August 24, 2016
What a journey! English Drama School is NO JOKE! Maybe that's why it has reliably turned out some of the best actors in the world year after year! I came to BOVTS expecting some challenges, and knowing that I was making considerable sacrifice; I moved halfway across the world, left behind some ailing loved ones, put my love-life on hold and started off the program just recovering from a sprained ankle to boot- pun intended, my foot was literally in a boot!
It didn't start off easy, but maybe a little too cocksure I thought- Nahhh, I got this; I've traveled all around the world by myself, I've faced hardship, and I was a former dancer in NYC- afterall, what could be harder? Well, it was tough, and dramatic- who would have expected drama school to be full of drama? Not me; that was a stupid oversight on my part. Honestly, as someone with her degree in psychology, and a pretty psychologically-critical outlook, some days I was so turned-off, I did not want to go back to school. But some days were pure poetry and so, of course, I did go back. And school continued to be tough and dramatic; intellectually, physically, and emotionally. Everyday I was challenged and everyday I did improve a little bit, at times even a lot, although I may not have always recognized it at the time. There was fake-blood, and very real sweat and tears. I learned so much about my craft and myself as an actor and as a person, I lived in a new part of the world, and I built life-long friendships. I'm so grateful for the many lessons and opportunities I had at drama school; I discovered my own process and built a solid foundation from which to work; my vocal facility improved most remarkably; I learned Shakespeare straight from the greats and I got to perform the role of Lady Macbeth; I learned stage combat and became BADC certified; I got to perform on a West End stage; I had some of the best on-camera training I've ever experienced; I marveled at the ancient ruins of Bath; I practiced meditation in the Kadampa tradition; I saw Miss Saigon in the West End; I ate a pie in London and learned that I don't like Shepard's pie; I watched the changing guard at Buckingham Palace, while quoting Milne to myself, "Christopher Robin went down with Alice..."; and I re-learned how to say "Please," a lot more often, thanks to those polite Brits. And that's just the beginning of the list. I am so lucky. I am grateful. My cup runneth over.
