Help me continue at AADA!
Donation protected
Hello!
My name is Sam, I'm 20 and I was recently invited back to second year at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City!
For a bit of background, I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and I have been acting since I was in Grade 5 where I played Linus in A Charlie Brown Christmas and I am now 3 years out of the Victoria School of the Arts where I went to High School and got to perform in many shows including The Grapes of Wrath, Miracle on 34th Street, A Second of Pleasure and many more. While at Vic I also had the opportunity to work backstage on every show that I wasn't on stage for in my Grade 12 year, the first role I had was Crew Chief for our production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and I was also able to direct a one-act show called Two Beers and a Hook Shot. Since graduating I've been able to perform in some local productions of She Loves Me in which I played Arpad
and West Side Story in which I played A-Rab
and a few other locally written shows. So if you didn't already know, I want to be an actor, or generally just a theatre artist and AADA is my next step. I love theatre, I have loved theatre for as long as I can remember, nothing else in the world makes me happier than doing theatre. Normally kids have savings or more financial support but as fortunate as I am to come from a family of artists with all the incredible moral support I get from them about wanting to be an artist, they are unable to support me financially as much as they might like to, which is why I made this GoFundMe page to see if there are any amazingly supportive and generous people out there who might be able to donate to help me pay for my second year of tuition and expenses.
You might have a couple questions and I am more than happy to answer! If you have any other questions about AADA, my experience here, or anything else please feel free to contact me.
"How did your first year go Sam?" This past year has been the best year of my life to put it simply. When I first arrived in NYC back in September I was really excited but also terrified, I didn't know a single person here and I was no longer in a familiar country let alone a familiar city so you can imagine how overwhelmed I was when my cab pulled up to AADA for the first time and I could see the Empire State building towering up above me. I lived in the residence at AADA this past year where I met some of my now closest friends (2 of whom I now live with in an apartment in Harlem) and my wonderful girlfriend who I have now been dating for 6 months with no signs of stopping. For a little context, I've never felt like I really fit in most places back in Edmonton, I always felt just a bit out of place like this wasn't where I was supposed to be or who I was supposed to be around. Of course not everywhere and everyone made me feel like this but it was often enough that I had just sort of accepted that that was how my life was, until I got to AADA. This school, this city now feels like home. I have a place here and I never thought I would feel like this. I never thought I could be this happy.
"That's great but how were the classes?" The classes at AADA are incredible, I have learned so much about myself as an artist and as a person through the work we've done in every class. I learned how to take care of my instrument (which is myself), I've learned how to breathe when my brain forgets to, I've learned how to live in the imaginary circumstances of each scene I was able to rehearse, and I've learned how to apply everything to my acting. It's impossible to explain everything I've learned in this past year without writing an entire essay, but it's been the best learning experience of my life.
"What parts did you play in your acting class?" I was very lucky this year I got to explore some really amazing roles in some fantastic plays. Here is the list:
Warren - This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan (twice)
Justin - After Ashley by Gina Gionfriddo
Andy - The Star-Spangled Girl by Neil Simon
Bruce - Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang
Eddie - Pocatello by Samuel D Hunter
Pony - SubUrbia by Eric Bogosian
Now for the money stuff.
Here is a breakdown of the full cost of my second year at AADA:
Tuition: $32,440usd
Insurance: $1,860usd
Tuition deposit (DUE JULY 10th): $750usd
Books & Supplies: $550usd
Total for school: $35,600usd
I have been very fortunate to receive a total of $10,000usd in scholarships from the school based on merit and need bringing my total down to: $25,600usd
My living expenses
Rent: $870usd
Phone, power, and internet bill: $130usd
Groceries: $150usd
Monthly living expenses: $1150usd
I do currently have a job at my school which allows me to cover rent and a bit of my living expenses which is really great.
If you have any bit of money to spare I will be forever grateful even if it's just $10 to buy me lunch one day, any bit of money helps and as an incentive for, if I get $1200 in donations for this year then I will post videos of me doing my monologue from Hamlet and my monologue from Long Day's Journey Into Night that I got to work on throughout the year. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read this, and thank you even more so if you are in a generous mood and are able to donate.
Here are a few more pictures from shows I have done back in Edmonton and some pictures from my time here in NYC
My headshot
A scene in She Loves Me
Intro monologue in Die Nasty's Soap-A-Thon
A scene from Exposure
Guys and Dolls
Rehearsal for Guys and Dolls
The end of a short film I was in
The skyline coming back on the Staten Island Ferry
The set of Dear Evan Hansen
Me in front of the Friends building in the Village
The set of The Price starring AADA Alum Danny DeVito
My girlfriend and I in Central Park
The set of The Lightning Thief
My fellow castmates of Pocatello and I
My first term section, section 7, and our acting teacher Burke. I had recently injured my foot in movement class which is why I'm sitting and only wearing the one shoe
My second term section, section 3, and our acting teacher Zenon
The chalkboard wall of floor 9 after we had all left
A picture of my favourite band, The Wonder Years, playing Webster Hall
One of my other favourite bands, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, playing The Basement at Webster Hall
The view from the fire escape at my new apartment
Thank you again!
My name is Sam, I'm 20 and I was recently invited back to second year at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City!
For a bit of background, I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and I have been acting since I was in Grade 5 where I played Linus in A Charlie Brown Christmas and I am now 3 years out of the Victoria School of the Arts where I went to High School and got to perform in many shows including The Grapes of Wrath, Miracle on 34th Street, A Second of Pleasure and many more. While at Vic I also had the opportunity to work backstage on every show that I wasn't on stage for in my Grade 12 year, the first role I had was Crew Chief for our production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast and I was also able to direct a one-act show called Two Beers and a Hook Shot. Since graduating I've been able to perform in some local productions of She Loves Me in which I played Arpad
and West Side Story in which I played A-Rab and a few other locally written shows. So if you didn't already know, I want to be an actor, or generally just a theatre artist and AADA is my next step. I love theatre, I have loved theatre for as long as I can remember, nothing else in the world makes me happier than doing theatre. Normally kids have savings or more financial support but as fortunate as I am to come from a family of artists with all the incredible moral support I get from them about wanting to be an artist, they are unable to support me financially as much as they might like to, which is why I made this GoFundMe page to see if there are any amazingly supportive and generous people out there who might be able to donate to help me pay for my second year of tuition and expenses.You might have a couple questions and I am more than happy to answer! If you have any other questions about AADA, my experience here, or anything else please feel free to contact me.
"How did your first year go Sam?" This past year has been the best year of my life to put it simply. When I first arrived in NYC back in September I was really excited but also terrified, I didn't know a single person here and I was no longer in a familiar country let alone a familiar city so you can imagine how overwhelmed I was when my cab pulled up to AADA for the first time and I could see the Empire State building towering up above me. I lived in the residence at AADA this past year where I met some of my now closest friends (2 of whom I now live with in an apartment in Harlem) and my wonderful girlfriend who I have now been dating for 6 months with no signs of stopping. For a little context, I've never felt like I really fit in most places back in Edmonton, I always felt just a bit out of place like this wasn't where I was supposed to be or who I was supposed to be around. Of course not everywhere and everyone made me feel like this but it was often enough that I had just sort of accepted that that was how my life was, until I got to AADA. This school, this city now feels like home. I have a place here and I never thought I would feel like this. I never thought I could be this happy.
"That's great but how were the classes?" The classes at AADA are incredible, I have learned so much about myself as an artist and as a person through the work we've done in every class. I learned how to take care of my instrument (which is myself), I've learned how to breathe when my brain forgets to, I've learned how to live in the imaginary circumstances of each scene I was able to rehearse, and I've learned how to apply everything to my acting. It's impossible to explain everything I've learned in this past year without writing an entire essay, but it's been the best learning experience of my life.
"What parts did you play in your acting class?" I was very lucky this year I got to explore some really amazing roles in some fantastic plays. Here is the list:
Warren - This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan (twice)
Justin - After Ashley by Gina Gionfriddo
Andy - The Star-Spangled Girl by Neil Simon
Bruce - Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang
Eddie - Pocatello by Samuel D Hunter
Pony - SubUrbia by Eric Bogosian
Now for the money stuff.
Here is a breakdown of the full cost of my second year at AADA:
Tuition: $32,440usd
Insurance: $1,860usd
Tuition deposit (DUE JULY 10th): $750usd
Books & Supplies: $550usd
Total for school: $35,600usd
I have been very fortunate to receive a total of $10,000usd in scholarships from the school based on merit and need bringing my total down to: $25,600usd
My living expenses
Rent: $870usd
Phone, power, and internet bill: $130usd
Groceries: $150usd
Monthly living expenses: $1150usd
I do currently have a job at my school which allows me to cover rent and a bit of my living expenses which is really great.
If you have any bit of money to spare I will be forever grateful even if it's just $10 to buy me lunch one day, any bit of money helps and as an incentive for, if I get $1200 in donations for this year then I will post videos of me doing my monologue from Hamlet and my monologue from Long Day's Journey Into Night that I got to work on throughout the year. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read this, and thank you even more so if you are in a generous mood and are able to donate.
Here are a few more pictures from shows I have done back in Edmonton and some pictures from my time here in NYC
My headshotA scene in She Loves MeIntro monologue in Die Nasty's Soap-A-ThonA scene from ExposureGuys and DollsRehearsal for Guys and DollsThe end of a short film I was inThe skyline coming back on the Staten Island FerryThe set of Dear Evan HansenMe in front of the Friends building in the VillageThe set of The Price starring AADA Alum Danny DeVitoMy girlfriend and I in Central ParkThe set of The Lightning ThiefMy fellow castmates of Pocatello and IMy first term section, section 7, and our acting teacher Burke. I had recently injured my foot in movement class which is why I'm sitting and only wearing the one shoeMy second term section, section 3, and our acting teacher ZenonThe chalkboard wall of floor 9 after we had all leftA picture of my favourite band, The Wonder Years, playing Webster HallOne of my other favourite bands, Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties, playing The Basement at Webster HallThe view from the fire escape at my new apartmentThank you again!
Organizer
Sam Banigan
Organizer
New York, NY