Theatre is often a second home for those looking to find an escape from their reality. Ever since first taking theatre as an extracurricular in school, I fell in love with the art of storytelling. Being able to immerse myself in a completely different world and live the life of another soul, to empathise and understand them, is exhilarating to me.
I was raised in Orange County, California, and I was fortunate enough that the high school I was assigned to for my Bilingual (Spanish) programme had a phenomenal theatre company. San Juan Hills High School Theatre Arts allowed me to flourish as an actor with the phenomenal teachings and guidance of my director, Cambria Graff. Her love and knowledge of theatre were inspiring and I have the pleasure of dedicating my entire future acting career to her.
My love for theatre was unconditional; for every production I was not accepted into for acting, I signed up to be part of the technical crew, with technical director Thomas Pike. My entire technical experience has given me a greater understanding and appreciation for theatre technicians. I truly believe that this has made me a better actor to work with, for I now understand what is expected of an actor from a technical perspective.
After training in theatre for seven years in California, I decided to follow my intuition of going overseas for a Bachelor’s. Though a degree in acting is not necessary for the industry, I had a hunger for more knowledge on the craft, curious about what another country could teach me.
The reason I chose Arts University Bournemouth was because of its virtual tour of the campus, friendly communication with staff (who even organised a virtual meeting with the course leader for me) and the collaboration between courses. Making life-changing decisions can be extremely difficult, but I believe that if you follow your intuition, that gut feeling, everything will work out just fine. And I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Taking risks is fundamental for an actor, and that began with moving to Bournemouth by myself, as an international student.
BA (Hons) Acting has broadened my actor’s toolkit through practical work underpinned by theory, taught by staff who hold such wisdom. Psychological realism is the most crucial fundamental aspect that I learned in the first year. An actor not only portrays a character on the outside but also from within. The inner monologue that occurs within a character is shown through the eyes, the breath, and the body language.
That is only a brief insight into all that I have learned in the past year – I could simply write a book on it all. Throughout this course so far, I have performed a scene from Federico García Lorca’s Yerma, starred in Pandemonium by BA (Hons) Film Production, played Lady Macbeth in a scene from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and portrayed Louisa Anne Stuart at Highcliffe Castle. The versatility of this course has made my experience here rewarding.
When it comes to my creative process, the two main components are character backstory and actioning the text with adverbs. Whether it’s creating a character from scratch or building upon what is given through the script, an in-depth background is what breathes life into the character. It varies to what the actor deems most useful, but it can range from describing their childhood to listing out their favourite hobbies. Actioning the text is vital for every actor’s process, but personally, I have found that adverbs for each line of dialogue are more functional than simply using verbs. Every artist’s process is different; however, incorporating a daily yoga practice is quite beneficial. Acting is a very physical craft, and you must be in tune with your body, mind, and voice. Yoga provides that clarity of mind and physical warm-up that every actor needs.
Alongside my course, I have modelled for various projects with BA (Hons) Commercial Photography. It has been such an exciting creative outlet and a good opportunity to build up a modelling portfolio. I have also starred in various student films in collaboration with BA (Hons) Film Production. These collaborations have been extremely beneficial for my acting journey, as I am able to apply everything I have learned throughout my course and identify what methods work for me and which areas need improvement. I recently wrapped up filming for 1046, a student film directed by Edward Rastall that is based on a true mystery. With my longest filming span of six days, the entire cast and crew were phenomenal to work with. The story gave me an opportunity to explore my acting skills with a more timid character and the use of accents. From what has been such an enjoyable experience overall, I eagerly await the film’s release.
Because of my extensive networking with other courses, I believe it will be beneficial for me to stay in England. After I graduate, I will move to either London or its outskirts and begin auditioning for every stage production, video game, and film that piques my interest. With the hopes of one day starring in a Victorian film, a horror film, or Avatar 5.
If I were to leave any advice to fellow actors, I would say follow your intuition. Write down everything you learned in the course that you deem useful to your craft in a notebook that you will keep forever. Take advantage of the collaboration between courses, but do not overwork yourself too much.
Finally, I will leave you with something that my director once told me, that I will never forget: “Just because you did not get the role, does not mean you are a terrible actor. It simply means that the role was not meant for you. This industry is 99 nos and one yes. Never give up”.
To see more of Kasandra’s work, visit her website.
