John Cappachione
Who are you and what significant contributions have you made to the organization? During my first semester (Fall of 1988) at St. John’s I auditioned for the first play of that year. I was cast and the rest is history. I performed in every play that was produced during my 4 years and for a time the Chappell Players was my life. I served as Vice President and then President of the Organization. |
How was the transition from college to the real world? How was life after graduation?
The “real world” sometimes can feel like living on another planet. I found as we grow older and mature different priorities take hold of our lives at different times. My transition was, I guess you can say, “normal”. My time in Chappell Players and the people I met helped significantly. |
Did being involved in the Chappell Players prepare you for life after college? How so?
Chappell Players prepared me for life in a great way. Chappell Players taught me how to work together with people from different walks of life in a common goal to make and create something for people to enjoy. The people I met have become lifelong friends. We have shared the good times and the bad times together during and after St. John’s. They became my family in college, and even if I don’t see some as often as I wish, they remained my family after. |
What is your favorite CPTG memory or performance?
There were so many; We really enjoyed acting and working together to make a production come alive, be it The Passion of Dracula, Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Wizard of Oz and many more. We worked hard but had fun at the same time. We made memories that I still cherish to this day. |
Have you been able to remain involved with theatre as much as you hoped/wanted?
Unfortunately, I have not been able to remain involved as much as I would like. I may do a community theatre here and there but as I stated earlier different priorities point us in different directions. My Grand Plan is when I retire to go full force back into it. There may still be some rolls for older people.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to remain involved as much as I would like. I may do a community theatre here and there but as I stated earlier different priorities point us in different directions. My Grand Plan is when I retire to go full force back into it. There may still be some rolls for older people.
Do you have any advice for Chappell Players going through college or those who have recently graduated?
The best advice I can give is to appreciate what you are doing in Chappell Players. Work hard, and if you are blessed after when you graduate, find something that you enjoy as much as walking on stage on opening night. Make certain to remember when you flubbed a line and someone else covered for you, or when for the final run through you “joked it up” and had to be reeled back by the director. Feel the excitement of walking on stage with an audience. Bath in the stage lights… When you keep these memories close what you experience after you leave is a little bit sweeter.
The best advice I can give is to appreciate what you are doing in Chappell Players. Work hard, and if you are blessed after when you graduate, find something that you enjoy as much as walking on stage on opening night. Make certain to remember when you flubbed a line and someone else covered for you, or when for the final run through you “joked it up” and had to be reeled back by the director. Feel the excitement of walking on stage with an audience. Bath in the stage lights… When you keep these memories close what you experience after you leave is a little bit sweeter.