ReCAP: December 2011

CAP21 Alumni Homecoming:

Be sure to save the date January 9th, 2012, 7pm-10pm for CAP21 Alumni Homecoming!

The evening festivities will be held at CAP21's new space on the 5th Floor (18 West 18th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenue).

It's going to be a great time! The perfect opportunity to catch up with your CAP21 classmates and faculty! There will be food and drinks, as well as events being held in the different studios. Stay tuned for more details!

So far we've raised $3,186 for the Alumni Scholarship Fund! Help us reach our goal of $10,000 by making a donation today.

To make your donation and join in all the fun Click Here. The site will give you the option to specify what the gift is for, please type "Alumni Fund"

Admission to CAP21 Alumni Homecoming is a $21 tax deductible donation to the CAP21 Alumni Scholarship Fund.

A Special Thanks to the CAP21 Alumni Class Representatives:

1996 – Meg Pryor
1997 – Corrie Cooper
1998 – Nicole Martone
1999 – Michael Miller
2000 – J. Austin Eyer
2001 – Ashley Eichbauer
2002 – Natasha Soto-Albors 
2004 – Katie Gassert
2005 – Mike Blackman
2006 – Richelle Blauvelt
2007 – Maddy Apple
2011 – Britain Gebhardt

Want to help planning the event or join the CAP21 Alumni Committee or serve as your Class Representative? Click Here

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CAP21 Performs in the MACY'S Thanksgiving Day Parade

Congratulations to all the CAP21 Students and Alumni who participated in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which was choreographed by CAP21 alum Austin J. Eyer.

Check out CAP21's performance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:

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Alumni Feature:

We sat down and caught up with CAP21 alums Gabrielle Mongiovi and Meg Pryor, who are currently teaching in the D.A.R.E. Dance Program. Check out what they had to say...

What have you been up to since graduating from CAP21?

Gabrielle: Since graduating from CAP21 I have run the gamut of NYC artist lifestyle. I've entered and won multiple slam poetry competitions, making it to the semi-finals at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. I've been back-up singing for a beautiful songstress and touring all over the city, and various parts of the country,  also helped her win the 2008 Billboard #1 Songwriting Award in the World. I've been in off-off Broadway and off-Broadway productions. And two years ago I had the opportunity to formulate a Christmas musical. I acted as writer, choreographer, co-director and producer. Over 3,000 people saw the show and we even got a raving local review. In my spare time, immediately after graduating, I backpacked around Europe for 2 months by myself and took in 14 countries and 23 cities in 63 days. It was invigorating!

Meg: I've been performing off and on, as well as teaching, choreographing and directing. After Sept. 11th, I moved out of NYC and spent about 8 years doing Regional Theater in Pittsburgh and Florida.  It was when I left New York that I discovered how much I enjoy teaching, and I was lucky enough to get a lot of opportunities to do it.  I taught dance, acting, vocal performance, improv and yoga to kids from preschool to high school, as well as some adult classes.  I was the resident choreographer for the Children's program at a Florida theater, I got to direct some shows for them, and I choreographed some Main Stage shows as well.  I also started teaching yoga at a couple studios in Florida and Pittsburgh, and received my 200-hour Yoga Alliance approved certification last summer.

How did your training at CAP21 help prepare you for teaching in the D.A.R.E. Dance Program?

 Gabrielle: My training at CAP21 helped me train for life! It taught me the value of  intentional work, commitment and possibilities. This is especially  effective for  teaching the D.A.R.E. program because it allowed me as an adult to realize the importance of playing-- to  stretch and imagine and ask myself "hey, what else can I do?" In my class  I place a lot of responsibility on my students because I know that it will empower them. I let them know that their being present in the room is  important but primarily their choice, and how they choose to show up will make the   difference. My training at  CAP21 implemented that in me. That when I show up ready to work, even if I don't have a clue where to begin, I aid in the dynamic and momentum of the class... and there would always be someone to guide me. 

The DARE Dance faculty: (from left to right: Michael Miller, Sue Delano,
Sebastiani Romagnolo, Brandon Michael Airington,, Meg Pryor,
Gabrielle Mongiovi, Katie Gassert, Javier Munoz.)

 Meg: As a student at CAP21, one of my biggest challenges was to let go of my desire to be perfect, and instead just be present and committed.  I think that's important for me to remember as a teacher, and it's definitely something I strive to instill in all the people I teach, especially the kids.

 
Meg Pryor with her D.A.R.E.Dance students.

What is your favorite CAP21 story or anecdote?

Gabrielle: I'm certain it involves Eliza Ventura...this woman is just full of gems! Okay, I'll tell this one. My time at CAP21 was arduous and often very physically demanding on me. I was commuting an hour and change from the north east Bronx with a full school-load, shows, a job, rehearsals, etc.. and I often found myself thoroughly exhausted...and late for class.. a BIG no-no. My 3rd year in CAP21 Eliza was my acting teacher and I felt that we had a kismet bond somehow between us. and because of it I felt she was extra hard on me. I knew I'd thank her later. We all had one on one meetings with our acting teachers to get feedback on our work and the direction we needed to go in. I sat down with her excited to hear about my work and she said I can't tell you to make your objections clearer or be more in your body or look more deeply into the text. I can't tell you the things I tell other students because you're doing them already. What I will tell you is that in the professional world people will not tolerate your lateness (to which I began to cry. I felt I was trying my best, after all.) Then she told me to just take the (bleeping) note and be done with it! The next day some of us were going to L.A. for the Tisch Gala that year and I came in SUPER early with my luggage for the week, my props for class, costumes, the works. Did I mention I had also been sick with bronchitis that week? Eliza and I shared the elevator that morning. She took one look at me, smiled and said, "Ahh yes, laugh in the face of adversity," cackled and then marched off the elevator! It was priceless. But I'll tell you what, I am now rarely late.

Meg: Oh man, there is no way I can pick just one!  I was so lucky to go to school with a pretty amazing group of people: not just amazingly talented, but just great, clever, fun people.  I have great memories, suffice it to say.

What's next for you?

Gabrielle: Hmmm, that has been the question for some time now. I'm considering going in a completely different direction and going back to school for Horticulure and Herbology. I recently started gardening (yes in NYC) and it's really been a source of fulfillment. I have a vision of starting up community garden centers in low-income communities that would operate with the welfare system and educate adults and children about nutrition and delicious, savory food that is inexpensive and great for you. My big dream is growing and producing my own wine on my own vineyard. I still want to perform and am still on the grind auditioning, dance classes, yoga, sharpening my skills and finding my niche. But I've realized that my getting on Broadway will only fuel and fulfill bigger dreams and greater heights. I'm looking forward to them all.

Meg: Who knows?!  I'm definitely still trying to get back in to the swing of things in the New York acting world.  I'm enjoying doing the teaching that I get to do so far, and am working on doing more of that, especially yoga.  I have the inspiration to start an arts-based outreach program in the city for the kids that are being neglected by our current educational system.  It's still definitely in the inspiration phase, but I'm excited about the idea and eager to watch it take shape.

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ALUMS ON FILM/TV:  Bradford Anderson (General Hospital), Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl, Heroes, House of Lies), Justine Cotsonas (As the World Turns), Melissa Fumero (Gossip Girl), Ann Hu (Still Standing), Jamie Lee Kirchner (Mercy), Liza Lapira (Crazy, Stupid Love, Dexter), Karla Mosley (Guiding Light), Ryan Murray (Guiding Light), Matthew Morrison (Glee), Ali Stroker (Sesame Street), Jason Tam (One Life To Live).

ALUMS ON BROADWAY:  Cara Cooper (Jersey Boys), Holly Davis (Sister Act),  J. Austin Eyer (How To Succeed...), Jared Gertner (Book of Morman), Geoffrey Goldberg (Mary Poppins), Liana Hunt (Mamma Mia), Adam Jacobs (The Lion King), Nikki M. James (Book of Mormon), Tony Mansker (Mary Poppins), Dennis Moench (Mary Poppins), Jacob Pinion (Mamma Mia), Nick Spangler (The Book of Mormon).

ALUMS ON TOUR:   Hannah Chin (Mary Poppins), Emily Cramer (SHREK), Elizabeth Early (Mary Poppins), Brandon Espinosa (Bring It On),  Eric Giancola (Mary Poppins), Liana Hunt (Mamma Mia),  Jared Joseph (Dreamgirls), Lisa Kassay (Mary Poppins), Nicole Laurenzi (Mamma Mia), Marissa Lupp (Wicked), Matthew Myers (Jesus Christ Superstar), Dan Pacheco (Wicked), Chuck Rea (Mary Poppins), Ryann Redmond (Bring It On),  Pearl Sun (Next to Normal).