Why life in the theater?

Hey Everyone,  Happy New Year!


It's been a while.  I've been a mixture between lazy, busy, and inattentive towards putting my next blog because I really didn't want to blog for the sake of blogging.  I wanted to talk about something important to my heart and I figure I talk about why I want to do theater...I am also breaking two birds with one stone because I need to turn in my Application to Yale tonight SOOOOOO.... Lets get started.

I am seeking admission to the MFA Acting Program to Yale because I believe that I am prepared to take full advantage of the training opportunities offered by Yale to prepare me for the professional world. Growing up as a young Puerto Rican in the Bronx, moving to the west coast, gives me an appreciation for the diverse cultures and stories that constitute the American experience. My experiences in the Bronx form a part of my earliest and fondest memories, and continue to influence my direction in life. Where I once observe life, I now find myself fully engaged as a performing artist, collaborator and storyteller.

I have participated in many theatrical productions sponsored by the Theater Arts department at the Community College and University I attend. In my first stage performance, I played the character of Lawrence in For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, a one-act play written by American playwright Christopher Durang. I nearly had a panic attack on opening night, wondering if I truly had the ability and talent to perform. As Lawrence, I sought to convey to the audience the feelings and identity of the shy, sensitive son overwhelmed by the world around him. As it turns out, it was I who was overwhelmed by the positive audience feedback and support. After that night, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to pursue a career in drama and acting.

I ask myself why I wanted to invest three years of my life in training instead of auditioning straight away, I knew the reasons, but it is something that I could not articulate until recently. There are two reasons; the first reason is that I wish to learn more about myself. I believe with the tools provided by Yale University, can give me the tools to combat these phases of bad habits and turn those into good habits. The second reason is that I love the idea of unity.   Theater is the only realm in which true unity exists.  You need Directors, Lighting Designers, Stage Managers, Producers, Playwrights and Technical crews to work the puzzle together to create a powerful story that affects the audience.  The lessons in the theater help reveal to everyone who we are, and more importantly help us become who we strive to be. I hope to gain the ability to articulate the lessons I learn in Acting and pass them on.  If we can work together in creating a story, then there is hope for everyone to coexist in this world too.

As a performing artist, I believe that theater and the arts are essential elements of our ongoing education and development as a global society. My commitment to Acting and the arts form a core part of the person I am today, and of the person I hope to become. Through the arts, I believe that we can continually enhance our communities by engaging people in creative works and activities that require untold imagination, commitment and courage.