Pretty crazy stuff for a kid from Texas, but I was open in mind and heart. I’m at the Experimental Theatre Wing so we’re doing everything avant-garde, all forms of self-expression. So I go, and I’m just deflowered as a performer. The recession had hit my family and I have no clue why my parents let me go to this day, but they said we would figure it out together. I’d already done a summer program there, I knew exactly what I wanted, and if I hadn’t gotten in I would have had about a week to apply to other colleges before the deadlines. I applied nowhere else, like an insane person. Turns out I was really fucking funny and good, and it was exactly what I wanted to do.Ī few years later, I applied early decision to NYU and auditioned for their drama program at Tisch, and got in. My parents were mortified because they didn’t want me to suck and embarrass myself (which my dad hilariously revealed to me last year, I think?). For no apparent reason, I think because ultimately I am an extrovert, and at the urging of a friend, I auditioned for a play my sophomore year and got in. The closest thing to a team was playing violin in orchestra, but even then I could disappear.
I drew, painted, wrote stories, did tae kwon do (couldn’t spar for shit but Lord knows I got gold in form). Therefore all my art or extracurriculars could be done mostly alone. Which is partially due to how I was raised – my parents are by no means social butterflies, and I spent a lot of time alone in my room until I was about 16. It’s a tough place to grow up if you’re sensitive, have anxiety, depression, are shy or introverted, etc. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. Thanks for sharing your story with us Zachary. Today we’d like to introduce you to Zachary Webber.