News - Carnegie Mellon University: Leslie Odom, Jr. told current Carnegie Mellon School of Drama students that “Hamilton” provided him the first opportunity to utilize “every bit” of the training he received at CMU.
“When you are handed a masterpiece,” he said, “it demands more – and conversely, less – of you. Tricks don’t work. You need to lean on your pure training.”
2 comments:
This event was super cool to be at. I got comp tickets provided by the School of Drama and it was really a great experience. The other DP’s and I went to this event, and we managed to get the chair signed which was a bonus. However, at the event, Leslie gave really valuable information that every person brings something different to the table, and you should be proud of that uniqueness. He seemed very genuine and really happy to be talking to other drama School of Drama students. He is a very cool person and it was a great conversation to be able to see and watch unfold on the stage. He also came to Purnell for the first time since he had graduated, I believe, and he spoke to all of the actors and music theatre majors in the checco which seemed to have been pretty wonderful. In this time, he also spoke about how his purpose as a Black artist is to “To put forth truthful renderings of Black life.” which is very powerful, and inspired, proved, and furthered the ideas to some of the students, and reassured them the reasons why they continue to perform.
As a stage manager, and Theatre, lover, in general, being at this event was so fascinating to me. Because I've enlarged part, what you talked about, was very much from a performer or director standpoint. But he also talked about being a creative in general. How you need to do, soul searching, how to lean on community in your support system. Things like that. But there are two moments from the event that really stood out to me as someone in the theatre community. The first one was when he was talking about doing 'Purlie Victorious'. He talked about how it was essential for him to do that show because he simply couldn't let anyone else do it worse and let that injustice exist, and he couldn't let anyone else do it better because then he would've wanted to be a part of it. He simply had to work on it. It's things like that that remind me the theater is art. And Art has something to say. And we make a lot of Theatre. So it's important to find the pieces that speak to you. Another moment that really really stood out was when he reminded all that the theater is like a temple. We were reminded how so many people sit and gather in silence. It's a place where people gather to be themselves in a safe environment. It's a space where people gather to be transported, to forget, to remember, to feel. It's a space where people gather. And really that's enough.
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