Support Ian's Journey to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting

Hello! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Ian. I’m 22 years old, from Long Island, NY, and have been living in Washington, DC, for the past 4 years completing my undergraduate degree at Georgetown University. I’m the child of two Brazilian immigrants, who had and raised my older sister and I in the United States because they were brave enough to dream of a bright, bright future. And, though life hasn’t always been easy, that virtue of a dreamer is what I credit to having brought me to where I am today.

Anyone close to me knows that the arts are my entire existence. I don’t remember my first interaction with music — that’s how long I’ve been in love with it. First, as a keyboardist, then cellist, and finally, as a singer. Music has been my heart for what feels like lifetimes, has been the pinnacle of my joy, and has saved me in my lowest of moments. It will always be an essential shard of my life force. But, admittedly, my entire existence changed when I discovered musical theatre, and, in turn, acting. There, I found my soul. What I’ve never told anyone is that acting completely and utterly saved my life when it felt as though my purpose was nonexistent. It sounds strange, but creating homes within myself for characters to live in has taught me more about the Ian writing this message than anything else ever has. That is how life works, I’ve learned. To discover others is to discover ourselves. To dream with others is how our dreams come true. All this to say, the good news is, I’ve had the unbelievable honor of being accepted into the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. The bad news is, the tuition costs are unfortunately a bit far out of my reach.

To keep things brief, I’ll tell you that it feels unnatural for me to be here. I don’t love asking for help, much less when it involves money, and even less so when there are so many important, vital causes to be tended to in this incredibly tumultuous world we’re living in. But, my circumstances are what they are, and aid/community are what have continuously lifted me up since birth. So…here I am. Attending Adler would mean studying under some of the most tenaciously wise and astounding professionals New York has to offer, and inching a step closer to making the world of performing someplace I could one day live in. But, to do so, I would need your help. If you’re willing and have a few dollars to spare, it would mean more than you know for you to help get me there. I can’t promise to be able to give much back to you in this moment, but I can promise to one day be there for the next boy/girl/dreamer who is standing where I am today and needs a helping hand along the way. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you stay well.

With love,

Ian