Andy Cheng (MFA Dramaturgy 2009) works as a dramaturg, playwright, actor and stand-up comic. We chased him down to get his take on life at York, and life beyond it.
Since graduating I have had the great pleasure to wear several hats in the world of theatre and television. As a dramaturg I currently serve as associate dramaturg for fu-GEN Asian-Canadian Theatre Company, and from 2009-2012 I served as Resident Dramaturg for Sky Gilbert’s Cabaret Company. Probably the most exciting thing that I have done since graduating is working with some of the extraordinary theatre artists who I studied in class and inspired me to do what i do. It was very humbling to be allowed into the process of people I admire. I have also taught playwriting to new generations of theatre artists, which brings me a lot of joy. In addition to dramaturgy I am also an actor, writer, and stand up comedian. Recently, I appeared as an actor in a CBC TV Special called Gavin Crawford’s Wild West. I have also written and story edited for TV shows in development.
What was the most valuable thing you learned while studying in Theatre at York?
Attention to detail, and the ability to anticipate the needs of the project you are working on. You get this by being open and receptive to feedback. York was an excellent environment for me because of the instructors who really took the time to give me a personalized education. The most important thing for me, though, is the ability to be a team player. Everyone is an equal when you get into the world beyond school. Whenever you engage a project always ask yourself: What’s my role on this team?
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just entering the dept.?
Always remember why you are here. You love theatre. You have chosen to study it in a university setting and therefore its history and your desire to keep this art form evolving should drive you. Try not to allow the stress and the negativity of competition to make you lose focus on your goals. People win Oscars who have never taken an acting class in their life, design sets, produce millions with no formal education. You are empowering yourself with an education — focus on how you can make yourself better, not whether everyone else is achieving or not achieving. Be open and receptive to feedback. There are so many amazing career possibilities in theatre or that are born from an education in theatre. All of the successful people I know in the business are those who have mastered several disciplines. Try not to define yourself as one thing or another — you may miss out on your passion because you were distracted.
Andy Cheng does Stand-up comedy at the Rivoli
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just about to graduate? about to join the job market?
Make yourself invaluable. Only part of your education is over. Now your job is go out and get as much experience as you can. Theatre is a tough business, there isn’t a lot of money so professionals will be grateful for your work in exchange for their mentorship. People want to work with good people. Talent and drive are major components to success, but your ethics and professionalism are just as important. You must have the desire to create your own work, and have the ability to articulate your vision of a project in order to generate resources. Have a great support system of friends and family. You’ll need them for advice, a time out, and a shoulder to cry on. Plus, you need them to come to your show!
Did connections, friendships, relationships you made at York help you afterward?
Absolutely. In fact, 10 years later I have just begun a new dramaturgical project with two other York graduates I haven't had the pleasure of working with since school. Remember to be supportive of your fellow theatre students always. Everyone is unique and brings something interesting to the table. It may not be to your taste at the time, but you should support their process in the way you want yours supported. Everyone is learning. You have to be able to work on a team to make it in this industry no matter what your role is.
Elizabeth Bradley (BFA 1976), Arts Professor at the Dept. of Drama at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, took a moment out of her busy schedule to share details of where she is now and the very remarkable path she took to get there.
This past summer I traveled to Seattle in my role as “Senior Creative and Strategic Associate” to work with the Intiman Theatre. This Tony Award winning regional theatre is reinventing itself under new leadership with a completely re-envisioned producing model. Intiman premiered a new musical “Stu for Silverton” about the first transgendered mayor in the United States and I am closely involved in the development of the piece and plans for its future.
Co-producing with London based Richard Jordan Productions, we brought a revised version of HIRSCH, Alon Nashman and Paul Thompson's evocation of the late Stratford artistic director to the Edinburgh Festival. Plans are underway for a London production and subsequent Canadian and US engagements.
August found me in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. I was invited by the iconic Market Theatre to teach a two week intensive version of the artistic entrepreneurship course, SELF START which I developed at Carnegie Mellon and New York University. The team worked with twenty four students from South Africa and Zimbabwe consisting of mid-career artists and matriculating students from the Market's Lab certificate training program. This was a highlight of my teaching life so far!
Liz Bradley (centre, seated)
and the participants in the Market Theatre of Johannesburg's SELF START program
What have I been up to since graduating? A challenge to be both grateful and succinct! In my twenties I apprenticed on Broadway — this helped prepare me for the major American tour and Broadway run of Brian Macdonald's Gilbert and Sullivan productions produced with Ed and David Mirvish. Founding the Performing Arts Development Fund of Toronto which brought a half price ticket booth to Toronto along with other audience development programs. Helping to stabilize the Canadian Stage Company in the early years of that fine idea. Bringing international dance companies to the now Sony Centre such as Cloud Gate from Taiwan. Founding the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts. Working with international colleagues to create the first international arts forum in Bejing, China in 2004. Managing the transition from producer to programmer to venue director to educator – and in some cases – back again. Leading the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon. This was an experience which changed me completely as a professional and a person. Working with Des McAnuff's team during his tenure at the Stratford Festival. The privilege of becoming a part of the New York theatre community again with my appointment at the Tisch School of the Arts.
What were the most valuable things you got to do at York?
The flexibility I was afforded to follow my interests as they developed along with a serious professional ethic. Anatol Schlosser's classes in non-Western theatre complemented by the programming presented at Burton Auditorium gave me insight into theatrical possibilities beyond the conventional. The opportunity to work as a student assistant on the theatre portion of the series was a huge gift.
What did you not get from time in the Department of Theatre, that you wished you had gotten?
An extended course progression and mentoring/internships that would have furthered my interest in directing. (Don't we all want to be directors?) At the time I had no notion that graduate directing programs even existed, or that a path might be forged for women entering the field.
What did you enjoy outside of the theatre program at York?
The Film department! I took as many film studies courses as I could muster. As I look back the best writing I may have done in my life was in those courses.
A moment that was most useful in your life beyond York was…
When the acting teacher Norman Welch told me that I should be running theatre companies!
If you could go back in time to when you were a student at York, would you have any advice for younger self?
Honor your creativity — be brave and believe you have earned a place in theatre-making. I was fearless about helping others to make work but cowardly about failing with my own.
And finally: any advice for graduates?
Understand the extent that you will need to self-generate. Be prepared to self-manage your own careers. The good news? Opportunities to cut through on your own terms have never been more abundant!
For more on the remarkable Elizabeth Bradley, please see the 2009 Summer edition of YorkU Magazine and their story “Drama Queen.”
Since graduating from York University in 2009, I have done mostly film & TV work. I spent some time in London, England doing theatre work shops, and founded a production company with my good friend Sasha Singer-Wilson, who also graduated from the same program. Our company is called the blood projects. At the moment, I'm auditioning and busy travelling to promote Swearnet, the new trailer park boys film that's due to release in theatres soon. Within our company, we are juggling a few projects — one of which is a new play written by Sasha Singer-Wilson.
What did you NOT get taught at York that you wish you had been taught?
I wish I had been taught more of the “business” side of acting. For example, finding the right accountant and how to file your taxes as an actor, how to find the right agent for you (because you don't want to jump on the first person who comes knocking on your door), how to manage rejection so it doesn't deplete your sense of self-worth, and how to handle the public eye with grace and appropriate PR.
Can you tell us a story of a moment where your training at York was clearly useful?
Four years seems like a lot for intensive acting training, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Education is a powerful tool and my training is so rock solid; so ingrained in me now. One of my favourite things at York was our Clown Training. Clowning became an integral part of my process as an actor. It developed an entirely new level of vulnerability for me, it taught me the power of humor & tragedy and that they are often one entity. It taught me how to improv! When I was going through the callback process for Swearnet, I found I relied deeply on the fundamentals of clowning and it allowed me to improv in the audition room effortlessly. I booked the part because of what clowning taught me.
Sarah Jurgens in an episode of
USA Network's Covert Affairs.
Did connections, friendships, relationships you made at York help you afterward?
Absolutely. I started a production company with the talented Sasha Singer-Wilson, and we produced our first full length play along with Melee Hutton, Paul Lampert, Niki Landau, Mark Wilson, Jamie Maczko, Karen Glave, Julia Pileggi, and Erin Kehoe. Most of them were Yorkies! The play, titled little tongues, was well received with Critic's Pick NNNNN/5 in Now Magazine: “Stellar off-site debut by writer Sasha Singer-Wilson… The total commitment to realism is stunning, with strong dialogue and outstanding performances by the entire seven-member ensemble, building an absorbing and deeply emotional narrative.”
What was the most challenging aspect or experience of training/studying at York?
The most challenging aspect for me was to maintain perspective. Sometimes it's easy to forget what's going on in the rest of the world when your submerged in such an intensive training. The breaks are great because it gives you time for all the training to really sink in.
Mark Wilson and Sarah Jurgens in little tongues at the 2012 Fringe.
Since graduating in 2009 I have been so lucky to work at some amazing theatres! Right out of school I spent two seasons at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-On-The-Lake and got to work with some of Canada's finest theatre practitioners. It was such an honour to grace those impressive stages and learn from some amazing mentors of the stage! But I think my most exciting work since graduating has got to be playing daughter Vivie Warren to “Grand Dame” Seana McKenna's Mrs. Warren in the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre's production of Mrs. Warren's Profession directed by Alisa Palmer. I felt so honoured to get to play in one of my home town's largest theatres and every night on stage with the talented and gracious Seana McKenna was like a master class in acting! I will cherish those memories forever!
What is your fondest memory of studying Theatre at York?
My classmates. We had a bond that was so strong and supportive. We were a family. Ages ranging from 24-50, we were a very close knit class who always had each other's back. My friendships with these people are still very strong today and I will always look back on that time with fondness!
What did you do for the first summer out of the program?
The first summer out of the program, I got a grant to travel to Paris with fellow student and best friend Wesley Connor and studied Clown training for a month long intensive at Ecole Philippe Gaulier. It was probably some of the hardest training I've ever done. So humbling! Clown is a very difficult discipline to master and I was proud to say I allowed myself to fail miserably every day in class and still had a blast! (I mean…it was Paris after all!!)
Cherissa Richards and Wesley Connor at l'Ecole Phillipe Gaulier
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just entering the dept.?
Be fearless! Never hold back. Before I went into the program, I made that promise to myself. I wanted to get everything I possibly could from that program and face the things that scared me-head on and jump right in. And I think for the most part, I achieved that for myself. You can always give more, but I think the love and support that our class had for each other made it so much easier to jump in and feel free to succeed and fail miserably and enjoy it and learn from it!
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just about to graduate? about to join the job market?
Hustle your butts off. Go to every show opening you can, send out personal cards or letters to AD's of theatres, not just headshots and resumes. Make personal connections with as many people as you can in the biz and be your biggest advocate! No one cares about your career more than you!
Cherissa in Dirty Butterfly
In which ways has your education at York, and in Theatre in particular, helped you in work and life?
Being taught by outside directors who are in the business. We were super lucky to work with Eda Holmes from the Shaw festival and I have no doubt, it was the connection I made with her in class that definitely led to me getting noticed at my auditions for the Shaw Festival. Also, doing the MFA program really re-invigorated my passion for acting and took my work to the next level!
What surprised you about YOU by the end of your time at York?
How fast it went! Before you know it, it's over and you'll find yourself wishing to go through all the tears, pain and joy all over again!
What did you learn at York that has been of greatest value?
The Movement classes were essential to making me the actor I am today. I was always told I needed to “be in my body” more. Erika Batdorf's mind and body connection work Michael Greyeyes' Suzuki and Viewpoints training changed me forever! And David Smukler…well, he's just a voice god!
York – Canadian Stage collaboration on Shakespeare in High Park a Huge Success
In a press release, The Canadian Stage Company announced today just how successful this summer's Shakespeare in High Park season was. With record-breaking crowds, in spite of a fairly raining season, the shows were hugely popular with audiences flocking to the outdoor amphitheatre to see Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew. Directed by MFA in Stage Direction in collaboration with Canadian Stage students Ker Wells and Ted Witzel, the shows dig very well at the box office, and helped to promote Canadian Stage's 2013-14 season subscriptions.
“In its 31st year, Shakespeare in High Park has proven, without a doubt, it is one of the city’s favourite summer traditions with an incredibly enthusiastic and dedicated audience joining us on the hill night after night,” said Matthew Jocelyn, artistic & general director, Canadian Stage.
This week sees two new students entering the next cohort of the prestigious MFA program: Estelle Shook, former artistic director of the Caravan Farm Theatre and 2011 director of The Winter’s Tale at Shakespeare in High Park for Canadian Stage, and Matjash Mrozewski, an internationally recognized choreographer based in Montreal who trained at the National Ballet School. At York, the students will be supervised by directing professors Ines Buchli and Paul Lampert while simultaneously receiving guidance from our two incoming mentors, Peter Hinton (Shaw Festival, National Arts Centre) and Chris Abraham (Stratford Festival, Crow’s Theatre). In addition to collaborating regularly with Jocelyn and various artists at Canadian Stage, both candidates will be supported by Birgit Schreyer Duarte, who joins Canadian Stage as artistic and dramaturgical consultant focusing on programming and coordinating the MFA program.
Award-winning director Kim Collier, as resident artist at Canadian Stage, played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and implementing the company’s participation in the collaborative MFA program. Working tirelessly with Wells and Witzel to support their professional development through involvement in artistic projects at Canadian Stage, Collier was a key contributor to the success of the MFA program in its first two years, making her an invaluable collaborator. As the first graduates complete their degrees in Stage Directing in York’s Department of Theatre, Collier concludes her time at Canadian Stage to pursue other projects.
Canadian Stage will open its 2013.2014 theatre season at the Berkeley Street Theatre with two plays by Québécois playwright Sarah Berthiaume, The Flood Thereafter (September 22 to October 6) and Yukonstyle (October 13 to 27), directed by Wells and Witzel, respectively.
Dave Deveau (BA Creative Ensemble/Playwriting 2005) catches up with us to tell us about his his busy theatrical life in Vancouver, and how York helped him get there.
I live in Vancouver, BC where I work full time as a playwright, playwriting teacher, dramaturg and producer. My husband and I run a company called Zee Zee Theatre which is heading into its sixth season, which includes my new play Lowest Common Denominator and I have five other productions going up this season. I'm the Playwright in Residence with Green Thumb Theatre, an amazing theatre for young audiences company, that will be touring two of my new plays this year, including tagged, a commissioned play about online bullying/accountability inspired by the recent suicides of Amanda Todd and Rehtaeh Parsons, which will tour Ontario this year. I work closely with the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and teach at Douglas College. I also run a hugely successful series of late night dance parties/drag shows/cabaret-style shows which help fund local non-profits like Zee Zee. Oh, and did I mention I'm also a drag queen? Peach Cobblah, the queen of Vancouver's hip hop scene.
Dave Deveau as “Peach Cobblah”
I'm most proud of my play My Funny Valentine, based on the 2008 murder of Lawrence King. The play had a workshop production at SummerWorks in 2009, then premiered through Zee Zee in 2011. It won me the Sydney Risk Prize for Oustanding Original Play by an Emerging Playwright and was also nominated for the Jessie Richardson Award for Oustanding New Play opposite major contenders like Kevin Kerr, Peter Anderson & Hiro Kanagawa. The play has subsequently been remounted here in Vancouver and received a production in Dublin, Ireland.
My Funny Valentine
What was the most valuable thing you learned at York?
My introduction to New Play Dramaturgy from Judith Rudakoff has definitely permanently stamped my theatre practice—I use so much of Judith's language and many of her exercises in what I teach. And I absolutely have to give Peter McKinnon credit for forcing us all to learn how to write a decent Canada Council grant—I've received five to date!
For students about to graduate…
Theatre is not a business for wallflowers. See as much theatre as you can and chat with people in lobbies. Some of my commissions have stemmed from meeting people at shows that developed into important relationships. For the playwrights reading this: submit submit submit. Introduce people to your work, because I assure you, they will remember you. The people who develop theatre in this country like being introduced to young and exciting voices and to follow their development. I spent most of my time at York submitting my writing to anyone and anywhere that would accept it, and was able to get my first commission (from Theatre Direct) before I'd even graduated!
My favourite place at York…
Winter's Residence. I lived there for all four years of my program and was a Don for the final two. There's such a magic in that building that really made the university experience for me. That and the top floor of Vanier Residence, where most of my theatre school friends lived in first year. I don't think I've ever laughed as much in my life as I did in the various rooms of that floor. In fact, it was probably that laughter that fueled my love of the work we were doing.
And for those just entering the program…
Take full advantage of what this program is offering you, because there's a lot and if you have fun while doing it, you'll be cut out for a career in theatre. Because a career in theatre involves a lot of hard work, often thankless work, and often unpaid work, but eventually the “unpaid” part falls away, the “hard” label gets replaced by “exciting”, and “thankless” simply becomes “worthwhile”. So sink your teeth into grant writing assignments, scribble in the margins of plays and workbooks, see as much theatre as possible (I saw at least one play a week every single week of my degree) – it will all add up and serve you in the longrun.
Well, all that, and give yourself the freedom to massively fail at something. Honestly. I'm not good at a heck of a lot of things (don't get me started on costume crew, and whatever you do, don't let me direct anything, ever), but I've discovered I'm really good at some things (writing, dramaturgy, drag). And I focus on those.
Since graduating from York in 2000 with an M.F.A. in Playwriting I’ve been working pretty steadily in the field of new play development and production. In the fall of 2000, just a few months after I graduated, I was offered the position of Literary Manager at Actors Theatre of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky – a theatre known for its commitment to producing new work through its annual Humana Festival of New American Plays. I had done a season-long internship at the theatre prior to going back to grad school, and had maintained a relationship with the theatre since then, but finishing my masters degree definitely made me a more viable candidate for the job. I spent five years working at Actors Theatre, where I had the opportunity to read & work with a whole lot of exciting playwrights – people like Chuck Mee, Adam Rapp, Naomi Iizuka, Kia Corthron, and many others. I served as a production dramaturg on a number of new plays, and also ran the theatre’s literary department, supervising the reading & selection of plays for the festival. During that time, I also wrote and developed a few of my own plays – through Actors Theatre and some smaller companies like Squallis Puppeteers and the Honolulu Theatre for Youth.
After five years at Actors Theatre I was looking for a change, and was lucky enough to land a job at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago as their Literary Manager. I’ve been at the Goodman for eight years; my title is now Director of New Play Development, and I continue to work as a production dramaturg on new plays, and I oversee the Goodman’s new play commissioning & development activities. I’ve had the good fortune of working with a lot of great playwrights here in Chicago, people like Lynn Nottage, Noah Haidle and Sarah Ruhl. Throughout this time – both in Louisville and now in Chicago – I’ve also taught a variety of theatre classes to college students – playwriting, theatre history & dramaturgy. Since arriving in Chicago, I’ve taught primarily at DePaul University in their theatre school – this year I’m teaching an introduction to dramaturgy class, last year I taught a playwriting seminar to their graduating playwriting majors. And I also managed to get married and have two kids – my husband Jim, who I met in Louisville, is a print & web designer and we have a six-year-old daughter named Harper and a two-year-old son named Theo.
What was your favourite place at York, and why?
My favorite place at York was the library. Why? Because I’m a big nerd and I really love books. That’s the thing I miss the most about being in school – having the time to roam the stacks, picking up all sorts of books that interested me, then sitting at a table or in one of those little cubbies and just reading and reading and reading. I read and research for a living now, so you’d think I wouldn’t miss that but I do – I don’t have the luxury anymore of just pursuing my interests in a leisurely way like I did back when I was a grad student at York.
What was one thing you enjoyed about York that was outside of the Theatre?
I took a lot of interesting courses in other departments — like film, and anthropology — and was really struck by the quality of professors and was continually challenged and grateful for the opportunity to get outside my comfort zone. But the other thing I loved was being in Toronto – there’s so much great stuff going on in the city – in the theatre certainly, but also museums, festivals, all sorts of exciting cultural activities, and lots of good food and places to hang out.
What did you do for the first summer out of the program?
Besides freaking out about what I was going to do for a living (which fortunately I didn’t have to do for too long) I curated and produced a festival of new performance at Harbourfront Center – a gig I got through one of my friends from my undergraduate days at the University of Calgary. The summer before my graduation I worked at Soulpepper Theatre Company, administering their youth outreach program.
Can you tell us a story of a moment where your training at York was clearly useful?
One of the most amazing things I did during my time at York was to take two trips to Cuba to observe and train with members of Teatro Escambray. I took the trip with Professor Judith Rudakoff and a group of fellow graduate and undergraduate students – and got a chance to learn about a whole different way of creating theatre and an entirely different cultural, political and economic context. In my current position at the Goodman Theatre, I have been a part of three festivals of Latino work – an event the theatre produces bi-annually – and two of those festivals included a Cuban theatre company developing new work in collaboration with Chicago-based artists. Beyond the festival, the theatre actively supports the work of Latino playwrights and other theatre artists – a diverse group that generally comprises Cuban-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Mexican-Americans. My exposure to the work of this Cuban company and my research into their methods and their influences, played a huge role in my understanding of what theatre could be and how it could be made – and since I’m now working with artists who come out of a similar tradition, I feel like that experience at York gave me a huge leg up in being able to be an effective collaborator and facilitator for those initiatives.
What did you learn at York that has been of greatest value?
It’s hard for me to pinpoint one thing – there were lots of valuable things I got from my time at York. One was just being introduced to a huge number of plays – classic & contemporary. One of our requirements was that we had to read 100 plays from a list of “important plays” from the Greeks to the present day, and as a result I was introduced – or re-introduced – to a wide breadth of writers from different eras – and that knowledge has been incredibly helpful to have under my belt. I also learned a lot about collaboration during my time at York. Because it’s such a strong conservatory program, I was there with super talented actors, directors & designers, and having a chance to work with them, and spending time watching how they did their work taught me so much about their process and gave me insight into how to talk to them and how to help them make our work together even stronger. And finally, I got a chance to teach – I was paired with a really great Serbian director who taught an epic theatre class and I learned a lot from him and I also learned a lot about how to communicate ideas to students. This has been hugely helpful in many ways, but most practically it’s helped me understand how to be a better teacher, which is something I enjoy doing and which puts a little extra money in my pocket – always a good thing.
Actor Jeff Giles (BFA Acting 2006) talks about his experience as a performer in musical theatre—having starred in 7 productions of Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story all over Canada—and shares some intimate details about his struggles during his time at York.
Start by telling us what you've been up to since you graduated.
Well, as far as theatre goes, I've been working mainly in regional theatre since graduating York in 2006. I've largely been back in the world of music theatre for the past few years, especially shows that require the actors to play instruments. Case in point: I seem to have become one of Canada's most in-demand Buddy Hollys. I'm actually writing this from Winnipeg, where I'm working with Rainbow Stage for my 7th production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. It's been a great gift to have a role that I sit completely comfortably in, but not so I can sit back and relax, mind you: I like it because there's no energy wasted in nerves or self-doubt, and every time the curtain goes up, I can commit all of my focus to being more present, relaxed and free than I was the night before. Of course, I welcome opportunities for other work and other shows, but I think there's also merit in approaching the same script time and again, and focusing more and more on the subtlety of each moment: body language, nuances of relationship between actors, the subtle shifts of intention and execution that alter each moment in a show, however slightly. I've started to find a great sense of freedom and excitement in exploring those subtle variations of a scene that exists within the framework that was constructed during rehearsals. There are infinite, tiny variables that shape the way an actor tosses a line, or the way an actor receives a line from a scene partner, so really, it's impossible to give the exact same performance every night, provided you're “staying on the bus”, as professor Paul Lampert might say.
What did you do for the first summer out of the program?
I booked my first summer theatre gig during my last semester at York, so after a little bit of ushering/house managing work at Burton Auditorium after exams ended, I was off to Muskoka to work on a production of Pump Boys and Dinettes, a show about 4 guys that run a gas station and 2 gals who run a diner across the street (it was nominated for a Tony in 1982, apparently). Though my very first introduction to acting was a Meisner-style class when I was 14, I ended up doing a lot of musical theatre around Hamilton before going to York, which was how I ended up getting approached by the agency I signed with, and subsequently, how I started going back out for music theatre auditions as my time at York was coming to a close. Also, one of the charming things about doing Pump Boys and Dinettes was that, like The Buddy Holly Story, the actors are doubling as the band for the show. I've been singing and playing guitar, bass, and harmonica almost as long as I've been acting, so it was great to be able to combine all of that into a gig that not only gave me a paycheque, but allowed me to to spend six weeks in cottage country to boot!
If you had the chance to go back and visit your younger self as you were beginning at York, what advice would you give yourself?
Jeff Giles in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
I would tell myself not to focus so much on getting good marks, but to focus on stretching my idea of performance and creativity and expression as far outside of my comfort zone as possible, even if that meant crashing and burning sometimes.
In high school, I was very focused on getting good marks, and I that focus remained at York, to the extent that I don't think I took enough risks in the classroom, which is what fine arts school is all about, isn't it? I've always been someone who wants to “get it right” the very first time, but in the years since graduation, I have learned that one often gains the most knowledge when one has failed miserably. Thus, I would tell my first-year self: “For your own sake, fail. Throw yourself off perilous creative cliffs with full force, and take spectacular nosedives into alien waters. It may be uncomfortable, and there's a chance your letter grades may suffer, but they mean nothing once the mortar board comes off, and you will end up a better artist in the end.”
What was the most challenging aspect or experience of training/studying at York?
There are two that share equal weight for me. The first is that my mother died completely suddenly during the November of my second year, right at the start of the acting conservatory stream. The semester was nearly over, and I wanted to finish, so I only took a couple days off, then threw myself into the assignments/exams/performances before winter break. I didn't take any additional time off besides the standard winer break, because I liked my classmates and I liked the work I was doing, but in hindsight I may have been trying to escape the grief by focusing on school. Unfortunately for me at the time, an actor's training demands being able to access the full spectrum of your emotions, and for the rest of my time at York (and even afterward), I had a hard time exploring emotions that related to despair, grief or loss. Perhaps if I had taken some more time off to relax and grieve I wouldn't have experienced that emotional blockage in the same way. It can be hard to see the forest for the trees, especially when you go straight from high school to post-secondary, but in the larger scheme of things, you're not “losing time” taking a hiatus from studies to deal with personal issues. If it'll benefit you more in the long run, do it.
The second challenge was staying awake in class, and I'm being completely serious when I say that. The problem started eighth grade, and persisted through my time at York. No matter how much I wanted to stay awake during lectures or studio classes, I often couldn't, and caffeine or more sleep the night before didn't make any difference. It was incredibly rare to go an entire day without dropping off. Studying for exams was nearly impossible, as I would spend hours at a time re-reading the same page and nodding off, no matter how keen I was, no matter how purposefully uncomfortable my chair. And of course, so much time in the acting conservatory is spent lying on your back with your eyes closed, so it was a losing battle much of the time, and was incredibly frustrating for me. After a sleep study and a diagnosis of “idiopathic hypersomnia”, I was taking some medication that kept me awake a little more of the time, and changing my diet around also helped, but I was still struggling, I still had no definitive answers, and my training definitely suffered because of it. Recently, in starting to seek out answers for some other health issues, I think I may be on the right track to finally understanding why this is such a problem for me, but during my time at York I was feeling pretty helpless.
If any incoming students are reading this and have the same problem, where falling asleep is an issue despite being well rested and interested in the subject matter, then do yourself a favour and seriously look into it. Don't stop searching until you find answers and solutions that help in the long term.
What was one thing you enjoyed about York that was outside of the Theatre?
Winters Frosh Week! I lived in Winters Residence my first year, and I cannot even begin to express the joy and excitement I felt when I arrived to move in and was so warmly welcomed by all the orientation leaders and fellow incoming first year students. I was exhausted and had nearly lost my voice by the end of the week from yelling, but I had the time of my life, and I'd formed a sense of community that still persists today. For the next four years I returned as an orientation leader (Frosh Boss), and those weeks both as a Frosh and as a Boss remain some of my most cherished memories. So for you incoming students: don't miss out on Frosh Week. Whether you're commuting or living in res, go have some fun and make some friends!
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just entering the dept.?
Perhaps this: put some thought and effort into objectively understanding HOW you learn skills and retain information most effectively. Are you a primarily visual learner? Auditory? Kinaesthetic? Spend some time reading up on the different learning styles, try to find yourself somewhere in that spectrum, and think of ways you might be able to use it to your advantage. You can also experiment with different note-taking and study techniques to get the most out of the way your brain naturally works: try typing lecture notes, hand-writing lecture notes, using symbols, colour coding with highlighters, using an audio or video recorder if permitted. Play around with your process, throw away what doesn't work, keep what does, and take charge of becoming the best information sponge you can be. Ask questions. Ask many, many questions. Something I wish I'd done more of is to simply and genuinely ask, whether to myself or to a professor: “Why are we learning this? What purpose does this serve? How can I use this skill or technique or piece of information to make myself a better performer, writer, director, designer, technician, etc.?” If you don't understand the relevance of a piece of information to your art or your craft, you'll probably forget it fairly quickly.To paraphrase the great bass player Victor Wooten: no one can teach you anything, not even teachers. They can show you things, but you've got to teach yourself, no one can do it for you. So take an active role in your own education; you're the only real teacher you've got.
Also, take advantage of the opportunities to make theatre outside of the classroom. Get involved with the playGround Festival, or Vanier College Players, or any other opportunity you come across. For you actors, there's also students in the film department who will need actors for films. As much as you can, learn by doing.
I haven't done much acting since leaving Theatre @ York five years ago. I have instead pursued a career in criminal law. I studied at Centennial College and obtained a certificate in Court Support and I am now a Criminal Court Registrar at the Superior Court of Justice in downtown Toronto. Theatre and Acting will always be close to my heart but I now utilize my skills learned at York in my current field. The only performing I am doing these days is for a crowded courtroom full of lawyers, judges, and persons accused with various crimes. I wouldn't trade my experience in the theatre department at York for anything in the world as it has become essential in my personal development as an adult as well as a professional who is starting out in a high pressure career. My job presents me with unique challenges that I am better equipped to handle because of my four years at York.
What was the most valuable thing you learned while studying in Theatre at York?
Theatre at York gave me a lot of skills that I've carried into my current career. One of the most valuable gifts York gave me is my abilitiy to self-evaluate. You don't realize when you're a young person how important it becomes to know your strengths and weaknesses. Not only is it a question that's asked at every single job interview of your adult life, you'll be surprised how impressed people are when you can identify and articulate a greater understanding of yourself. You come across as more confident and you tend to be received as far more open, honest and approachable. You can only say, “I'm a really organized person” or “I'm always on time” so many times before it stops being authentic.
What was the most challenging aspect or experience of training/studying at York?
Nevermind the long hours of rehearsal, being on point night after night for whatever show you happen to be doing at that time, or cramming in all your homework on Sunday because that's the only day you could find time to do it, the hardest part for me was leaving. I would have been content to stay and study forever at York. After four years of bonding with the instructors and your fellow classmates you become protected by the bubble that is Theatre @ York. You're so consumed by the material you're studying and you live and breathe the program and it's difficult to imagine yourself without it. The program forced me to take a magnifying glass and look at every inch of my being. Not only look at it but accept it, love it, embrace it. I've since taken that knowledge and used it to my advantage in the “real” world, out from under York's wing and I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.
Natasha Ladouceur, Stacey McGunnigle and Judy Ammar in Metamorphoses.
What is your fondest memory of studying Theatre at York?
Where do I begin with this one? I have so many fond memories at York, it was surely the best time of my life. One of the best was when we would get ready to perform a show and in my year we would do a “Symphony of Sound” before every show. This is where one person starts by making a sound or improvizing a little tune and whenever you're ready you jump in and add to it until you are surrounded by voices and music. It was ususally done in a circle so you could feel the music and voices running through your body and your veins. I remember feeling the most at peace when this was happening because you could hear the music but our arms would be wrapped around each others wastes so you could feel the energy of your fellow actors and I think it made us feel way more connected and present during the performance.
What was your favourite place at York, and why?
My favourite spot at York was the black box aka the Joseph G. Green Blackbox Theatre. It was (and probably still is) a great intimate space to work in. I liked being so close to the audience and being able to see them under the lights. In the bigger theatres it's far more difficult to get that close to your audience. I liked the interactivness it provided.
What was one thing you enjoyed about York that was outside of the Theatre?
York University's main selling point for me was the environment it presented. I had gone and auditioned at various universities all over Toronto but when I went to York and saw the beautiful landscape, people playing guitar outside on the grass, the geese waddling around and just the general calming feeling that the campus seemed to have. I felt automatically at ease when I saw the beauty that surrounded me everyday and no matter how stressful my day has been I could always find a nice quiet spot under a tree and get lost in a book or my music.
Natasha in 'Subterfuge'
What did you do for the first summer out of the program?
I did what many of us did… I worked. I didn't work in the theatre, I worked at many many retail and office jobs and I would audition in between shifts. I did a few student film projects at the Toronto Film School and performed at a benefit that was held by York's alumni for the fight against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for our troops in Afghanistan.
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just entering the dept.?
You are not perfect. That's the first thing you need to know before entering the department. If you don't go into the program with an incredilby open and flexible attitude it can be very difficult to cope on a day to day basis. I was incredibly stubborn in my first three years at York and was determined the be unchanged by the conservatory program. I learned later in life that this was a big waste of time and energy. Embrace the change and adventure that is awaiting you. I am a completely different person now than when I went into the program in 2004 and I will always owe who I am today to the training I recieved at York.
Do you have any advice or tips for York students just about to graduate? about to join the job market?
Do not get discourgaged. Your classmates may get picked up by agents and other theatre and film professionals after the big Theatre Ontario audition and you may not. This is the reality. The most important thing is to remain grounded and rooted in your own reality and don't think yourself to be a failure if your go through four years of acting training and then decide that it's not for you when you graduate. It doesn't mean you've failed. It means you were mature enough to know that this is not the right path for you. It's painful to let go of a dream you've had for so long but so much of being an adult is making smart and wise decisions. Not everyone will be able to make a full-time career out of theatre (I didn't) and thats okay. Be smart and have a plan and then have a back up plan for that, and a back up plan for that. Don't put all your eggs in one basket and know that there are other options out there for you.
If you had the chance to go back and visit your younger self as you were beginning at York, what advice would you give yourself?
Have fun. I would tell myself to have fun. As much as I enjoyed my time at York I often forgot to have fun. You can get so enthralled with the work and the plays and the analysis and the dialogue and everything really that you forget. I forgot to allow myself to have fun and work hard at the same time. Relax and take the experience for what it is worth.
“You've got to create a dream. You've got to uphold the dream. If you can't, go back to the factory or go back to the desk.”
—Eric Burdon, Singer/Songwriter 'The Animals'
Please tell us about what you're up to these days, and about some of the most exciting work that you've done since graduating.
Since graduating I've been doing a lot of work in indie theatre and film. I really enjoy the passion with which people approach their own projects and the opportunities to play provided by working in the independent market. This includes of course the Toronto Fringe, Summerworks, Festival of Ideas and Creation etc. Getting involved with these festivals has provided me with an amazing opportunity to get involved with the theatre community and build my own career.
Kaleb Alexander (BFA Acting 2010) and Shaina Silver-Baird in Romeo & Juliet
I've also been doing a lot of work in classical theatre, primarily with Shakespeare in Action working on productions of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth as well as tours and teaching workshops.
Over the past couple years I've reveled in the opportunity to artistically expand outside of acting. I currently sing in three bands: The Book Club — a folk quartet I formed with 3 other York Acting graduates: Emily Coutts, Kat Webber and Natalie Novak;Oozakazoo– folk rock for kids!, and as a solo vocalist singing my own originals. Working on my own music projects has been unbelievably freeing. It gives me the power to walk into an audition with a sense of my own artistic voice and not rely on the outcome of that audition to determine whether I am a working artist.
I've also worked with Nightwood Theatre over the past year as Marketing Associate and am currently a writer/contributer for inthegreenroom.ca — a website for theatre artists to connect and promote off stage (check it out!). I've found working in theatre outside of acting really rewarding, especially in terms of meeting other artists and forging bonds with the community.
I'm looking forward to spending three months in Alberta in 2014 studying in the professional training program at the Banff Centre for the Arts and performing as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet at The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. I could act all cool and pretend it's no big deal, but the truth is I'm crazy excited to get to tackle such an iconic role with this prominent company. I've been pinching myself since I got the “you booked it” call to make sure I'm awake.
If you had the chance to go back and visit your younger self as you were beginning at York, what advice would you give yourself?
Don't take it all so seriously. Yes, work hard and be fully committed, but take the time to do things outside of the program. I think it's so easy to get tunnel vision because of the intensive nature of the training. When that happens it's really important to get off of campus and experience something, anything else to give you some perspective and remind you why you're doing this in the first place. Live a little. It'll give you a story to tell and something to draw from.
The best advice I heard recently was that being an actor is about serving the story, not about how people are judging your performance. It's easy to lose track of that, especially because people are constantly watching you, giving you feedback, criticism and judgements. But I find it much easier to not let the ego of it all overwhelm me when I have a life outside of acting. It's so important. I can't stress that enough. Travel, play, explore! Now is the time.
Did connections, friendships, relationships you made at York help you afterward?
Absolutely. Probably the most significant contribution York University made to my life was the amazing friendships I forged in the program. I gained the best of friends and left armed with a solid support system to carry me through my life and through this crazy, difficult business. Of course I also forged an amazing professional network. Many of the gigs I've booked since graduating can be traced back to connections I made in the program. For example I was called in to audition for Shakespeare in Action because Michael Kelly knew my work from my time in York University. Similarly, during my first summer out of the program I worked on Saved (Toronto Fringe Festival) with Theatre Bassaris and Bound to Create theatre (both theatre companies run by artists I worked with in the program); Little Crickets (SummerWorks) with director Byron LaViolette whom I also knew from York, and Program with Samuel Sholdice who composed several fantastic shows for Theatre@York.
Poster for Little Crickets
What did you learn at York that has been of greatest value?
How to work my ass off and then let go. It's still hard to do sometimes. You've worked so hard in theatre school, but I think the wealth of experience you get from simply doing it all the time is the most important aspect of the training. There were scenes I spent hours and hours working on in school and others that I had to just wing in the moment because there simply was no time to prepare them. As an actor you need to be able to do both. You have to have the ability to delve deeper and deeper into a script to mine its potential over a period of time — especially when working in professional theatre. And then there are times in film and audition situations when you have no time to prepare. You have to just be present and go from there. The overwhelming amount of work in school actually set the foundation for both of these skills for me.
What did you NOT get taught at York that you wish you had been taught?
I wish that I had realised during my time at York how integral all my skills outside of acting were to my acting career. The wealth of actors in the industry makes getting jobs fiercely competitive, so any other skills you can bring to the table are exceptionally useful. Being able to sing or ride a horse or even mix a mean cosmo with aplomb, could be the difference between getting the job or not.
Secondly, I didn't realise until about a year out of school how much I needed to think just as much like a business person as I did like an artist. I am my own business. In lieu of that, it's exceptionally important for my business to get out to events and see film, theatre and music so I know what's going on in the city and so I can meet potential collaborators and employers. I need to shamelessly promote my own projects in person and using social media. Sometimes it can be really tiring, but I've realised that it's just part of the business, especially when working on my own projects.
What is your fondest memory of studying Theatre at York?
My fondest memories are of the late nights after full days of class and rehearsal when my classmates and I would go to The Ab for a drink or gather in an apartment and order late night food none of us could afford. Those nights when you've past the point of exhaustion; everything is a little bit brighter and fuzzier at the same time and you're quick to laugh or cry at the slightest prompting. I really got to know the people who became my best friends in those moments when they were extremely stripped down. Those moments when our need to be young and social out-weighed even our burning need to sleep. There were too many nights to count when my roommate Kat Webber and I would stay up too late, laughing maniacally over a bottle of wine and a party platter of sushi we could never finish.
What was your favourite place at York, and why?
It may sound cliche, but my favourite places at York were the theatres: both the CFT theatre and the Faire Fecan. At heart I fucking love the stage and I just love being in theatres whether it's to watch, perform or rig a light.
Andy Cheng
Andy Cheng does Stand-up comedy at the Rivoli
Elizabeth Bradley
Liz Bradley (centre, seated)
Sarah Jurgens
Sarah Jurgens in an episode of
Cherissa Richards
Cherissa Richards and Wesley Connor at l'Ecole Phillipe Gaulier
Cherissa in Dirty Butterfly
Cherissa Richards in Mrs. Warren's Profession
Dave Deveau
Dave Deveau as “Peach Cobblah”
My Funny Valentine
Dave Deveau as “Peach Cobblah”
Tanya Palmer
Jeff Giles
Jeff Giles in Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story
Jeff Giles in The Drawer Boy at 
Natasha Ladouceur
Natasha Ladouceur, Stacey McGunnigle and Judy Ammar in Metamorphoses.
Natasha in 'Subterfuge'
Shaina Silver-Baird
Kaleb Alexander (BFA Acting 2010) and Shaina Silver-Baird in Romeo & Juliet
Poster for Little Crickets