You Want to Act Better

BY SENDHIL RAMAMURTHY, TUFTS STUDENT 1992-1996, ACTOR, LOS ANGELES, CA
Tony Cornish changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but I am an actor after all and it is true. I had never acted before the second semester of my Sophmore year at Tufts. I was a pre-med Frat boy who had never even been to the theatre. I took my first acting class with Tony to satisfy my arts credit for graduation because I thought it would be easy. I couldn't have been more wrong. Tony Cornish was hard on me and rightly so. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. His first note to me after completing a scene from "Barefoot in the Park" was "Sendhil......acting is more than memorizing lines". His only note to me whilst directing me in "The Winter's Tale" was "Sendhil.......you want to act better". He was right both times.

But once I made it clear that I wanted to act as a profession, Tony couldn't have been more supportive. He told me if I wanted to be an actor I needed training and then proceeded to coach me twice a week for 6 weeks for my audition at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. I got in. Whilst at Webber, Tony always checked in on me and very graciously agreed to direct the audition presentation Webber arranged in New York for American graduates which led to my first agent. I should also mention that I met my wife at Webber as well and we are expecting our first child. So you see, Tony really did change my life.

Tony and I kept in touch over the years. We would meet up for drinks whenever he was passing through New York and he was always keen to hear how my career was progressing (or not progressing). I am rambling a bit here, but I guess what I am trying to say is THANK YOU TONY. For believing in me and supporting me all these years. I am a professional actor who makes his living solely from acting and you are a large part of why that is true. I hate that I am saying all this when you are no longer with us, but I have a feeling they have a much faster internet connection where you are and you are reading not only my post, but posts from all the other students whose lives you touched. Linda and Simon, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and that Tony and his support was greatly greatly appreciated.