Personal Statement

A classic MGM movie musical, The Wizard of Oz, once taught 1939 American society that there truly is no place like home. I am fortunate enough to have called the stage my home. Theatre has been a vital part of my life since my early childhood. As a child, going to Broadway musicals such as Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, and Wicked was a common outing for my family and me. Seeing these musicals, along with other famous block busters in New York City, continue to inspire me to perform with the various theatre communities in Staten Island. Theatre has instilled in me the values of taking pride in my hard work, as well as the importance of dedication. Dedication and pride are essential to succeed during a performance. For months at a time,

Each role I have played has taught me certain life values such as not to take life for granted and to live each day to the fullest. In 2015, I played the role of Jesus in Godspell where I received a performing arts Minty Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical. In 2016, I received the same award for my performance in Pippin as the title role. It allowed me to feel appreciated by the members of Staten Island’s theatre community. Being apart of a theatre group in an all-boys school is not respected by many of my peers. Winning this award did not only make me feel special, but, also, made me realize that the tight-knit community on Staten Island that is the theatre community respects my school’s program. I did not need my peer’s to respect it. Theatre has motivated me to continuously remain active physically, socially, and emotionally during rehearsal processes. Many professionals consider acting to be therapeutic. I believe I am a perfect example of how acting can be therapeutic; whenever I am in a doleful mood, rehearsal always lightens my mood. It aids me to let out my anger or sadness. Performing for others can give back to the community by letting individuals dive into unknown worlds or places. Before going on stage, each of my directors has told me that as long as a performer makes one of his/her audience members smile, then he/she has achieved his/her