Student Blog: Meet Cat Boynton

Hi BroadwayWorld! I’m Cat Boynton! 

A few things about me:

I’m a Senior at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts studying Drama in the New Studio on Broadway (NSB). I also double-major in Journalism and double-minor in Producing and the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology…Wow, that was a mouthful… You still there?

I grew up in Loxahatchee, Florida with my parents, genius brother, our angel sheltie named Lassito, and the cows and chickens - yes, those exist in South Florida. When I wasn’t feeding the cows with my family or running around the neighborhood, I was working on personal artistic projects.

I’ve always felt a natural pull toward the arts. Since I could speak, I’ve been writing music and forcing concerts on house guests at family functions. It wasn’t long until songwriting became a habitual therapeutic pastime and performing grew into my deep-rooted love for theatre.

I attended Bak Middle School of the Arts as a drama major. In high school, developing the theatre department became my ultimate passion project and number one priority. Outside of Varsity Cross Country, Track & Field, and National Honor Societies, I was writing, directing, and producing my own shows any chance I could.

So, where does Journalism come in?

In 2020, I was invited to host the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts’s video interview series Young Professional Actors: WE DID IT. SO CAN YOU. For each episode, I researched successful child stars from South Florida and interviewed them live. I was also invited to host my high school’s official school video tour, which is still used in orientations today!

It might seem a little random to double major in Journalism and Drama (especially with the already-intense BFA lifestyle), but at the intersection of the two lies the same foundation: storytelling. Whether it’s a fact-based hard news piece or a staged fictional narrative, I’ve found there’s a strong overlap between these two communications art forms and I love exploring the nuances between them.

College Life

My time at NYU so far has been nothing short of exhilaratingly full. My biggest advice if you’re heading into a new stage of your life: Try EVERYTHING!!! Saying yes to new experiences catapults a chain of opportunities one after another, whether you realize it or not when you first commit.

In my Sophomore year, I assistant directed NSB’s Nine the Musical with Director Amy Marie Seidel (Paradise Square, The Great Gatsby,  Here There Are Blueberries) and Choreographer Sidney Dupont (Tony-Nominated for Paradise Square). This was truly one of the best experiences of my life. Not only did I discover a newfound passion and respect for directing, but it also completely changed my perspective on the dynamic between actors and directors within the rehearsal space and production process.

On the performance side, I’ve been incredibly grateful to be in NSB productions such as Macbeth (Macbeth), Applause (Eve Harrington), and Natasha Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Sonya).

Last summer, I studied Film & TV at NYU Tisch’s Stonestreet Studios for six weeks. I also worked as a professional PA for commercials and pilots, and acted in student short films. Back in NSB, I created, collaborated, and performed in multiple student pieces for the studio’s annual Freeplay Festival. Sharing our original work inspired my friend and I to develop a full-length musical we hope to share soon!

Currently, I’m studying Commedia dell’Arte in Florence, Italy… Keep an eye out for my next article with all the details!