master’s in performing arts at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and was fortunate enough to get an agent and start working almost immediately. Here are some of my credits: This Bitter Earth directed by Billy Porter (Soho Theatre), Coming Clean (West End), The Twilight Zone (West End), F**king Men (Waterloo East Theatre), Black Earth Rising (BBC/Netflix), The Durrells in Corfu (ITV/PBS Masterpiece), Throuple (Tribeca Creator’s Market/NewFest/Frameline Festival), and Law and Order: Organized Crime (NBC/Universal).

Why theater and dance? (What drew you to the major/minor and how has it shaped your path?)

I have always had a strong interest in performance, storytelling, and acting. Despite majoring in government and legal studies, I found myself performing in one way or another, whether with the Longfellows, taking Acting I with Professor of Theater Abbie Killeen, or Directing with Professor of Theater Davis Robinson.

Are there any classes, professors, or experiences that had a lasting impact on you?

Acting I with Abbie Killeen and Directing with Davis Robinson really set me on my professional journey as an actor. I remember Abbie encouraging us to play, dig into our imagination, and get in touch with our instincts as performers. It was the first time I began to shed some of my self-consciousness as a performer. I also remember one class in particular with Davis, where I was working on a scene with George Ellzey ’13. He made us do the beginning of the scene repeatedly until he believed us. He encouraged us to find the truth in what was happening between the characters. It was eye-opening.

What advice would you give to current students or recent graduates interested in your field?

There’s so much to say! One of the most important pieces of advice I would give is to build resilience and focus on what is within your control. It’s a tough industry, but you must always keep working on your craft. Keep studying, take acting or improv classes. This will help you grow and also connect you with like-minded people, build a network, and find collaborators. Keep engaging with the craft. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Be brave. And play, play, play! Always play. It should be fun.

What have you been up to since graduating from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

I’m originally from Portland, Maine, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. I work as a lighting designer and have designed extensively throughout New York as well as regionally and internationally, for world premiere plays, musicals, and operas, as well as outdoor spaces and touring pieces. I have received OBIE, Lortel, and Hewes awards, and have been nominated for Drama Desk, Audelco, Barrymore, Helen Hayes, and Jeff awards. Most recently, I was nominated for a 2025 Tony Award for my lighting design of the new Broadway musical Buena Vista Social Club.

Why Theater and Dance?

I graduated from ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ with a self-designed major in theater and dance with an emphasis on stage design. I was super active in Masque and Gown and got my start designing sets and lighting for plays, dance shows, and musicals, all selected, produced, built, run, and acted by students. It was an incredible experience and one that I would not have had in more typical theater training programs.

What is your occupation? What is your current job (roles and responsibilities)? 

I freelance with art organizations. I am an artistic curator for the Full Spectrum Features Community grant and a screenwriting instructor for Green Shirt Studio - a local acting studio in Chicago. Above all, I'm producing my films, collaborating with my peers on their projects, and creating opportunities for myself. 

How has your ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ education and experience helped you and informed the work that you do?

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ sharpened my critical thinking skills. I often exercise this skill by writing scripts or providing coverage for screenplays. ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ pushed me to go beyond the surface level of subjects and think multidimensional. 

Has studying Theater and Dance impacted your perspective (personally, professionally, or other)? If so, how?

I'm grateful to have studied theater and dance. Dance made me aware of the limitations and capabilities of my body, thus allowing me to become in tune with myself. Theater made me appreciate my humanity and the world around me. These disciplines taught me the importance of being present, which is an asset in navigating life and presenting the fullness of your identity. 

What are the one or two events, courses, or people that stand out in your mind from your time at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

I remember specifically the immersive theater and directing classes with Davis. Both classes challenged me to step outside my creative comfort zone to share my vulnerabilities in my art, which has served me in knowing my voice as a director. 

Do you have any advice for current students at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ?

Build a practice of self-reflection. These four years of undergrad are precious. Every experience, whether beneficial or challenging, colors who you are, so take time to process what you learn about yourself and others. This habit of check-in will build self-trust, and if you plan to go into the arts, this art of self-reflection will aid you in defining your artist voice and your values as an artist.   

Read  by Canvas Rebel.