Emily Pintel is a theatre and psychology double major who is rocking her senior year with a lead role in the Theatre Department’s main stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Her Campus recently caught up with Emily to chat about her time here, the theatre department and what this role means to her.
Her Campus: What made you want to pursue theatre?
Emily Pintel: The first role I ever played was the scarecrow in my kindergarten’s production of The Wizard of Oz. I’ve been either acting in classes or in shows ever since so continuing in college was just a natural progression.
HC: So what interested you about Skidmore’s theatre department, specifically?
EP: I have loved my experience in our theatre department. As theatre majors, we get the chance to work in many different acting techniques as well as in every other aspects of the theatre. We get and are required to try acting, directing, costuming, lighting, sound, scenic construction, design, and management roles no matter what your concentration is. Similarly, being at a liberal arts school instead of a conservatory presents the way we receive our training in a much more expansive way. For example, here at Skidmore I can also be a Psychology double major. Theater majors are required to take history, literary and diversity classes along with having the freedom to take whatever interests us. A conservatory does not give their students that kind of freedom to shape their individual learning. This style of learning is so important to me because as theatre artists one need to know the world, not just how to memorize a monologue.
HC: Tell us about your time acting here. What other productions have you been in?
EP: I feel that I’ve been very lucky with the opportunities I’ve had at Skidmore. From all of the training our department provides in classes, to the way our company works, and through the student projects I’ve gotten to be a part of, I feel I’ve gotten a very eclectic, expansive training. I’ve also been in the main stage productions of The Women, Nunky Gruel, A Servant of Two Masters, and Romeo and Juliet along with the Black Box Lab production of Self Fictionalize.
HC: Which has been your favorite show so far?
EP: I think my favorite experience so far would have to have been Nunky Gruel, which was directed by Skidmore alum, Yehuda Duenyas. We got to completely change the space in the JKB theatre and because it was a ‘world premier’ we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted with the script and concept of the show.
HC: Have you done any theatre programs outside of Skidmore?
EP: Yes. When I was in high school I went to the NHSI Theatre Arts, or the “cherub” program at Northwestern. Last fall, I was at the British American Drama Academy’s acting conservatory in London I spent last summer at Shakespeare & Company’s summer training institute.
HC: So I’m sure you’re excited about A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Tell us about your role.
EP: I am playing the role of Hermia. The play is set in Athens and eventually turns into a fantastical dreamland set in the Athenian woods. Hermia is one of the four lovers who all end up getting mixed up from a magic flower that was put in their eyes by the fairies of the wood.
HC: What is different about this play versus others you’ve acted in?
EP: The director of our show is Skidmore alum and Shakespeare & Company member, Doug Seldin. A lot of what we are doing in rehearsals comes from the work done at Shakes&Co. It is a lot of Linklater (as in Kristin Linklater) voice work and other unique methods developed at Shakespeare & Company.
HC: What have you learned from Midsummer?
EP: I am really enjoying getting to continue my training from this summer and really exploring this text. I’m continuing to learn to find the freedom in the form that Doug is putting on our blocking and our character development.
HC: What is your plan for theatre after college?
EP: I will most likely be auditioning for graduate school.
HC: What would you tell someone who is on the fence of seeing the show?
EP: Come see our show! It’s going to be absolutely fantastic! We have a stellar cast and a bit of something for everyone.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens Nov. 16 and will play through Nov. 30 until Dec. 2. You can reserve tickets by emailing the box office at boxoffice@skidmore.edu. Make sure to support Emily and the entire cast by catching a showing of this renowned play!