Ryan Deforeest
As featured in may 2019 newsletter
This month we were lucky enough to be able to feature Ryan DeForeest, a 2016 graduate and former President of Chappell Players. During his time here at SJU, Ryan was more than involved in our organization and is a great example of what being dedicated to CPTG means! We asked him a little bit about what he's been up to and if he had any advice for Chappies today...here's what he had to say:
1. Who are you and what significant contributions have you made to the organization?
Hey there, I’m Ryan DeForeest and I was a member of CPTG from 2012-2016 (yikes, time flies) and I graduated as Film and Television major. Significant contributions? Uh, my first year on E-Board as the VP (2014-2015), we did a lot. We started getting serious about workshops, utilizing the CPTG website, creating a membership that felt rightfully earned after a certain number of requirements, and starting the tradition of the Alumni Banquet. The following year, I became President of CPTG (2015-2016) and I tried my hardest to keep up the work we did the year prior while also growing and doing even more new things. My main focus that final year was making the CPTG experience feel like a family.
2. How was the transition from college to the real world? How was life after graduation?
Rough? Can I say that? Haha. I’m kidding. Sorta. It was honestly only “rough” because I didn’t try as hard as I should’ve right out the gate. I wish I would’ve been thinking harder about what happens after that diploma was in my hand. Finding a job in film, television, or theatre is difficult if you’re not determined. Which don’t get me wrong, I was, but I wasn’t as focused as I should’ve been. I promise I’m doing well though now. I don’t wanna make it sound like I’m a bum or anything. I’m doing very well for myself now! It’s been an interesting path to get to where I am today, but three years out of college and I’m happy with where I’m at. BUT I do hope to continue growing in my craft and just as a human being in general.
Hey there, I’m Ryan DeForeest and I was a member of CPTG from 2012-2016 (yikes, time flies) and I graduated as Film and Television major. Significant contributions? Uh, my first year on E-Board as the VP (2014-2015), we did a lot. We started getting serious about workshops, utilizing the CPTG website, creating a membership that felt rightfully earned after a certain number of requirements, and starting the tradition of the Alumni Banquet. The following year, I became President of CPTG (2015-2016) and I tried my hardest to keep up the work we did the year prior while also growing and doing even more new things. My main focus that final year was making the CPTG experience feel like a family.
2. How was the transition from college to the real world? How was life after graduation?
Rough? Can I say that? Haha. I’m kidding. Sorta. It was honestly only “rough” because I didn’t try as hard as I should’ve right out the gate. I wish I would’ve been thinking harder about what happens after that diploma was in my hand. Finding a job in film, television, or theatre is difficult if you’re not determined. Which don’t get me wrong, I was, but I wasn’t as focused as I should’ve been. I promise I’m doing well though now. I don’t wanna make it sound like I’m a bum or anything. I’m doing very well for myself now! It’s been an interesting path to get to where I am today, but three years out of college and I’m happy with where I’m at. BUT I do hope to continue growing in my craft and just as a human being in general.
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3. Did being involved in the Chappell Players prepare you for life after college? How so?
Yes. Yeah. Yas. 100% YES! Being a part of a group, let alone a leader of a group, really changes the way you understand yourself. I feel the main thing I’ve learned from CPTG was that being a leader and trusting yourself with your opinions and ideas, will almost always lead you to success and fulfillment.Whether I was in the cast or in the crew, I was always met with decisions to make. And those decisions would inevitably change the outcome of something happening in the performance or the group. Through my time with CPTG, I learned that the one person that knew me best was myself. If I knew I was right or I knew that something needed to be done for the betterment of the group, I would voice my opinion and do something about it. To be honest, it took me a long time to get to that point. But once I did, I never looked back. Now I won’t shut up (ex. all of my run-on sentences in this Alumni Spotlight lol)
4. What is your favorite CPTG memory or performance?
That’s like choosing a favorite child! I mean, if you know me, I guess the highlight of my CPTG experience (besides being President) was definitely playing Usnavi in In The Heights. I’d never been a lead character in a musical, I’d never been in a show with music so relevant, and I’d never felt so much emotion for a show before. I legit balled my eyes out on our closing show...ON STAGE...DURING THE FINALE! Because like Usnavi, I felt like one chapter was ending and another one was beginning for me.
But I won’t lie, it was difficult for me. Rapping was something I was familiar with but not well versed in. So I researched every rapper I could to understand flow, diction, the way rappers tell stories, interviews with Lin-Manuel about the show and what it meant to him. I did a real deep dive! It was a lot of pressure doing this beautiful show, but our cast and crew were so tight-knit that I felt so much support during that process. We even visited the actual Washington Heights during the rehearsal process to really understand the place and the culture of the area. And our director Courtney was a dream to work with. She just knew what she wanted and she trusted the cast and me to have fun and to tell that beautiful story.
We tried to get Lin to come to see the show by tweeting and tagging him anywhere that we could online, but sadly he didn’t come. But to get myself hyped every night, I would imagine him in the audience. Is that lame? I don’t care, he missed out! I could honestly talk about this show all day, but I’m not trying to get too sappy and nostalgic on everybody.
Rapid fire other favorite memories: playing The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland (first CPTG show), Relay for Laughs w/ APO (I played Obama, obviously), specifically the song Champagne from In The Heights, The Library, every Alumni Banquet so far, meeting the late Russell Costen, and making memories with some of my closest friends in the entire world.
Yes. Yeah. Yas. 100% YES! Being a part of a group, let alone a leader of a group, really changes the way you understand yourself. I feel the main thing I’ve learned from CPTG was that being a leader and trusting yourself with your opinions and ideas, will almost always lead you to success and fulfillment.Whether I was in the cast or in the crew, I was always met with decisions to make. And those decisions would inevitably change the outcome of something happening in the performance or the group. Through my time with CPTG, I learned that the one person that knew me best was myself. If I knew I was right or I knew that something needed to be done for the betterment of the group, I would voice my opinion and do something about it. To be honest, it took me a long time to get to that point. But once I did, I never looked back. Now I won’t shut up (ex. all of my run-on sentences in this Alumni Spotlight lol)
4. What is your favorite CPTG memory or performance?
That’s like choosing a favorite child! I mean, if you know me, I guess the highlight of my CPTG experience (besides being President) was definitely playing Usnavi in In The Heights. I’d never been a lead character in a musical, I’d never been in a show with music so relevant, and I’d never felt so much emotion for a show before. I legit balled my eyes out on our closing show...ON STAGE...DURING THE FINALE! Because like Usnavi, I felt like one chapter was ending and another one was beginning for me.
But I won’t lie, it was difficult for me. Rapping was something I was familiar with but not well versed in. So I researched every rapper I could to understand flow, diction, the way rappers tell stories, interviews with Lin-Manuel about the show and what it meant to him. I did a real deep dive! It was a lot of pressure doing this beautiful show, but our cast and crew were so tight-knit that I felt so much support during that process. We even visited the actual Washington Heights during the rehearsal process to really understand the place and the culture of the area. And our director Courtney was a dream to work with. She just knew what she wanted and she trusted the cast and me to have fun and to tell that beautiful story.
We tried to get Lin to come to see the show by tweeting and tagging him anywhere that we could online, but sadly he didn’t come. But to get myself hyped every night, I would imagine him in the audience. Is that lame? I don’t care, he missed out! I could honestly talk about this show all day, but I’m not trying to get too sappy and nostalgic on everybody.
Rapid fire other favorite memories: playing The White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland (first CPTG show), Relay for Laughs w/ APO (I played Obama, obviously), specifically the song Champagne from In The Heights, The Library, every Alumni Banquet so far, meeting the late Russell Costen, and making memories with some of my closest friends in the entire world.
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5. Have you been able to remain involved with theatre as much as you hoped/wanted?
Sadly I haven’t. I mean don’t get me wrong, I've loved being involved in theatre from the 7th grade to my senior year of college. But after graduating I just felt like maybe I needed to pursue my true passions, while still utilizing everything I’ve learned from being involved in theatre. Especially everything I’ve learned from CPTG! It’s been a part of my life since I was 12 years old and the skills I’ve learned from it, I’ll be using the rest of my life.
I have been writing a little something for the past few years, so who knows? Maybe it’s just gonna be a short break. No promises though!
6. Do you have any advice for Chappell Players going through college or those who have recently graduated?
Chappies going through the wringer right now: Cliche but, enjoy every moment. Some shows might feel harder than others, some people may feel more difficult to work with than others, sometimes you can’t just wait for college to be over and you can finally get out. But I promise you, when it’s all said and done, you’re gonna miss it so much. There’s something freeing about only being a student and not worrying about the anything but passing and graduating. But the process getting there is so rewarding because you learn so much about yourself along the way. Always try and remember how you’ve grown from day one of college to the last day. You’ll be shocked and proud, I promise.
Recently Graduated Chappies: Life hit you square in the face, didn’t it? But don’t let it bring you down whatsoever. It’s a roadblock everyone faces, whether they’re too prepared or not prepare at all. If you have the determination to do something or live somewhere or be the thing you’ve been striving for the past 4-5 years of your life, then go after it. It’s like that RomCom scene where the protagonist runs to the airport to find the love-interest almost boarding the plane. Your life is constantly getting ready to board a plan to leave you. But if you love it that much, you'll make sure it doesn’t fly away from you forever. (What an analogy, I’m pretty proud of that one!)
Sadly I haven’t. I mean don’t get me wrong, I've loved being involved in theatre from the 7th grade to my senior year of college. But after graduating I just felt like maybe I needed to pursue my true passions, while still utilizing everything I’ve learned from being involved in theatre. Especially everything I’ve learned from CPTG! It’s been a part of my life since I was 12 years old and the skills I’ve learned from it, I’ll be using the rest of my life.
I have been writing a little something for the past few years, so who knows? Maybe it’s just gonna be a short break. No promises though!
6. Do you have any advice for Chappell Players going through college or those who have recently graduated?
Chappies going through the wringer right now: Cliche but, enjoy every moment. Some shows might feel harder than others, some people may feel more difficult to work with than others, sometimes you can’t just wait for college to be over and you can finally get out. But I promise you, when it’s all said and done, you’re gonna miss it so much. There’s something freeing about only being a student and not worrying about the anything but passing and graduating. But the process getting there is so rewarding because you learn so much about yourself along the way. Always try and remember how you’ve grown from day one of college to the last day. You’ll be shocked and proud, I promise.
Recently Graduated Chappies: Life hit you square in the face, didn’t it? But don’t let it bring you down whatsoever. It’s a roadblock everyone faces, whether they’re too prepared or not prepare at all. If you have the determination to do something or live somewhere or be the thing you’ve been striving for the past 4-5 years of your life, then go after it. It’s like that RomCom scene where the protagonist runs to the airport to find the love-interest almost boarding the plane. Your life is constantly getting ready to board a plan to leave you. But if you love it that much, you'll make sure it doesn’t fly away from you forever. (What an analogy, I’m pretty proud of that one!)
