For Riley Caiazza ’27, hearing her script read aloud for the first time was an important milestone. But having Emmy Award-nominated actress Jane Leeves lead that table reading made the experience even more meaningful.
“I thought it was super insightful. I loved collaborating with writers and actors who delved into the characters,” said Caiazza, president of the Emerson Comedy Workshop.
The table reading brought together collaborators from across Emerson. Caiazza had developed her script prior to the workshop in a class with School of Film, Television and Media Arts Assistant Professor Owen Egerton. Performing Arts Associate Professor and Interim Chair and Head of Acting Lindsay Beamish recruited actors, and the writers were part of a comedy workshop course led by Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Comedic Arts Martie Cook ’82.
The group assembled on March 24 with Leeves, as part of the actress’ weeklong visit to Emerson. Leeves and her husband, former Paramount executive Marshall Coben, spent the week participating in workshops with students, and meeting with students, staff, and faculty in acting classes and a Business of Creative Enterprises course. Levees’ and Coben’s visit culminated with a Master Class on March 27—a final reading of Caiazza’s original comedy, Magic Meadows, in front of an audience.
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