October 2, 1998: Volume 44, Number 4

Three Learn Acting With the Masters

Three students – Ari Gottlieb '99, Chris Welch '00 and Amy Rilling '98 – honed their acting skills last summer with the best in the business.

The Union trio attended the British American Acting Academy at Balliol College of Oxford University outside London to take a series of master's classes in Shakespeare and contemporary theater with the likes of Ben Kingsley, Alan Rickman, Derek Jacobi, Fiona Shaw and Kevin Spacey – widely regarded as some of the finest actors of the day.

Classes were long and rigorous, according to Welch, who said a typical day involved about 12 hours of movement, voice, Shakespeare and modern drama. "I never even had a chance to see London," he said of his schedule.

The three were selected after auditioning with Bill Lacey of Boston University, who recently was guest director for the College production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Lacey also played the lead role in God Delivers, a 1995 production about President Eliphalet Nott.

"It was really cool to be around people who are the best in the business who really enjoyed sharing their knowledge," said Welch.

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