Ananya Barman

The first year of this fellowship has taught me a lot more than I had expected. It taught me about the lives of my students but it has also taught me a lot about myself. Year 1 was a personal journey towards a greater understanding of India. I came to this field with my own biases about the world and its people. I brought with me to my classroom my own experiences of schooling that inspired me to be better. My classroom was to me, in my idealistic imaginations, the very ideal of the society I wanted to create but soon I met with challenges that also challenged my core beliefs about not only myself but also the lives of my students and the India beyond. I had the opportunity to meet and become friends with those who were very different from me. The differences among those within the organization and those within the community has changed the way I see the world today. The first year of this fellowship has prepared me for what I intend to continue to do in my classroom and beyond; and that is learning and application.

I was responsible for script writing, I often collaborated with students to co-create stories together. This work was more than just professional work for someone like me. I wanted to teach them with love and I did. I learnt a lot from them about friendship and commitment. My boss was more like my mother than someone I just worked for. She taught me to act like a teacher, to play the part. She taught me invaluable skills like communication and building relations. She is the ideal of the good teacher that I carried with me to my classroom. The experiences I've shared with my boss as well as my students ignited the passion for the work that I do today.

• Assisted with costume fittings and make-up applications when needed.
• Collaborated with directors to create a believable performance.
• Developed strong vocal projection skills for large theater venues.
• Mastered comedic timing through rehearsal of comedic scenes.
• Gained experience with improvisational techniques while performing on stage.
• Conducted research on historical periods related to certain plays or characters.
• Managed time efficiently between multiple rehearsals for multiple shows.
• Attended rehearsals to practice lines, blocking, and movements as directed by the director.
• Received constructive criticism from directors in order to improve performances
• Provided feedback to other cast members regarding their line delivery or blocking.
• Worked collaboratively with other actors in order to maintain continuity throughout performances.
• Adapted quickly to changes in direction from the director or choreographer.
• Studied different acting methods such as Stanislavsky's system or Meisner technique.
• Studied and memorized scripts to learn lines and cues.
• Conveyed each character's story through speech, body language and movement.
• Attended small group meetings and dress rehearsals ahead of final shows.
• Collaborated with other actors to brainstorm ideas.
• Communicated characters or situations to audience through speech, body language and movement.
• Drafted social media posts related to current projects or appearances in order to engage viewers or fans.