MCS’ very own Kristy Cates-Frankort, recently got married!  Right before “tying the knot” Kristy originated the role of “Mother Hawkins” in TREASURE ISLAND-A New Musical which premiered this spring at Arkansas Rep.

Kristy has studied with Matthew in Mon/Wed day class and prior to that was in WICKED (original Broadway Elphaba understudy), National Tour and opened Chicago company  as Elphaba. We look forward to Kristy catching a breather from bookings and returning to “the work” at MCS.

Christine Cartell  has also been booking! She’s shot four commercials in the last three months, the most recent being a national network spot for Dannon Oikos with Iron Chef Michael Symon. In addition, she recently wrapped a series regular role on the comedy web series Offices & Outbreaks: The Working Dead and will be hosting another series called Reality Check. Christine has also been cast in leading roles in two independent feature films shooting this summer, and has another film, comedy Wet Behind The Ears, currently making the festival rounds (and winning awards!). www.christinecartell.com

Both Cartells have taken a temporary break from MCS due to their schedules, but they miss it terribly and will be back as soon as they can!

When I started at MCS I had little to no resume, and really didn’t have any desire to actually become an actress. I was a dancer that needed a little more creative outlet outside of the dance studio and I figured acting would be a good supplement. As time passed I fell in love with acting, and knew there was no way I couldn’t pursue this calling. But then what? What do you do then, how can I submit myself with out a ‘real’ resume, how can I audition next to seriously credentialed actors? Well you just do it, and you keep on doing it. Onward and Upward! There is no right or wrong way, you just do, and keep on doing. You figure out what works and what doesn’t, what you love and what you may have to work on, and you make it work. And thankfully from taking classes at MCS this technique of getting out of my head, putting my attention on my partner, and not leaving myself out has allowed me to keeping on going.  One of my favorite quotes by Matt is if you “Be it, Do it, Have it, not the other way around.

I feel at this stage in my acting career, (Which, for your information, has one more credit than I did when I started, WooHoo!) I have to continue turning up the volume and giving myself room to do so, no matter how scary. I’ve been at MCS for a little over 2 years and have loved every second. I have, by stepping outside my normal box, created a beautiful community, where I can feel safe to push my boundaries. So far as a result I booked a small role in a feature film, I feel confident submitting for roles that I may not have in the past, for example for roles with a British Accent, and I am starting to really be my true self in the audition room and in life.  But isn’t that what being an artist means probably always feeling unsettled and have a need to create more, and doing things that scare and stretch us farther than we ever could have imagined. So ‘Onward and Upward’ I go with the new self confidence and ability to drown out the negative thoughts and just continue to just do it. continue to figure out what works, what new things can I try, find out a thing or two about what doesn’t work and enjoy every moment!

“Anyone can do anything if they’ve got what it takes.”–Brooke Chaffee, actor

About three years ago I was at a bar in midtown with a friend and several other people I didn’t know.  While I was half-mumbling about my life to a girl I barely knew, my friend slid in and said “Did you know David wants to be an actor”.  With a flash my heart responded instead of my head and I said “No, I AM an actor”.  The girl, previously glued to her phone, most likely pretending to text someone, looked up at me with anticipating eyes and said “Oh! What have you been in?!”  And with all the confidence of a kid from Jersey I said

“Have you ever seen any Community Theatre in New Jersey?”  She then looked away with a soft grunt and went back to her phone.

A big smile came across my face; because that was the first time I had theatrically stood up for myself. That had been festering in me for some time. I have always secretly hated when people would say “David wants to be an actor” or “He’s an aspiring actor” I understand everyone means that in a positive way. But at what point AM I an actor? When someone else tells me I am? When I’m in the Union? When my IMDB page has a credit that’s not a student film? I never quite knew when I would be “allowed” to say I was. After taking Meisner, I realized I didn’t need anyone to say it; I just needed to do it.

I was always scared to say “I am” instead of “I want”. I thought I had to fit someone else’s idea of an actor, that I needed some random bastard’s approval. And after taking Matthew’s class, I realized I was acting through someone else’s idea of emotion too. I didn’t even know I wasn’t listening to my instincts, and I always felt like I was missing something in my work. That I was leaving something out. I came to realize I was leaving myself out. In class my heart would tell me one thing, and a thousand thoughts would gallop in and tell me another.  After a while you get sick of not repeating what the heart is telling you.

I remember the first time I let my heart win.  I was repeating with someone early in my training and he called me a wimp. Now in my head I wanted to scream and yell, but in reality it really hurt me. And I simply said what I felt “That really hurt me”. And I slunk down on the blue couch, and allowed myself to feel hurt under the imaginary circumstance of the repetition.  That felt truer than anything I had said before in class.  And it dawned on me that all I needed to do was say what I felt. What I felt about myself and the other person, and let that come out of me in any way it can.   It’s so funny how simply saying what we feel can give us freedom in this work and in life. I have really learned what type of animal I am in Matt’s class, and I love it.  I love what he saw in me and got out of me. I have a confidence in my personality in front of a camera and on stage that I never had before. My ideas come and go, but my heart will always be there, and that’s all I need to be an artist.

I’m not sure what I want to be all the time, but I know what I am.

I will never let any person or paycheck determine my worth as an actor.–David Gazzo, Actor

Jason will be playing the role of “Victor” in SMOKEY JOE’S CAFE at Greenbrier Valley Theatre in West Virginia.

Jason we are proud of you and look forward to you returning to MCS and resume training after your latest gig.

NOMINATED! OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS

CONNECTICUT CRITICS CIRCLE
Tessa has trained under Matthew for many years at MCS and she is a vital part of our artistic community (been directed by Matthew twice), books acting work often (as well as voice over) –when not working artistically, Tessa is Matthew Corozine’s assistant and MCS Administrator and we are so grateful to her and we will miss her this spring.

Congrats to Tessa Faye starring as BABE in the Goodspeed Opera House production of GOOD NEWS!

Directed & choreographed by Vince Pesce, this production features an original book by Jeremy Desmon & new dance orchestrations by Broadway, television, and film composer-arranger David Krane. Previews begin tonight, April 12th, with an official opening on May 1st.  GOOD NEWS! will continue to run in East Haddam, CT until June 22nd.

And we are the dreamers of dreams,

Wandering by lone sea-breakers

And sitting by desolate streams;

—
World-losers and world-forsakers,

On whom the pale moon gleams:

Yet we are the movers and shakers

Of the world for ever, it seems.

-Arthur O’Shaughnessy

This is an excerpt from one of my favorite poems. It had been rattling around in my mind for a few days, when Matt (our oft psychic & much beloved fearless leader at MCS ) had David Lipman perform this piece as a cold reading at class last week. Being an artist is being a dreamer, and as actors we dream more than our fair share. We have to dream of possibilities in order to take risks in our personal and professional lives. We dream of futures, so that we have the courage to live in the uncertain now. We dream our characters’ dreams in order to inhabit their worlds. Matt often asks us what our character’s dream is when we are working on a scene. What do they want most? It informs our perspective and is a great part of our emotional prep for a scene or song. The power of imagination and day dreaming is so useful to actors. It is a skill that came so easily to me as a child. Whenever Matt asks us to day dream in class I always close my eyes and picture myself sitting on green carpet- the green grass colored carpet of my childhood bedroom and suddenly daydreams flood my mind. The actor that can tap into that place of limitless imagination is powerful- a place that is not strained by the cynicism of daily life’s grind. Actor dreams are lofty- but sometimes lonely. We wander alone- we travel- we spend time away from our homes & our loved ones. We long for the feeling of home. I have been thinking of characters that I have played and their dreams this week. The majority of their dreams are to be loved and accepted. How universal- everyone wants a place to belong. Some of us are lucky to be born into wonderful families; some of us grow up and create our own families. The partner, friend or colleague that you are lucky enough to choose to be a part of your tribe- the family that you create in your life, is so special. These are the people you add to your community as an adult to create a place where you belong. MCS is that home for its members. Our creative home, where we feel like we belong- a safe place to create & inspire each other- a place for the black sheep, the loners, and the ugly ducklings. MCS is also the place for artists who are movers and shakers. When you “get out of your head” in your work with Meisner training, it is impossible not to see the world differently. Our once selfish life views expand into world views and observations of humanity. MCS provides a place that is not afraid to be socially and politically active. A place to give our art relevance, and address things happening in the world. A place where we can express our ideas and find what makes us fight. MCS is a place to create art and new works that are powerful and say things that need to be said. I strive to be an active part of MCS, but also an active part of humanity. Being a part of this work makes me want to create theater that has the power to not only entertain, but to move an audience and challenge them. Here’s to living out loud! Thank you Matt! –Elizabeth Kensek, actor

Sam, we are proud of you, and know you will use the work/technique you have been struggling, working hard, and committed to at MCS in your show.  See you in August Sam!

Pragathi is starring in a new BOLLYWOOD film OOPS A DESI.  Below is the trailer and video starring MCS’ very own Pragathi Yadhati.  We love you and are so proud of you Pragathi.

From Tuesday/Thursday Day Class, where Nicolas has been studying while playing “Bert” in MARY POPPINS on Broadway, Nicolas Dromard will be touring with Broadways’ JERSEY BOYS playing the role of “Tommy DeVito”. We are so proud of you Nicolas and glad you will be using your acting chops for this meaty book musical.