(Besides attend class. Obviously)
Contributed with love by TK Studio Third Year Student Ronald Lopez
So, it’s summer time. While everyone else is escaping to the Hamptons, you’ve decided to enroll at Terry Knickerbocker Studio’s Summer Intensive! Congrats! You, my friend, are a passionate actor. And the world is a better place with people like you.
As a dedicated artist committed to to their craft, we can sometimes forget that what we do can be, and is, FUN! So let’s not forget to play and be “tricksters not martyrs,” as my “good friend” Elizabeth Gilbert advises in Big Magic. As a veteran of three Summer Sessions with the Studio (going into my fourth), I want to share some tips on how to enhance your summer session experience.
First, go see theatre! Get inspired by the pros. But don’t pay an arm an a leg for it. Here’s a little secret that every actor in this city should know. The Theatre Development Fund (TDF) offers discounted tickets to many current Broadway and Off-Broadway show. Joining is super simple. There is a $35 membership fee, but you will never pay more than $41 for a show. I have seen so many shows through TDF and I have always been seated in the Orchestra. Many times in the very front! You will need to provide a student ID, which you can get at the studio by bringing in a passport photo to our fabulous front desk team.
2. Take yourself on a museum date. Get lost. There are so many beautiful museums in New York, and many of them offer free admissions throughout the week. The Met is such a wonderful place to go swim in art from all over the world and across the centuries. I could easily spend the day there.
3. Go. See. Movies. Go to Lincoln Center Cinemas which often have special collections of foreign or old classic films.
4. Rooftop films! This has alway been one of my favorite summer activities even before I started acting. Rooftop films presents an array of movies throughout various outdoor venues throughout the city, including Coney Island. Often the showings are preceded by a live band.
5. Immerse yourself in nature. Put the phone down for a day and get out. There are so many beautiful outdoor places the city has to offer. Central Park, The Rockaways, The Bronx Zoo, or The Brooklyn Botanical Garden… just to name a few.
6. Listen to podcasts. Some of my favorites include: The Daily, On Being, Where Should We Begin, Fresh Air, Selected Shorts, Martinis and Murder.
7. Self care! This is super important for every actor. Need ideas? Here’s some!
8. Try something completely unrelated from acting. Take a dance class at Alvin Ailey. Learn an instrument. Learn to code.
9. Read plays. Lincoln Center Library has a massive collection of plays. They also have an extensive collection of video archives of Broadway plays available for viewing (for “research” use only). Make sure to mention you are a student looking to research the play when reserving a viewing time.
10. Cool off at one of the city pools. You can register to have access to the pools at hours not open to the public here. Register soon because this fills up quickly!