Reflecting on Community Meetings

By Annie Abramczyk

“Every single person has the chance to move the needle of society,” said Jessica Chastain (Group 32) at the final 2023–24 Drama Division Community Meeting. “And it’s important to have artists, because they are the ones inspiring empathy and compassion; you can whisper into people’s hearts and affect someone’s spirit with your work.”

The Drama Division gathers most Wednesday afternoons for Community Meetings, where a variety of guest speakers from around the world engage in forums with students, faculty, and staff. This year, speakers included industry leaders in the fields of film, opera, theater, and health. These biweekly assemblies enhance studio and academic curricula, offering an opportunity to explore the context of students’ work as artists and citizens.

“Community meetings are invaluable because it’s important for us to hear voices and perspectives from the outside world, in addition to those within the school,” second-year actor Lucas Johnson said. Guest speakers often share anecdotes about their professional experience, giving students a glimpse into current industry conditions. “It was helpful to hear from the people involved with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes,” Johnson continued. Speakers Ezra Knight (SAG-AFTRA New York Local president), Rebecca Damon (SAG-AFTRA chief labor policy officer and New York Local executive director), showrunner and playwright Warren Leight (WGA East Coast strike captain), and WGAE member Céline Robinson explained the impact and contractual implications of the labor actions. “When you hear about people’s experiences rather than just reading statistics in the news, it makes it much more personal,” Johnson said. “And it lit that much more of a fire in me to take action and pay attention to what was going on in the industry.”

In addition to learning about current events and artistic processes, the students had the opportunity to
speak with professionals in careers adjacent to the entertainment industry, including otolaryngologist Linda Dahl, one of the leading professional voice doctors for Broadway and screen actors. “As actors, our body is our instrument, so knowing how to take care of your instrument when doing eight shows a week is essential,” third-year actor Nora Pantoja said. “In class, we learn techniques and exercises for vocal health and preservation. Dr. Dahl showed us tips and tricks in addition to what we are learning at school.”

Dahl also taught the students about laryngoscopies (vocal scoping), sharing videos of the procedure and diagrams. “It was very informative on a holistic level, learning how our overall health impacts vocal health,” Pantoja said. “Having that connection with her, knowing what kind of doctor to go to if you are having issues, and what type of therapy you can do for your voice, is really important and helpful for our careers.”

Another highlight of the year was a visit from theater and opera director Trevor Nunn, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. “To be able to learn from such a legend, who ran the Royal Shakespeare Company for almost 20 years, and how he approached Shakespeare while managing the business was so interesting and inspiring,” second-year actor Baxter Westby said. “As someone who loves Shakespeare and hopes to go into a managing role in a theater company at some point, it reminds you of the many different avenues you can pursue with a drama school education.”

Westby is not alone in that sentiment. “I love getting to hear from alumni who have had time to then reflect on what Juilliard meant to them, how it’s shaped them since they’ve left this building, and what it’s like to navigate life after training,” second-year actor Anoushka Mishra said. This year, two alums in addition to Chastain spoke at Community Meetings: Damon Gupton (Group 28) and Nicholas Britell (Pre-College ’99, piano).

“Something I took away from Damon Gupton was the fact that he did not allow what discipline he was studying in school to limit him. In fact, he used this school as a platform to expand beyond what others thought he should do or was capable of doing, and now he is conducting, he’s acting, he’s writing,” Mishra said.

Gupton and Chastain both talked about how their Juilliard educations influenced their work. Third-year actor Dominique Froud noted that Chastain said “the things we learn here at Juilliard in classes—like finding your feet, breathing, and doing your preparation—are the tools she uses every day in her work. It was really affirming to know that we already have the tools and skills to achieve our goals.” During the Community Meeting, Chastain also spoke about working with Oscar Isaac (Group 34), who was two years behind her in the Drama Division. “It’s exciting to hear that she is still working with her classmates from Juilliard,” Froud said. “I'm continually amazed at how my cohort includes fellow artists, future colleagues, and some of my closest friends.”

Film director Barry Jenkins, editor Joi McMillon, and composer Britell also shared insights about choosing collaborators. “Barry Jenkins told us, ‘The people in your community, the people you start with, are really the people to reach out to and connect with. Mentors are important, but the people you come up with are the real deal,’” third-year actor John Blake said. “I thought it was the best piece of advice all year. He really got me excited about collaborating with people in my group at school.”

The filmmakers talked extensively about how they approached their artistic process in all aspects of production. “It sparked a newfound interest in me to collaborate with musicians as an actor or a director and to learn about what that looks like in an artistic capacity,” second-year actor Joshua Chapman said. “I left the Community Meeting wanting to learn more about those collaborations with music and acting and started experimenting with them in classes; it’s something I definitely want to explore in my career.”

Guest speakers often highlighted the importance of developing practical business skills, like budgeting and producing, in addition to artistic training. “It was really helpful to hear [actor, director, and writer] Ruben Santiago-Hudson speak about his work because, as an artist, it’s important to have autonomy and be able to make your own art,” Pantoja said. “He reminded us about the power of having authority over your craft, not just as an actor, but as a multihyphenate artist and businessperson, because the actors here also sing, dance, teach, and are lighting designers as well as costume designers, so being able to branch out in other areas is something that will help us have fulfilling careers.”

It was similar guidance to something Chastain is passionate about—creating and producing your own work. Chastain emphasized “being the captain of your own ship, not waiting for others to create work for you but taking the initiative to make work for yourself,” second-year actor Matenin Sangare said. “It’s a beautiful reminder that as an artist, you can be a creator in all aspects of your work; you don’t have to just do one thing. And when we create work for our community, we leave an impact through our art.”

Annie Abramczyk is the artistic programs assistant of the Drama Division