Riley McCarthy

Pronouns

they/them

Concentration

Writing for the Stage/BA Theatre Arts (Acting)

Academic Year

Senior

Briefly describe how you would contribute to implementing the goals of the Theatre Arts Student Council.

If I were presented with the privilege to perform as a member of the theatre arts student council, I would be honored to work hand in hand with the Writing for the Stage students and faculty to create even more opportunities to workshop new works, especially full lengths, and pivot the program into creating more diversity in the dramatic writing career pathway to unlock the full potential of each student curtailed to their specific needs and unique style. The playwriting program at Marymount is strong, but with collaboration from its students, it could reach new heights to parallel similar programs within the city’s colleges and bolster Marymount Manhattan into a position to further foster creativity and celebrate new works. I would like to be a student who brings dynamic leadership to the Theatre Arts Student Council, and to the Writing for the Stage program, and even as a senior leave behind an even stronger program for future playwrights, screenwriters, and creative artists who enter the Writing for the Stage concentration.

Briefly describe your relevant past experience that would support your work as a representative on the Theatre Arts Student Council.

As the former president of Strong Fxmale Lead and a student leader at Marymount Manhattan College, I would describe myself as heavily involved on campus in peer leading positions. I was a producer for our fall mainstage last year, A Much Ado About Nothing (directed by my vice president, Maggie Salko) and worked hard with my club leadership to create more on and offstage roles for trans and female-identifying students at Marymount Manhattan College. I have dabbled in a few STAM projects and was an active participant in the 48 Hour Playwriting Festival for the past three years. I have attended many town halls, workshops, and consider myself very in touch with Marymount Manhattan’s theatre arts community and am unafraid to be a voice of empowerment when conflicts arise. I would describe myself as empathetic, charismatic, and imaginative. I am well equipped to handle the responsibilities of a leader. Outside of school, I was an intern for Arts in the Armed Forces and I regularly produce my own 48 hour playwriting competition, The Great Gay Bakeoff, every weekend since quarantine began. In addition, I run my own production team, producing various audio plays and zoom productions, predominantly focused on empowerment and representation of BIPOC and LGBTQ artists and their work.