Left to Right: Katie Van Riper ’17, Anthony Autera ’19, Ché Negron ’19, Allison Terranova ’14, and Stephen Velez ’16. Photos by Angelina Warren ’22.
Earlier this month, the Stanner Players welcomed five alumni for a panel event titled Continuing the Arts. Students were invited to the Ralph DeChiaro Theater after school to hear from alumni who either continued to study theater or performing arts in college, and those who have chosen performing/acting as a career path. The panel featured:
- Allison Terranova ’14 – Manhattan College, BA ’18, MA ’22; Civil Engineer Major; Currently a Structural Engineering Designer.
- Stephen Velez ’16 – Adelphi University ’20; Nursing Major; Currently a NICU Nurse at Mt. Sinai Hospital.
- Katie Van Riper ’17 – Boston College ’21; Theater Major; Currently auditioning.
- Anthony Autera ’19 – St. John’s University ’25; Pharmacy Major.
- Ché Negron ’19 – Northwestern University ’23; Theater Major.
All five panelists were heavily involved with numerous Stanner Players productions during their time at Molloy, especially Anthony who was either on stage or behind the scenes in all nine productions during his four years, and Ché who acted in all nine productions. In turn, each panelist credited the Stanner Players as fueling their desire to explore theater in college.
Students learned how the theater programs differed between the panelists’ schools, including the number of productions and rehearsals typical of each program. For Allison, Stephen, and Anthony, the pursuit of their majors was the primary factor in their college choices, while Katie and Ché both sought colleges with reputable theater programs to prepare them for the future. Ché, who joined the panel virtually as he studies abroad in Prague, emphasized that acting is not the only way to continue working in theater, as writers, set and costume designers, and many other roles call for creative individuals. All panelists agreed that theater can be a great outlet for expression and a welcome diversion from typical college courses.
The panel later shared advice and insights with students during a Q&A, including how to balance theater rehearsals with college workload. Allison noted that theater helps to instill confidence and important communication skills that can help someone become well-rounded in whichever career path they choose.
Thank you to Ms. Shannon Winters ’06 and our five panelists for this wonderful event!