Where are they now Round 3: Catching up with JuliAnne & Ryan

We hope you enjoy this 3rd post in our series focused on CYS alumni. Enjoy!

Julianne
Alumna of: Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest
Currently at: Illinois Wesleyan, Class of 2022 
Studying: BFA in Acting 

Ryan
Alumnus of: Julius Caesar (as an actor), Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Uneasy Lies The Head, Othello, Twelfth Night (as an intern)
Currently at: Northwestern University, Class of 2020
Studying: BS in Theatre & Political Science with Secondary Education Certificate

Q. What field are you in/planning to go into? Why did you choose this path?

Acting (Theatre and Film). I feel called to this work because I love storytelling and connecting with people. The actor is important because they reject destruction and embrace creation. Furthermore, they strive to create order and meaning in a chaotic world. This makes the job of an actor particularly crucial in our modern climate.

I plan to be a high school teacher in both civics and theatre. I had long planned on going into mathematics, but CYS showed me a passion for theatre education which I hadn't previously realized, and 2016 showed me a need for civic education which I could not have imagined. So I'm more than pleased to do both.

Q.  What did you take from your time with CYS that has helped you in your work? 

The workshops which covered numerous theories and practices such as Suzuki, Meisner, Commedia Del' Arte, Clowning, etc. gave me a broad foundation to draw from for different theatrical styles. While I don’t use them all consistently, having this range of training has encouraged me to keep an open heart and mind for taking risks. ​

CYS has shown me time and again that when young people are given artistic freedom and just the right amount of loving guidance, mountains can move. As an educator of young people, that has changed my world.
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Q.  What was the most important thing to you in your CYS experience?

Learning how to find the humanity and realism in any character, no matter if they are a “villain” or a satire or trope. A character must believe in themself for the audience to believe them. 

Not every idea is right, but no ideas are wrong. There's never a bad time to contribute, and the gift of one's input is always worth giving.
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Q. What would you want current CYS students to know now that you did not?

You can ask for what you need. A unique feature of CYS is that students get a lot of agency in regards to structuring a show. However, it’s not a bad thing to ask for help -- don’t place too much responsibility on yourself. ​​​

Everyone--EVERYONE--in the room is glad you're here and really wants you to succeed. Reaching out for help will never be a mistake.