Dear faculty members from the board of acting concentration,
My name is J, a second-year student at ASU majoring in theatre. I wish to express my intention to pursue my passion for acting, while learning new skills to improve and become a better version of myself. Being from Yangzhou, China, which has a rich architectural and literary history, I have a background that supports my intentions to become an actor. Yangzhou sits at Yangtze River’s north bank, and it is often mentioned in various poems, some from as far back as a thousand years ago. The history of the city motivates me to be an actor because I believe I will have a chance to popularize it further and continue its legacy. The city is famous for the “Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou,” a group that consisted of eight painters, playwrights, and sculptors. I am aware that I cannot become a painter, playwright, or a sculptor. However, I can carry the legacy of those people by doing what I love the most, which is acting, thereby making me the ninth eccentric.
The education system that I underwent back in China did not give me the opportunity to act as much as I would have wished to do. For example, I never performed in live theatre shows, except for one time when I played as a tour guide. Even then, my only role was to say, “Welcome to Yangzhou!” Now, I am more knowledgeable and eager to participate in more involving capacities. I now understand and appreciate the fact that theatre comes in many different shapes and forms. Moreover, theatre allows someone to tell his or her story about anything to other people, something that excites me.
Having received a much better education than most people in my native country, I believe I have an opportunity to help them understand acting better. In China, many people categorize Beijing Opera actors as singers. Therefore, people do not understand the concepts of an actor or an actant, as evidenced by the fact that they compare a live Shakespeare performance to a Beijing Opera or Xiangsheng. Additionally, I wish to use acting to be a voice for my community. The Asian community has been known for being silent in many global matters. However, with times changing, it is becoming necessary for countries to have a voice. I believe that acting will allow me to speak on behalf of my community and nation. My exposure to a different culture and education system puts me in a better position than most people back in my country.
With the world experiencing many chaotic happenings, I wish to use my acting skills to speak for the vulnerable communities. I have had traumatic experiences that have made me want to stand for the truth, even if it is unpopular. For example, my experiences with racism have made me ready to tell people that discriminating against people based on their race is wrong. I want to be one of the best actors who has the necessary traditional and experimental skills. I do not place any limits on what I can achieve in my acting career. Therefore, I want to explore all the possible choices that an actor can make and experiment as much as possible to attain my full potential. Therefore, I am deeply grateful for being in the acting concentration program because it gives me the opportunity to achieve all the goals and objectives I have as an actor.
Best Regards,