Featuring: Gabriel Pena (MFA Acting student)

What drew you to Penn State MFA’s program?

I was initially drawn to Penn State by the faculty. The professors at Penn State are experts in their teaching areas and provide insight based on extensive experience at the highest levels of performance. On a personal level they offer open hearts, sharp intellects, and genuine concern and care towards the development and growth of students. I was also attracted to Penn State’s mission to provide technique(s) that liberate the essence of the individual artist and teach how to apply training to a wide breadth of performance demands, styles, and mediums. This was much more appealing to me than programs that were interested in trying to produce the same, “cookie cutter” types of actors. One last big draw was the chance to be part of a community that values collaboration over competition, that respects traditions of the theatre while being part of cutting-edge explorations of performance, and that is constantly considering how to grow itself and move towards an even brighter, more global vision of excellence, exploration, and inclusivity in theatre, film, and beyond.

What is your favorite class at Penn State?

This is tough, BUT one of my second-year favorites is Shakespeare. It’s a delight exploring the offerings of language and narrative and seeing how some of the amazing first-year classes like Acting, Voice & Speech, and Movement find natural application and elaboration in this work. It’s so cool to witness centuries-old texts brought to life by exploring what is inherent in the work and also what it has in common with, say, hip-hop in Hamilton, Voice and Movement breathing techniques, or Meisner approaches to acting. It is a good example of how the curriculum offers deliciously diverse courses that are organically unified in the goal of developing 21st century actors with profound performance abilities who have various tools at their disposal to make authentic, thoughtful, and meaningful work.

What are the best parts of Penn State’s campus?

Obviously, I gotta mention the theatre building. The studios, offices, and friendly hallways have truly become a home where there’s an abundance of life, friends, and interesting happenings. Beyond the theater though, there are the recreational and food offerings of the ever buzzing HUB – often sound-tracked by a band, student performance or cultural event. An absolute must-see is the arboretum. It’s a short walk from the theater area but feels a world away with it’s beautiful variety of plants, trees, and views of the surrounding mountains. At sunset it’s hard to wish you were anywhere else. Another big draw for many students is the electric atmosphere of the football games at colossal < a href="http://www.gopsusports.com/facilities/beaver-stadium.html">Beaver Stadium. The volleyball and hockey games are also very well attended. The ground floor, café, and “stacks” of the Pattee/Paterno library are lovely environments to spend time in. Another thoughtful and wonderfully filling place to spend time in is the Palmer Museum of Art, with a permanent collection, special exhibits, and events coming through, it’s defiantly a Penn State jewel. Finally, just across the street from the gorgeous wide-open Old Main green, is our quaint, cozy, downtown. Fun to explore with all its cafes, bookstores, farmers markets, restaurants, bars and festivals. Those are highlights but there are many other awesome parts of campus to discover!