Madison Canfora ’21: Acting Conservatory at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting

About the Project

This summer I attended the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City with the support of the Benenson Award in the Arts. The experience was an absolute dream come true! At Duke, I minored in Musical Theater and performing has always been a great passion of mine. This summer, post-graduation, I finally had the opportunity to pursue an acting curriculum full-time. I took a variety of courses taught by industry professionals, including Shakespeare, Improv, TV & Film, Scene Study, Acting Technique, Dance, Movement, and Voice & Speech. My instructors were professional, inspiring, and continue to mentor me today. I became extremely close with my seventeen classmates, and I made lifelong friends among my peers. I woke up each day excited to work and play, with palpable enthusiasm and joy that spilled into everything I did. Life outside of the Studio was just as rich–I spent ten weeks living in one of the most culturally diverse and artistic cities in the world, and I took advantage of every moment! I visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the MoMA, danced at the Alvin Ailey School of Dance, and explored every neighborhood I could. When I wasn’t rehearsing scenes or preparing for class, I filled my (very little!) free time at the theater and saw eighteen shows in just ten weeks. From productions on off-Broadway stages to Shakespeare in Central Park, I also saw some of my favorite stars perform on Broadway—including Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, Patti LuPone, Myles Frost, Daniel Craig, and Callum Francis. Truly, my time spent at Stella Adler was incredible—my only regret is that the experience did not last longer! I am grateful to have had such a life-changing and memorable opportunity. I’m looking forward to more adventures in the theater!