Out of The Woods: An Actor's Philosophy & Digital Portfolio

Carolyn Demanelis is an actor, educator, and director graduating from The University of Virginia’s Department of Drama with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting. Her thesis details the experiences of the two-year program, culminating in the filmed performances of two monologues, A Letter To My Dead Father by Ari Eastman and I Don’t Do Drugs by Brad Pike; the song “Someone To Watch Over Me” by George Gershwin; and a conversation and explanation of her work as an artist and theatre practitioner. The filmed performances were a preliminary entry into film work, and the work led to discovering the nature of film acting contrasted with theatrical acting. The monologues also represent two-years of training informing the performance of an actor. The work includes an artistic statement, a teaching statement, a journal about the process of an actor choosing monologues and filming as a student and performer, and materials necessary for a career in acting.