Training at the Drama Studio London instilled in me a great appreciation for the craft of acting. Drink up as much as you can, with the understanding that this is a lifelong journey that deepens with age and experience. It’s not always a linear path, but if you keep the flame of creativity burning in your heart, a path will open up to you in ways that you may not have even imagined.
Karin Trachtenberg – DSL Alumni – class of 1985
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This year, while collating our Edinburgh Fringe Round-up, we heard from 1985 graduate Karin Trachtenberg about her show. Karin trained at DSL when there was only one stream of training on offer and we couldn’t resist the opportunity to find out more about her experience at the school, and London, in the 1980’s.
It’s always fascinating to learn about life at DSL from our Alumni. Can you tell us a little about how you heard about the course and your training at DSL?
I applied to Drama Studio London a year after graduating from university. I was a theatre major at a small New England liberal arts college, which afforded me lots of opportunity to perform in college productions. However, all my training was in contemporary theatre. I felt it was important to round out my education by studying classical theatre and what better place to do that but the UK. At the time, a one-year program was very attractive.
What was a typical week at DSL like for you as a student? What were the regular classes?
All our classes were conducted in the building at 1 Grange Road. I remember it feeling like such a cozy space. Except for the break room, which was always thick with cigarette smoke, this was the ‘80’s after all and smoking was everywhere.
So much of what I studied at DSL I’m still using today, voice training, dance, singing, stage combat. I particularly enjoyed historical dance with Maggie Love. Every week we learned a new dance from the farandole to the Galliard. I still refer to the book we used then “Historical Dances: 12th to 19th Century” by Melusine Wood. But the course I got the most from was Alexander Technique and studying Shakespeare with Patrick Tucker. It opened up a whole world of classical theatre and verse for me. I love working with the ancient texts and now consider myself a classically trained actress.
Do you remember the productions you performed in and who directed them?
Being small of stature I was cast as Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of my favourite roles ever. We did the most hilarious fight choreography. “How low am I, thou painted Maypole. Speak. How low am I? I am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.” It was comedy gold!
For our culminative production we performed Don Juan Comes Back From the War, by Odon Van Horvath at the Young Vic directed by John Abulafia. Coming back to the states, that was the credit on my resume that always caught people’s attention.
What did you go on to do after DSL? Are you still in touch with any of your classmates?
I have been active in the arts in some form or other for the past 40 years. I went on to get my masters in Expressive Arts Therapy which allowed me to work in a variety of settings, schools, prisons, psychiatric facilities and nursing homes, using arts as a vehicle for healing and community building.
As an actor, director and producer I have championed countless new plays from staged readings to full productions. As much as I love working with contemporary material, my passion is classical theatre, and particularly Greek drama. I have tackled major roles in productions of Aeschylus, Euripides, Shakespeare, Moliere, Shaw, Timberlake Wertenbaker, even performed in Latin as the Devil in Hildegarde Von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum. The biggest thrill of my career was performing the titular role in Phaedra, under the stars, at the Hydrama Theatre and Arts Centre in Greece.
Now in my “Third Act” of life, I continue to train and grow as an artist. I studied extensively with legendary voice and Shakespeare coach Patsy Rodenburg, receiving certification in 2022 as a Patsy Rodenburg Associate. The one woman show that I wrote and perform in, My Mother Had Two Faces: Reflections on Beauty, Aging & Acceptance had its world premiere in Los Angeles before moving on to Boston and Off-Broadway at the United Solo festival. This August I am taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe for a full month-run at The Gilded Balloon. (You can find details of the Edinburgh run here.) My first trip back to the UK since graduating from the Drama Studio, I look forward to reconnecting with some of my colleagues from drama school days.
Sadly, I don’t have any photos from that time (remember that this was way before cell phone cameras and selfies). But here is a headshot photo taken during my time in London with big 80’s hair and a touch of a Princess Di vibe. Kind of fun to see a then and now.
Karin’s Headshots: 1985 Credit: John Fletcher and 2024 Credit: Melissa Mahoney
What advice or insight can you offer the 2024 cohorts – or anyone considering applying to DSL today?
Training at the Drama Studio London instilled in me a great appreciation for the craft of acting. Drink up as much as you can, with the understanding that this is a lifelong journey that deepens with age and experience. It’s not always a linear path, but if you keep the flame of creativity burning in your heart, a path will open up to you in ways that you may not have even imagined.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy Edinburgh schedule to share your memories and experience with us and we look forward to hearing about your next projects.
You can read more about Karin’s thespian adventures on her website here.
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We love hearing from graduates and finding out what paths they took after they left us. If you recognize yourself in any of Sue’s stories, or if you have some memories to share, please get in touch.