Going Back to the Roots; Seeing Blossoming Artists Perform
An alum’s return to the conservatory which molded them, a reflection of soon-to-be graduates’ One Act Festival, Directed by Carson McCalley & Mahima Saigal.
It was a strange feeling to get off the A train at the 14th Street station, my legs carrying me to the metro exit I’d used for over three years. The last time I used it, I was getting off the train to attend my graduation from the Atlantic Acting School in December 2019. The days I spent in the Google building in Chelsea with my fellow actors seemed like they were just yesterday (partially because the pandemic has collapsed my sense of time). I felt nostalgic for the days when Bluebird Theatre Company was a big dream we all had, and proud of us for making it happen.
There are many things about being a working artist I didn’t expect. Auditions are hard, self-producing is even harder, and I start to feel distant from my creativity. I think very fondly of the days at Atlantic Acting School when I had to do three scenes in one day and memorize another handful that night. Having the time and space to focus on my craft was precious, and I’m grateful for the experience.
When I was given the chance to see the Conservatory Class perform their One Acts, I was curious to see what had changed during the recent pandemic. I wondered how the actors were able to connect with each other and truly listen when they were wearing masks, something I once thought was a dealbreaker for returning to in person theater. From the moment the evening started, I was hooked. The actors were so engaged and clued in, and through watching them, I was reminded of my years of Atlantic training and the Practical Aesthetics technique.
In All Thumbs, Maya Shoham and Rachel Collignon reminded me how to listen to your scene partner and change tactics based on what they are giving you. It’s been hard for me to remember how to do this when I do endless self tapes alone in my room.
In Employee of the Month, Diletta Guglielmi demonstrated how to play a character with questionable morals (a boss who tells her employee to wear a lower cut shirt for her photo), but really take your character’s side. I was laughing the moment she came onto the stage, and she created an arc in a short one act.
Max Cattana was in various roles, and I thought about how he had to hold multiple actions in his head as he switched between characters. I applauded his ability to use his muscle memory and differentiate between every character.
In Intervention, Rose Callaghan was killing me as the Yoga Instructor. She expertly exhibited a core tenet of Atlantic philosophy when performing comedy–she did not show at all that she was in on the joke, and her character deeply believed everything she was saying. That is what sold the joke so well. And in Intermission, Sara Santucci did an excellent job staying committed to her character’s motivation during a longer monologue.
When I was gearing up to go to the evening of One Acts, I thought it would be nice just to see some conservatory student theater. I didn’t realize that witnessing them on amidst the craft would reconnect me with my own creativity, just by watching these performers so excellently display the Atlantic method and ethos. It was an excellent reminder that even in times where live theater has been difficult, there are still exciting new artists, training hard, and creating great work.
