Camryn Rose Pillay
Camryn Rose Pillay
Camryn Rose is currently a student attending NYU in New York City. Later this week she will perform in Falling Out, a new musical written by Josée Weigand. Below Camryn has answered some questions about her acting journey thus far.
Q: How did you get involved with Falling Out? Did you have to audition?
A: I didn’t have to audition actually. Josée, the writer of the show, and I began following each other on Instagram about a year ago. We messaged back and forth on Instagram for a while. This past November, we attended Drew Gasparini’s 54 below show together. She asked me later to sing in the concert and I said yes!! I am very grateful to her for taking a chance on me - a student just beginning to study my craft. She is the most talented and genuine person I know & I hope I continue to have the opportunity to work with her!
Q: Do you think where you were from influenced your decision to become an actor?
A: Absolutely! I grew up in Chicago, IL. The theatre scene in Chicago is so very different from that of NYC. A lot of weird and experimental shows happen all over the city amongst the more mainstream Broadway tours. My mother used to take me to see plays, ballets, and anything arts-related growing up. As I began to find a passion for performing, I went and saw more and more strange theatre and explored different aspects of this craft.
Q: How did you make the decision to attend NYU?
A: I was debating between NYU and another school. NYU accepted me for straight acting in the Stella Adler Studio and the other school accepted me for Musical Theatre. I ended up choosing an Acting BFA because, at the end of the day, acting is the most important of singing, acting, dancing. NYU also allows you to create your own path. So my junior year I can transfer to the musical theatre studio or another acting studio! Plus, living in NYC is something I’ve always dreamed of.
Q: What was your audition process like for NYU?
A: I auditioned Musical Theatre so I had to attend a dance call, sing two contrasting 32-bar cuts, perform two contrasting monologues, and do an interview. NYU has an option to be considered for both the MT major and the Acting major - and that’s what I did! I auditioned in Chicago so it took place in a hotel. NYU was the nicest audition I had. They really care about getting to know you beyond just your talent. They really want to know what your career goals are and what type of art you are passionate about creating.
Q: How many other schools did you audition for?
A: I auditioned for twenty-two schools.
Q: So far, how has your experience living in New York City been?
A: It has been so crazy & fun & rewarding. I live in the East Village & it’s a nice contrast to the craziness of midtown. This city is so diverse & there is SO much weird theatre happening here. Over the past 6 months I’ve lived here I’ve grown in my passion for art & have been presented so many opportunities to create my art. New York City is the wildest & wonderful place.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring actors applying to college?
A: Identify the kind of art you want to create & choose programs that are able to further your career goals. Through the process, I applied for many schools just because of the “name” rather than the actual program curriculum. If I could do it all over again, I would’ve narrowed down my list of schools & not auditioned for several schools. It’s so important to be honest & genuine. You’ve already got the talent & the people behind the table know that. They want to see what sets you apart from everyone else. Just be honest, ask questions, & show them why you’re different! At the end of the day, you will be where you’re supposed to be.
Hope you enjoyed reading! If you have the chance go see Falling Out!! Find tickets here
