Central in New York
On Monday 20 May 2019, Central hosted its annual Alumni and friends gathering in New York City.
The event brought graduates of the School together with staff, current students working on placement in the city, industry partners, friends, and incoming students who are due to start their journey at Central in the autumn of 2019. Together, guests celebrated the community’s successes in the United States.
Featured on the evening was a talk by MA Applied Theatre course leader Dr Selina Busby who led a presentation with undergraduate and postgraduate Applied Theatre Students working on placement in New York. The discussion focused on the breadth of opportunities available to these students during their placement period and acknowledged the partner organisations with whom they are collaborating. From working with Covenant House International and the Irondale Centre for Theatre, Education and Outreach to leading workshops in local Schools and working alongside grassroots community projects, these opportunities allow students to apply their training in a range of practical ways whilst expanding the reach of their practice.
For many, it is also their first time in New York and this allows them to contribute to their growing international networks. Central was particularly pleased to welcome Applied Theatre alumni Cathy Han and Emma Klauber, who shared their own experiences of living and working in New York after graduation.
Of their time at Central, some of the alumni present at the event had to say:
“I truly fell in love with London. It brought so many opportunities. The theatre world is amazing; I really enjoyed my time there.” – Chelsea Camp, graduate of the MA Applied Theatre course
“It was an amazing experience; I have lots of good memories.” - Claire McKey graduate of the MFA Advanced Theatre Practice course
“It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity”. – Rachel Semigran, MA Applied Theatre graduate, speaking about her placement with the British Museum
“At the end of the year, I felt truly ready to head out into the business.” - Garrett Turner, graduate of the MA Music Theatre course
The event was held at The Players Club in Gramercy. The Players is a historic social club formed by eminent 19thcentury actor Edwin Booth. It draws its membership from the international theatre community, the related fields of film, television, music and publishing, as well as respected patrons of the arts.
Central was also delighted to welcome Fulbright Advisors from area Universities for an information session about the School’s new Fulbright Scholarship which is available to postgraduate students from the United States who are looking to start their studies with Central in the 2020/2021 academic year.
Whilst in New York, Central staff and students met with members of the School’s alumni community and with a particular focus on educators working in area schools. Thanks in particular to the staff and students of the Williamsburg Charter School and the Dwight Englewood School for extending a warm welcome and for taking a keen interest in Central’s offerings. Visits were arranged by alumni Azure D. Osborne-Lee at (an advisor for the Williamsburg Charter School) and Carla Moriarty (teacher of Theatre Arts at the Dwight Englewood school) and allowed students the opportunity to learn about Central, the courses, and what it’s like to live and train in the UK.
