LOOKING BACK ON MIO 2018 BY OSCAR FABELA
When I got accepted to BADA’s Midsummer in Oxford 2018 Program, I knew I was in for a treat, but I didn’t know it would be the launch of a rocket ship that would open a new artistic world for me. Having very recently graduated as a Master of Fine in Acting from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television, I felt like I had a lot of training and experience to offer my BADA faculty, my peers, and myself. I truly felt that the tools I had acquired as a Graduate student could only enhance my experience at BADA. I was very quickly shaken by the fact that our astoundingly astonishing talented and accomplished faculty here in Oxford would uncover parts I didn’t know I had. Madeline Potter said early in our course here: “You must absolutely need every word. Need. Every. Word. And be hungry for it. Starve for it from your liver.” I had no idea what she meant, and was honestly, quite confused, yet dove right in to the work.
As we went on into our courses with our different teachers, it was great to see how all of their techniques, albeit incredibly different, were cohesive. It wasn’t until our trip to see Romeo and Juliet that I knew what Ms. Potter meant. Every word was extremely necessary and although the scansion was important to notice, every single word was written for a reason. For the first time in my artistic journey, I have very clearly witnessed how the artistic discipline of an artist is in complete and total synchronicity with the professional actors working at the top of their ranks. This was only further proved with every single Guest Artist that came to our Master Classes and gave lectures. Language matters. That’s what I’m taking away from this entire experience. Language is the most important tool to an actor. However, language can’t be expressed WITHOUT an actor, and this is where the beautiful relationship between an Actor and the Drama on the page marries so beautifully. I can’t thank BADA enough for putting the people in my path that have shown me that I am nothing without the language, but the language is also nothing without me. What an astoundingly beautiful relationship! Also Oxford is incredibly beautiful. Thank you for setting me up to live at Hogwarts!!
by Oscar Fabela