A small group of students from Howard’s College of Fine Arts spent the summer at Magdalen College at the University of Oxford for the British American Drama Academy (BADA) International Midsummer program.
The month-long program is designed for approximately 90 student actors and actresses to take classes and get training from working professionals in the field, specifically on Shakespearean acting. Eight Howard students and two alumni attended this summer.
Joshua Leggett, a senior acting major from Chester, Virginia, found that learning from BADA professors was the highlight of his summer.
“The way they instructed us was handled with so much care, attention, and detail. It was reassuring to know your professors are looking out for you in that way and care enough to take the time to pour into you specifically what you need,” Leggett said.
Actor Chadwick Boseman, with encouragement from Phylicia Rashad and sponsorship from Denzel Washington, participated in the program during his time at Howard University while wanting to be a writer/director. After coming back to the States, Boseman considered acting.
“I didn’t think I was going to get into it… When I came back, I began to feel like, ‘Oh, now I know what it means to be an actor. There’s a difference between being able to do it and being it,’” Boseman said in a 2018 interview with American Way magazine.
Students were on a 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekday schedule where they learned acting techniques based on Shakespeare, participated in master classes, and rehearsed and prepared for their final project, a scene from various Shakespeare plays. They performed on the Oxford campus to showcase the things they’ve learned over the summer.
BADA’s first Midsummer program was started by Tony Branch and Carolyn Sands in 1984. The academy quickly expanded, starting partnerships with Yale School of Drama, Sarah Lawrence College, and recently added Howard to their list.
BADA students were not only taught how to be better actors, but they also got the opportunity to travel to London, attend Shakespeare’s plays, and work with other actors.
Tziah McNair, a senior musical theater major from Madison, Wisconsin, said he was surprised by the immersive experience of live theater in London. He also said he noticed the theaters had less seats and most audience members had to stand. In some parts of the play, the audience interacted with cast members, which McNair said, was eye-opening.
McNair, who has also previously studied abroad, said he struggled with embracing the difference between a predominately white institution and a historically black college but found it to be a wake-up call necessary in understanding the acting world.
“Having different backgrounds all at the table and being able to contribute and have different perspectives was exciting and it was really interesting,” McNair said.
Leggett said he experienced culture shock while visiting the UK. He previously studied abroad in Morocco but said the intensity of the acting program made this experience different.
“That first week was rough just because of how much of an intense program this is, and also adjusting to the time change. But you get acclimated quickly. One of my ensemble members described it as a marathon at the rate of a sprint, which I found very accurate,” Leggett said.
The students met people from all over the world, but they said it was refreshing to connect and build relationships with their peers from Howard.
“It’s refreshing getting to see my peers outside of the environment that I see them in with the same or even more passion, grind, and love for the craft,” Davis said.
McNair said she never felt alone because she had other students from Howard there with her.
“I had people who were here with me who had my back, who like at the end of the day, I could go to their room and talk about this, that, and the third. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I’m so glad that they were here with me, I never felt alone,” McNair said.
On the first Saturday of August, the program ended with Open Day and the Farewell Party. The cohort of students presented their scene work for guests and their families to showcase what they learned.
“I’ve learned a lot about ways to surrender myself to failing and trying new things. Not being stuck to the same cadence or the same tactic or whatever,” Legget said. This has just been a great experience to be able to get out of my head and into my body and trust it.”
Copy edited by Anijah Franklin
