Point Park University Hosts Acting Class for Pittsburgh Steelers as Part of Rookie Development Program Thursday, June 13, 2024
"It was good to get out of my comfort zone and be with the guys, bonding over something different. Everyone's personalities came out as they played different characters and it was a fun experience."
Point Park's Department of Theatre hosted an acting class for the Steelers in the University's Pittsburgh Playhouse as part of the 2024 Rookie Development Program. The Rookie Development Program provides training, conditioning and opportunities for team bonding as they learn new skills off the field, like acting and improvisation.
"The rookie class had a great sense of camaraderie, and it was wonderful seeing them laugh and enjoy themselves outside of the high-pressure environment of training camp," said Professor Rich Keitel, M.F.A. "I was very impressed with their willingness to jump right in and try new theatre exercises with a great attitude."
Led by Keitel and part-time faculty Aaron Crutchfield and Cynthia Dallas, the high-energy class included a warmup, ice breakers, games and exercises to tap into each player's creativity.
"The curriculum we created aimed to get the players to not only be open and vulnerable, think on their feet and have fun, but also aimed to pique their interest in other things, like acting and improvisation, to apply the skills they learned at Point Park on/off the field or later in life," said Dallas.
First-round pick Troy Fautanu appreciated an opportunity to bond with his teammates outside of football.
"It was good to get out of my comfort zone and be with the guys, bonding over something different," he said. "Everyone's personalities came out as they played different characters and it was a fun experience."
Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee agreed.
"A lot of this is about team bonding," he said. "The closer you are to your teammates, the better you perform. A lot of football is improv. If a play doesn't go like you wanted it to, there is a lot of improv that goes with it."
Following the class, the rookies participated in a Q&A with the faculty to ask questions about the industry, Pittsburgh and much more.
"Doing things like this only make you closer off the field and it helps when you get on the field," said Fautanu. "It was a fun experience and I hope to come back and do it again sometime."
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