Student Blogger: Sydni Dichter

I finished my junior year of college at NYU Tisch Drama about a month ago now. It was a great year, and it was also a very challenging year. I hope that my senior year will be everything I want it to be.

If you’ve ever wondered what a drama student’s projects look like during COVID, I’ll tell you: they look a lot like short films. Over the past two years, I have needed to become somewhat skilled at filmmaking, as a non-filmmaker, so I wanted to share some tips that have helped me in learning how to make my own movies.

Before I began my studies at NYU, I went to an accepted students day on campus, and at that accepted students day I went to a study abroad information session, where I learned about the ITW program and decided that I needed to go. Even back then, it sounded like a dream program, and I recently found out I got in!

I put my cold email writing skills to the test, and I ended up getting three yeses. The first fashion show I went to was a fashion show collaboration between Hekka (a fashion brand) and Uplive (a social media app). The second was a fashion show for the designer Corey Woods and his new eyewear line. Both were quite the experience!

I started my second (and last) semester of my junior year this week, and, I won’t lie, it’s been a bit overwhelming. However, as strange and scary as it may be to be more than halfway through with my college experience and my junior year, it’s also exciting. I really want to make it count, so I’ve come up with some goals to do just that.

When I found out that this fall semester would be in person, I was so excited. But I was also nervous. This last semester ended up being what was probably the best semester I have had so far in college. It was also one of the most challenging semesters I have ever had.

The love of storytelling continued throughout Edoardo’s life, and it continues now as he finishes his first half of his senior year at NYU Tisch Drama’s Experimental Theatre Wing. Today, Edoardo identifies as primarily a playwright and director, but he also enjoys acting, dancing, and choreographing. He just put on his first show, Vanity, in NYC!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and there’s no place to celebrate it like NYC. My favorite NYC Halloween event, by far, are the Halloween dog parades! This year, I attended the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade at the East River Park Amphitheater, and it was simply wonderful.

On my first real day of my Journalism class this year, after syllabus day, my teacher sent us outdoors with an assignment: observe your surroundings, write down potential story ideas, and come back in 40 minutes, and we’ll talk about what you saw. I realized that I'd done a similar exercise for my acting class during my freshman year of college.

When I heard about this Funny Girl revival, my first thought was, “Oh my god, I hope it’s real this time… and I hope whoever is cast as Fanny Brice is Jewish.” Beanie Feldstein is a powerful choice for Fanny Brice not only because she is truly Jewish, but also because of all the ways in which she veers from the “traditional” Broadway leading lady.

A hopefully helpful list of some things I wish I knew before I began my journey to get an apartment in NYC. I just finished the long and difficult process of finding an apartment in NYC, and I want to share a few things that would have helped me out a lot, if I'd known them beforehand. For context, I have two roommates, and I did not have a very high budget.

Many people seem to be under the impression that, because Broadway is still mostly closed, all live entertainment in NYC is closed. However, that is not true, and something historic is happening in order to let people know! Performing Now NYC is a TKTS style ticket booth where people can buy day-of tickets to several live performances in NYC!

Before it closed, the Drama Bookshop was easily one of my favorite places in the world. Although it is updated, the new Drama Bookshop has all the charm of the original location with more space and food!

Everyday, more and more Broadway shows announce that they are opening again in the Fall. Theaters all across the country have announced their reopening, and many are holding season auditions soon. With more people getting vaccinated, it feels like the theatre world is coming alive again! Some theaters have already reopened!

Happy June, and happy pride month! I have made a list of some musicals with queer representation to celebrate!

This past semester, I took one of my favorite classes I’ve had so far in my time at Tisch, Feminism and Theatre. My teacher, Gwendolyn Alker’s, syllabus set the stage for the amazing class. We read plays by playwrights of all different backgrounds, about all kinds of subjects, and we talked about why they’re important, in conjunction with feminist theoretical texts. 

As many of us are winding down the school year, I have compiled a list of things to do to keep your creative juices flowing this summer! These are just a few ways to stay creative this summer! Really anything can inspire creativity, if you let it.

There has been a lot going on in the theatre world these past few weeks, to say the least. I know something that I have been thinking about lately is: what are some things that I can personally do right now to help and participate in this movement? Here are just a few answers.

Gender may not be real, but I’d like to see these non-traditional castings become real! I am a big fan of MCC’s Miscast gala. I watch the performances every year and daydream about what I would sing, if I was ever so lucky to be a part of it. Because Miscast is a little over a month away, I have come up with some “miscast” castings of my own! I have cast women in roles traditionally played by men, and vice versa! 

In honor of the recent announcements about NYC’s plan to help live theatre begin again (and getting my first Covid-19 vaccine today!), I have made a list, in no particular order, of some experiences that I cannot wait to experience again when live theatre and in-person theatre school returns!