UC San Diego

“@: In charge of color commentary. Also a professional talker, fast-paced and honey-voiced, also wearing professional headphones.” This is the only description Kate Benson gives of @ in her play, A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes.

This being my last show at UCSD, I was eager to show off everything I learned over the years. I was aiming for technical perfection. As we worked through the play Vanessa Stalling, our brilliant director, led us in finding the balance between comedy and absurdity, and @ evolved into a smooth-talking eager rookie sportscaster from Cuba. This experience was the culmination of my training—I took everything I learned and chucked it all out the window expect for something Richard Robichaux said in Professional Prep, “Be big, fat, meaty actors. Take up space; be saturated and find passion in what you present.” I took these words and ran.

With @ I did the intellectual foot work; the analysis, the research and breakdowns. And then I showed up and just had fun.@ connected to a since of play within me, and I didn't feel like I was putting on or over acting, even though he was larger than life. I was meaty and saturated, and my choice felt grounded and justified in the text. I was free to explore because I knew this character and I knew the show. I now realize, perfection wasn't the goal, process was.