The Journey

BY BRETTE ROTHFIELD, TUFTS STUDENT 1996-2000, ADMINISTRATOR, ALEXANDER MONTESSORI SCHOOL, MIAMI, FL
On my very first day of classes at Tufts University, Tony Cornish was my very first introduction to the Drama Department. Someone told me that someone had told them that if one wanted any chance at getting ahead and starting off in the "Advanced" Acting class, one HAD to find this guy called Tony and schedule an audition. I found him, made my appointment, and after the monologue that I had prepared, he had me do a monologue from a play no one hears of in high school, "Peer Gynt." [He, I later discover, is cleverly scouting out new talent for the show he is directing that fall.] The next day, I found out I got into the class. Tony proceeds to guide me - through one of my favorite scenes from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", to my first on-stage "french kiss" with Miss Julie Fulton in a scene from Stephen Sondheim's "Passion," and later to a climactic montage from one of my favorite plays of all time, David Mamet's "Oleanna." I took 4 classes with Tony over the course of my college career, and he directed me several times, and I don't know if I ever really thanked him enough; so I'm taking this opportunity now to acknowledge Tony's insight, his keen direction, and his ability to empower his students to hone their actions, skill, and talent toward a single vision. Tony, you're awesome, and thank you for taking me on that journey - I'm pretty clear we're both still on it.