Jacqueline Williams Education/Degree: BFA Acting The Theatre School at DePaul Univeristy

How do you use your training from The Theatre School professionally, or in life? The foundation I have is all based on, and a result of, my training from The Theatre School. It's part of my permanent make-up as an actor. My training has given me a multifaceted career in all mediums of the business. My TTS training gave me the tools to tweak and adjust my process on any given project, in any given medium, to find the most I can out of any given role or project. My voice training has been a life saver! It's the most neglected area for many actors, and I'm grateful to have had the grueling training. It has gotten me out of many jams, even laryngitis.

How do you feel about the fact that Chicago was the backdrop to your professional training in the theatre? I don't think I would have had it any other way. Actually I was going to go to a school on the west coast, but didn't have enough money. After the first day of classes, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.

You were trained in theatre. Have you applied your training to another field (TV, film, business, etc), and if so – how did your training help? How did you do it? I also work in TV, film, and voice-over. We had some on-camera training with Jane Alderman (Former Faculty), which was a Godsend! We covered the differences in performance (smaller movements) for camera, as well as on-camera volume. We also watched playbacks of ourselves and critique things and got feedback from each other. We attacked everything from smaller movement, softer volume, to tighter/clearer inner-life to make-up, hair and continuity. Jane's class was an incredible asset!

Is there another connection or experience from your time at The Theatre School that you would like to share? My time there was special. It was a tough training ground, but only because everyone - from the dean (Dean Watts, now Dean Emeritus), to administrative support, to admissions, to costumes, to shop and stage management, etc. so loved the theatre. And I felt that everyone really wanted everyone to do well; to learn what they were suppose to learn, and then go out and put more great theatre in the world. I know there were some first year gripes of acting majors doing various crew assignment their first year, instead of performances, but I think it was healthy and important. It not only made us well-rounded, but gave a greater appreciation of the whole. Anyone starting a theatre company, or working in budget-challenged non union shows, can appreciate that part of their training, as well.

What’s on the horizon for you? I was in the Chicago premier of Tony Kushner's Caroline, Or Change at Court Theatre with fellow alumnus E Faye Butler (as Caroline). I have a film project still in negotiations, and my next play will be the world premier of a beautiful new three person play called Po' Boy Tango at Northlight Theatre.