To Whom It May Concern:
Growing up, my family and I moved around constantly. My mother, now a retired, served in the United States Army for seventeen years; bestowing upon my brothers and I the title of “Army Brat”. From the Philippine Islands to Florida; to Georgia, Stuttgart and Wurzburg, Germany, and more, I have been exposed to many different cultures and lifestyles. One might infer that a migratory upbringing would be difficult—and in some ways it can be—but the upside to being a nomadic child was that I never got bored. I had my brothers with me and I learned how to quickly and efficiently adapt to new environments and personalities. This instinct to keep moving forward has enabled me to journey from Southeast Georgia, where I earned my BA in Theatre, to New York City, where I earned my MFA in Acting, and back to Southeast Georgia, where I currently teach at Georgia Southern University.
Presently, I am completing an Assistant Professorship of Theatre at Georgia Southern University, my alma mater. What I have learned in the classroom this year from my students has been invaluable. I have learned more from observing them than I ever thought I would in such a short time. Every young person learns differently and I am deeply interested in furthering my education in theatre so that I can best impart my knowledge of theatre via as many avenues as possible. My article, “Black Theatre in the Hands of Generation X,” published in the August/September 2006 edition of Black Masks was a topic of discussion in one of my theatre classes one morning. The subject of my lecture was Black Theatre: 1829-Present. I shared this passionate essay with my students and in reading the article, their eyes seemed to have be opened to whole new world; the world of African-American theatre. Observing this newfound awareness and excitement in my students is a testament to my belief that in the struggle to be heard, the power of the pen can be the mightiest weapon for change.
It is my belief that both scholastic achievement and performance ability are an integral part of theatre as a whole. I have dreams of performing, writing, teaching, and producing meaningful and necessary works that will be of importance to the world at large. I feel strongly that my goal to continue my education will afford me the tools needed for making lasting impression in the Arts.
Sincerely,
Kristyl