“Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez
Actor, director, producer, activist, and Golden Globe-winning “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez has been breaking barriers in Hollywood—and shows no signs of stopping. Not only does her leading role as Jane in The CW’s telenovela-inspired dramedy make her one of the few Latina women headlining a TV series, but she’s also worked on an […]
“I learned not to fight feelings that felt uncomfortable but…release it. Make it art.”
I’m writing this from backstage of the production I’m currently in, waiting to go on. The play is The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe. I play Soccer Mom, the one adult amongst a girls high school soccer team. Our characters are all moving through their daily activities, trying to figure out the world, moment by unpredictable moment. It’s […]
From New Zealand to New York: Chasing My Dream Over 8,000 Miles
Romain Mereau is a 2019 graduate of Atlantic Acting School’s Full-Time Conservatory program. It was like a surge of electricity that filled my body and crackled in my lungs. Against the background bustle of the office in Auckland, New Zealand, where I worked, a friendly voice on the phone had just told me some of […]
“Finding ways to honor everyone’s artistic process”
I joined Atlantic’s Conservatory program during a very difficult time in my life. I was experiencing depression and had decided not to do anything pertaining to acting for three months. During one of my weekly email deleting days, I came across an email for Conservatory auditions. There wasn’t much time left for submission, so I […]
“A vessel for stories that reflect my ancestors and the community that raised me”
My time at Atlantic has given me the tools to construct work professionally while never letting go of the playfulness and care that came naturally. When I walk into a room, I remember the standards that instructors like Karen Kohlhaas engrained in me: to honor the work and the talent of others in the room […]
Every Second Counts
“I VALUE HARD WORK. SO WHY DON’T I WANT TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN?” Why was my love for art, for storytelling, not enough to push me every day? Crickets…my disappointment was palpable. As I began my career, my ability for storytelling was equal parts fun and frustration. For a long time I […]
“It wasn’t too late”
My experience at Atlantic Acting School was akin to gradually assembling a truly amazing puzzle. One of the initial pieces I discovered and valued the most was when I completed my application form. A specific question made me realize that Atlantic was the perfect fit for me. The query was something like, “What can you […]
“Atlantic pushes actors to places beyond the limits of their imaginations, and empowers them to set a standard for their work that is world-class.”
About halfway through my senior year of high school, after every college and grant application deadline, both of which I confidently passed on, I remember touching base with my academic mentor at the time, my choir teacher. She was wondering what life looked like for me after high school, to which I replied with a […]
“My favorite thing about my time at Atlantic was the cohort of wonderful humans I got to share that time and space with.”
On the eve of my first night of Evening Conservatory classes, if you had asked me to articulate what my expectations were for the year ahead I’m not sure I could’ve given you a coherent answer. I came to Atlantic having lived a lot of life and gained a lot of perspective. I was steadily […]
Atlantic Changed Me Before I Was Even Accepted
Talent abounds in my homeland. Most everyone has heard of the stereotype that all Filipinos can sing and take karaoke seriously. We are certainly not wanting for natural inclinations for performing. However, professional training can be elusive. As theater performers, we get by on gusto, heart, and a communal desire to tell stories. I applied […]