Meet Kereem Vidal
I was first introduced to Epic during my freshman year of high school, Fall 2009. I attended Chelsea Career and Technical Education High School in SoHo, New York. That year was a feeling out process for me, I was gauging what I liked and what I disliked. Epic, I liked. My first interaction with Epic Theatre Ensemble started in my high school English class. The acting coaches came to our class and facilitated our lessons on the Greek tragedy Antigone, they emphasized our understanding and our ability to articulate. The spring semester that year I attended the student matinee performances. During that performance, I seen many sophomores perform and I was awestruck by their boldness and their courage.
Tell us about an Epic memory that sticks with you.
My most vivid Epic memory is during their performance of Othello and I was watching Jim Wallert doing the most fearsome iteration of Iago that I had ever seen. Sophomore year of high school I joined the Epic Theatre Ensemble program, we were remixing Measure for Measure that year. It was customary that students in the Epic program be given the opportunity to see free Off-Broadway performances put on by Epic actors that season, and fortunately for me, that season they were performing Othello. Perhaps unfairly, I am very critical of the performances of others, I am very high expectations and I react accordingly. My expectations were especially high when I was watching their performance, those expectations were met and then some. That was one of the most brilliant performances I had ever seen and it has stuck with me ever since. I remember that performance so vividly because of the depth of the character and how much life Jim brought to him.
Catch us up a bit about where you are now
In college my major evolved and evolved, I eventually settled on a History major, with a focus on North America and Western Europe, and a minor in Education Studies. It was junior year of college, when I declared my history major, that I realized that I wanted to be a principal of a high school. I was inspired by the administrators of my high school, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Rosenbloom, they were the ones that really set my on the path that I am now. Currently I am an AmeriCorps Member working for City Year New York. City Year, an organization that provides educational support and enrichment to underserved students across the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, serves students on an elementary school and middle school level.
How has Epic influenced you in your life/career choices?
Epic has impacted me profoundly, even out of the artistic realm. The values and foundational truths that I have gleaned through my time with Epic still holds true to this day, despite some of the lessons being at least 5 years old. The life lesson that I learned and is still the most applicable to me is valuing your ensemble. In theater it’s called an ensemble, at work we call it a team, it’s the same thing, a group of people you have to work with to achieve a certain goal. My team is made up of 7 other people, and I treasure all of them because I was taught to do so. An invaluable lesson that I put into practice everyday.
What advice would you give to a current student involved with Epic’s programs?
The advice I would give to a current Epic student is to be enjoy the ride. The journey from the first day when you’re making introductions and being given an overview of the project to your closing performance, the journey is hard, long, and sometimes overwhelming, you are responsible for making that endeavor as fun and enjoyable as possible.
What’s the first word or words you would use to describe your Epic experience?
Impactful.
Quick Round:
Favorite Play: Othello; Hamlet
Last Book you Read: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Favorite Class: The Political Economy of Schools/Paradise Revisited