Feelings

I feel as if my own words cannot adequately express what this summer meant to me. I learned things and felt things for people that I never dreamed possible. I have come out a better actor, and more importantly a better person. I am so happy with the person I am today, whether that means NYU changed me into who I want to be, or it just helped me realize that I have always been there and I have finally accepted that. It gave me contentment and also restlessness. How am I supposed to go back to the mundane world of High School after living on my own in New York for a month? Only time will tell, but lord knows I will savor my senior year, and relish in its tiny victories, its rigors, and my wonderful, incredible friends.
There have been many people on facebook trying to really fit these amazing few weeks within the confines of this seemingly small white space, so I leave it to them to express my own thoughts and feelings.

One of my best friends in the program, David:

"Now I don't usually indulge in this type of public display of sentiment, especially when its open to anyone who wants to read it. It's just not my style. However, I felt that this might be an exception. I didn't really get to say all I needed to when I left you guys, and I feel like I never got to let you all know how I feel. So now I will make that known. This is my last token of appreciation- my thank-you to you all for changing my life forever.

I was thinking tonight about what exactly made my time here so enjoyable. Certainly it was the training, and probably New York City as well. I've learned more here than I ever did in my entire lifetime- and the experience has been invaluable.

However, I think what separates this experience from the rest is the people. Never in my life have I encountered such a loving, open, warm, and generous group of people. I come from a place where theatre is a cutthroat competition- where superiority and egos reign supreme. Before I came here, I understood theatre as a breeding ground for ill will and hatred. (And I will admit, every once in a while I did take part in the type of behavior I now despise.) But here, I have come across a new form of theatre. It is a form of theatre in which everyone is kind, encouraging, and always warm. No one here preoccupies him or herself with comparing him or herself to his or her fellow actors. No one talks about anyone else's faults behind another's back. No one thinks that he or she is better than any other single individual. That is very new to me, and it has opened my eyes to a school of thought that I had forgotten about in my time in high school- that theatre is a collaborative art, and that the job of the actor is to encourage his or her partner onstage. Everyone here has helped me rediscover this ideal, because unfortunately I had forgotten it a long time ago.

So I leave Tisch Summer High enjoying the memories and savoring my 63 new friendships. But I also leave with a new state of mind- with a determination to act in a way that reflects the actions of everyone here at NYU. I leave a new man- a better man.

No one ever laughed at me when I flailed around in ballet. No one shot a snarky look at their neighbor when I cracked on a top note. No one tried to put me down or criticize me. Instead, I always received positive feedback and a flurry of compliments- compliments that could have been left unsaid, but were instead bestowed upon me by some of the most generous, loving people I know. You should all know that you're very special, and that you are unlike anyone I have ever met.

Tisch Summer High has changed my life forever, and it was all because of you. I love you all and will miss you dearly. Hopefully, I will be seeing you all very, very soon. It is my utmost wish that I share a stage with each and every one of you in the near future- and I know all of you will go very, very far.

Thanks for the best summer of my life.

-David
=)"

My substitute mom, group leader (PA) and one of the greatest people I have ever met, PJ.

"I sat on your beds today, all of you, after you left me and the hall was filled with nothing but unwanted objects and the faint, haunting echoes of your voices, reminding me of those who had just gone. As I sat, sometimes crossed-legged, sometimes feet on the floor, and sometimes knees to my chest, I tried my hardest to feel you. I tried to feel whatever little bit of you was left in the room. Whether it be the scent of you fading with the open door, or some bobby-pins or paper left behind, I wanted to take it all in. I needed something more. I felt it all wasn't complete, that it couldn't be over. But finally, I realized, what I was trying to take in, and to send to you, was the love. I was hoping that some little bit of your soul, your love, was hidden on that sheet-less bed in that barren room waiting for me to come and collect it. And as I tried and tried and tried to let it all sink in, it hit me - it all already had. Despite the fact that these 4 weeks felt like 4 days, despite the fact that we may have been close for the whole time or for only a few days, despite the fights and the rumors and the meetings and the sticky spots, despite it all...we had managed to love each other harder, faster, better, and stronger than I have ever seen anyone love before.
I know I've thanked you already, but I want to thank you again for making this one of the best summers of my life. You all are wonderful people with so much to give to this world. All of you will go far and do great things. And I hope, however far you go and however great you become, you always know you have a friend in me.
Love you guys."


Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for partaking in the greatest summer of my short life.
<3
-Patrick

BOY OH BOY WHAT A WEEK!!!!!!

I really don't even know where to begin. 

At the beginning I suppose!!

In my last post I talked about our experiences waiting in line for over 7 hours in Central Park for free tickets to HAIR. Well, initially I was NOT thrilled for several reasons. 1) HAIR is not one of my favorite shows, I saw it at the Mountain Play last ear and was not particularly thrilled. 2) getting up at 4 in the morning is not really my typical idea of "fun". Luckily though, the day turned out to be the best day here so far. Just sitting and hanging out with these INCREDIBLE people for seven hours was amazing. Afterwards, we came back to the dorm for a couple hours for homework, laundry, naps etc. then we made our way back uptown to Central Park. I mentioned before that HAIR is not particularly my favorite show, I can honestly say now that I was very, very wrong. This was the most incredible production of any show I have ever seen. I feel like I've used the phrase "the most incredible [insert word here]" while I've been here, but it is SO true. The show was so full of energy and unlike anything I have ever come into contact with. We had a talkback with the cast afterwards, and in our time here we have had A TON of talkbacks, but for some reason this one just sticks out, the ENTIRE cast came out they were fun, and even better, extremely informative. Not since SPRING AWAKENING last summer have I walked out of a show so excited. We talked about this show the entire train ride home, and then even more once we got back to the dorm. And my excitement about the show was ten-fold over what I felt towards SPRING AWAKENING. As I say, amazing.

Sunday ended up being pretty much just a "do what you will" kind of day, and it was pouring out, so we all basically stayed in and hung out all day, as hum-drum as it sounds, it was very nice to take a break from the craziness that is NYC. Monday was back to classes, and my scene partner and I finally ran our scene (from "Cowboy Mouth" see previous blog), and to our surprise, actually going through and doing it with movement completely changed our views on the piece, and both of us are now utterly in love with it. Tuesday was even more bootcamp, but instead of 3 hours of dance we only had an hour and a half, because on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have vocal technique and modern dance. I've grown to like modern dance, I love the fluidity of it. It is different from ballet and jazz etc. because it's really the only form of dance that lets you dance from the soul. It's a thigh killer for sure though. On an interesting point outside of this, initially instead of modern we were supposed to have a tap class, but a few weeks before we came they sent us an email saying that they were substituting modern. Well, I have finally found the reason for this. In view of the fact that musicals are very progressive in today's society, and that so-called "tap musicals" are being phased out and new, "more modern" shows are on the in, that tap is slowly going to be phased out. Not completely though, just not taught to the extent it is today. Weird, huh?

Tuesday night we saw SPRING AWAKENING. This was the third time I had seen it, the second time in two weeks, and I must say, as I mentioned in one of the other blogs, I was NOT impressed by the talent that I saw on that stage. Unfotunately, I have to say it again. It was a glorified high school musical. Don't get me wrong though, it wasn't awful, just not something I would pay $100+ to go see. We had another talkback afterwards, which was pretty weird seeing as how the kids in the cast were my age, but I guess they're doing something right....

Wednesday night we saw THE 39 STEPS, which is a slapstick comedy based on Alfred Hitchcock's film of the same name. However, the play is performed with 4 actors and hardly any sets/props. The play was brilliant, it was great to see a piece that relies so heavily on the actors, and it was even better to see the actors deliver. I REALLY enjoyed it.

Thursday night we saw the craziest, most off the wall, most exciting, most interactive theatrical performance of my short life. FUERZABRUTA. From spanish this translates to "Brute Force", and let me tell you, IT WAS. There is really no way to describe it, it was sort of a cross between a rave, theatre, synchronized swimming, and Cirque du Soleil. Like I said , crazy. However, I can tell you if you are ever in New York and you have the chance to see this, DO, but just make sure to bring clothes that can get soaked, and check your cell phones etc. at the door. It rains. I will say nothing more, but if you are interested check out www.fuerzabruta.net.

Friday was like every other day here at Musical theatre fat camp. We had three hours of dance in the morning, then Vocal Performance with the scariest man I know, David Hibbard. That night we saw GYPSY with Patti LuPone. I must say that GYPSY was my least favorite of the shows we've seen here. The first act dragged and dragged, but the second act (thank god!) went by much quicker, and I enjoyed it much more. However, the best part of all this was meeting Patti LuPone after the show. SHE IS SO TINY! The woman is probably no taller than 5 feet, and it's amazing to think of all she has accomplished, and she is about the size of my little finger. CRAZY!

Saturday was supposed to be our Staten Island day, but as fate would have it, it ended up pouring rain, so we ended up basically just hanging out at the dorms the whole day, which was great because we all desperately needed a day off. Sunday I went to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and I had SOOO much fun, if anything during my time here I have become a total art whore. Some of my favorite times here have been spent at the museums, not to completely disregard and discredit everything else I've done here, but I really love art.

Well, the last week is officially here, and going by WAY too quickly. Expect another blog, very very soon. :))

Love, Love, Love

Patrick