Hello TMU readers and other individuals who have stumbled across this blog—perhaps by chance or by bribery. My name is DeAnna (pronounced de-ah-nah), and I am one of TMU’s newest bloggers, representing the New York City area, by way of Philadelphia, I MUST add!
I recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania where I received my Bachelors of Arts in Theater Arts and English. Currently, I am a month into my first year at the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, going for my Masters of Fine Arts in Acting. I have performed in some form of theater since I was seven, and have played roles ranging from a Catholic nun to a famous courtesan.
When not on stage, I make it a priority to become acquainted with the numerous other areas of the theater industry. I have been a stage manager and costume designer for different shows. I was a part of an ensemble that built a show from the ground up, and then took it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. I have served as an intern to the literary and casting departments at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia, and I also worked for four years as the assistant to the business administrator at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts.
And now, in addition to writing for TMU, I am interning in TheaterMania.com’s marketing department. I learned early on, that in order to excel in this business, you have to learn how to wear many different hats—that’s my first of many pieces of advice which will come in future posts. It is not enough to just be talented; you must also be well-rounded, and trained, and business savvy, and…
::exhales::
Alright.
Now that that’s out of the way…
My posts will not come to you directly from Inside the Actors Studio, but they will come from the studio(s) in which I will be acting in and growing as an individual. I will share my personal experiences; discoveries made along my journey, and received advice as I think it pertains to you as readers. I, in no way, ever want to give off the impression that I am a spokeswoman for the Actors Studio, or even my MFA program. I speak on behalf of myself, DeAnna Supplee, an aspiring professional actress but first and foremost a student to the craft.
What you can expect from this blog are interesting posts geared toward fellow theater-lovers, performers, and all-around dreamers! I will tackle not only the creative aspects of theater but also the basic logistics to the field that no one thinks to tell you. Future postings will include “the benefits of an MFA,” “tips for moving to New York on a budget,” “do’s and don’ts on college audition day” and much more! Also, if there is something that you are personally interested in or have an inquiry about, leave a comment or a question, and I will be sure to address it to the best of my abilities in upcoming posts.
Lastly, another thing to know about me is that I LOVE to collect quotes. So at the end of each posting I will leave a quote that is relevant to my next post. Here’s today’s: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.“-Howard Thurman
Ta Ta for now.
