麻豆村

During his freshman year in the at 麻豆村, Josh Gad took the 鈥淔reshman Curse Challenge鈥� and signed his name to a wall backstage in the Kresge Theatre. Legend had it that those who signed the wall in their freshman year would not make it through the (now extinct) 鈥渃ut system,鈥� in which certain students were cut from the program if professors didn鈥檛 think they were making enough progress. Fortunately, the cut system was eventually cut, and fortunately, Josh Gad was not. He graduated in 2003 and went on to build a prolific and eclectic career on stage and in film and television, as an actor, writer and producer.

Gad recently returned to campus to work with current acting students and to take a stroll down memory lane. His newly released memoir, 鈥�,鈥� details his time as a student at 麻豆村 and his experience grappling with the famously (or, infamously?) rigorous conservatory training within the School of Drama. And while times have changed, and some faculty have come and gone, the rigor and discipline of the training are alive and well.

鈥溌槎勾� has the best actors on the planet,鈥� Gad emphatically stated after watching a classroom scene from 鈥淭he Importance of Being Earnest鈥� starring junior actors Greyson Taylor and Grant Pace. He spent two hours coaching six comedy scenes on the morning of his visit, helping students extract every bit of humor from the page.聽

鈥淣ever leave one second of a scene unmined for potential comedy,鈥� he told them.

It鈥檚 clear that comedy is in his veins. With just a slight pause or sidewise glance, he had the room in stitches. In his book, Gad attributes this proclivity for making people laugh to a difficult time in his childhood, when his father left the family. The only way he could think to help his grieving mother was to make her laugh. 鈥淐omedy equals tragedy plus time,鈥� as the old adage goes.聽

In the afternoon, Gad worked with the senior acting class on their filmed scenes for Showcase, which is an annual opportunity for graduating students to be seen by agents, managers and casting directors in New York and Los Angeles. Acting for the Camera is a class taught by , who also taught Gad when he was a student, though this specific class did not yet exist. Gad was delighted to know that students are now learning the art and craft of acting on camera, as it was something he had to learn 鈥渙n the job.鈥�

Jack Ducat, a current senior in the acting program, said the time Gad spent with them was invaluable.

鈥淕etting to work with and observe Josh Gad in the classroom was the most inspired I have felt during my time at Carnegie Mellon,鈥� Ducat said. 鈥淗e has always been someone I have looked up to, and someone whose career I would dream of having.鈥�

But it wasn鈥檛 just the hard skills and industry tips that had an impact on Ducat, even more meaningful was the humanity and authenticity that Gad brought to the work.

鈥淗e spoke about experiences that he had at my age,鈥� said Ducat. 鈥淚 had very deep connections to some of what he spoke about, and it made me feel that there was a place for me in this industry.鈥�

Gad ended his campus visit with an onstage Q&A facilitated by School of Drama professor and chair of the acting and music theater program, . Gad was open and honest about his own mental health struggles during his time as a student, and the challenge of being true to himself as an artist and a human being. So many of the anecdotes he shared from his own life came back to that lesson: know thyself, and to thine own self be true.

He talked about battling imposter syndrome and said that only now, at age 44, does he feel like he鈥檚 really figuring out how to act. His lived experiences are becoming deeper and more authentic and he is still always learning.

鈥淓very time I鈥檓 on set, I鈥檓 back at Carnegie Mellon,鈥� Gad said. 鈥淚鈥檓 always learning and studying.鈥�

The School of Drama鈥檚 is one of its hallmarks and greatest strengths. It鈥檚 something that prospective and current students consistently point to as a reason for choosing 麻豆村. There is a deep connection and bond among those who have gone through this program, and alumni play a large and impactful role in nurturing the next generation of Tartan talent.

鈥淲hen given the opportunity to build alumni relationships, it begins to take the mindset out of the classroom and into the real world,鈥� said Ducat. 鈥淎s I am about to graduate, getting to work with and hear perspectives from someone who has experienced both this program and the world far beyond, reminds me how close and accessible the professional world is. When I meet alumni, I鈥檓 reminded of how possible this career really could be.鈥�