B.F.A. Tech major Ben Truppin-Brown '11 answers some questions to provide a glimpse into the life of an IC theatre student.
Ithaca College Theatre: What do you like about Ithaca College Theatre?
Ben Truppin-Brown: I love being around such incredible talent and drive. It's invigorating, and it leads to creative collaboration between artists on a level to which I have never before been exposed. The department is a full of interesting, quirky people, professors and students alike, and these people really do become your family. It's a simultaneously demanding and supportive environment, designed to allow students to grow as people and as professionals, and to push us past the limits of what we can achieve.
ICT: What has been your favorite Ithaca College production?
BTB: Either Metamorphoses, L'Enfant et Les Sortileges, or A Midsummer Night's Dream. It's tough to say which.
ICT: What do you love about living in Ithaca?
BTB: A lot of things - the sunsets, the snow, Collegetown Bagels, opening nights at Madelines, Shortstop Deli and the State Street Diner (both open all night), the windy road through Buttermilk Falls, 24-Hour Wegmans (and really taking advantage of those hours of operation), and random things outside of Ithaca like Jim's BBQ, Uncle Bill's Antiques, and random adventures around the surrounding rural areas.
ICT: What are some impressions you have of Ithaca College Theatre?
BTB: That we do consistently good work. Shows are generally well attended by students, faculty, and people from the community.
ICT: Sing me a line from your favorite musical.
BTB: "She said 'Give me that hand, please, and the itch you can't control / Let me teach you how to handle all the sadness in your soul...' "
ICT: What are some of your hobbies?
BTB: Anything with music - playing, listening, analyzing, trying to write. I read when I can, watch TV when I can, drive off in search of adventure when I can. I like making mixes around a theme, and I love geeking about about all things audio.
ICT: What do you know about our guest artist series?
BTB: Nothing at the moment. I know that John Lee Beatty visited last fall and gave an outstanding presentation, and we've had some really interesting people visit since as well. I got to sit in on Steve TenEyck's Advanced Lighting Design class one day this spring for a conversation with Robert Moss on director/designer communication and collaboration. We were also able to bring in Adam Matta, a professional beat boxer, for a recording and mixing practical in Advanced Sound Design this spring. I don't know if any of these were part of a guest artist series, but they were definitely great experiences.
ICT: What guest artist would you like to see Ithaca bring in?
BTB: Personally I'd love to see a sound designer in a similar setting to the John Lee Beatty visit, someone who can speak about their creative process, their philosophy on design, and really show people what it is sound designers do.
ICT: What is your favorite spot around Ithaca?
BTB: Dillingham. Or out by the fountain. Or this one spot on 13 south, speeding around the bend on the highway at dusk and looking out over the lake. There's also this one part of the road back to campus from Buttermilk where you come out of the trees and suddenly everything is open, expansive, beautiful, all sky and fields.
ICT: Do you ever go see performanes offered around the community?
BTB: Rarely. I've been to see a couple of shows at the Kitchen Theatre, both of which I had the privilege to have worked on, and I've been over to Cornell once for a show. Reel Big Fish showed up at The Haunt our Freshman year, so some friends and I made it to that. It was incredible.
ICT: Are you a member of any clubs or sports teams or participate in any extracurricular activities?
BTB: Nope. I sometimes wish that I could, but production and homework keep me tied up. I'm fine with that, though. It's what I love and it's why I'm here.
ICT: How do you avoid the drama inherently prevalent in the department?
BTB: What drama?
ICT: What do you do to relax from the stress of classes?
BTB: I might pretend I can actually play the guitar for a bit, or catch up on TV shows online (Canceling Studio 60 was one of the worst ideas NBC ever had!) or cook, or just sit around and do nothing. It's little things, like coming home and not having to wear pants, or putting on good music and lying around with a book, or playing video games with friends that I've found are the most effective ways to unwind.
ICT: Is there a little known fact about the department that you'd like to clue us in on?
BTB: We love our traditions.
ICT: How do you balance your theatre life with life outside the department?
BTB: By finding things to do that aren't necessarily theatre-related. There's always something to do, it's just a matter of being creative.
ICT: What kind of special programs do you think the department should offer (i.e. tips on finding apartments, resume help, audition tips)?
BTB: I think everyone could benefit from resume help, but that's something that you can get by seeking out professors and asking for their advice. I don't know a single professor who would say no to a student asking for their help or input. A seminar on interviews for designers and technicians wouldn't hurt.
