April 2013 | Alumni Spotlight
 Class of 2001 Music alum, Eric Andre, has put down his bass and stepped into the comedy spotlight. Eric is a hard working stand-up comedian who has parlayed his natural comedic talent into several acting roles and his own talk show The Eric Andre Show on the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. You might also recognize him as the Barry the barista On ABC’s Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 or as a Geico caveman!
Eric has a unique interview style. Whether he is the one asking the questions or the one being asked, you never know what is going to come out of his mouth or what is going to happen. Nothing appears to be off topic or taken too seriously. The Eric Andre Show is a hilarious spin-off of the standard talk show format. Here is what we were able to pry out of Eric.
Q: Favorite DSOA teacher?
A: Mrs. Beermann
Q: Is there something Dreyfoos (SOA) could have provided that could have better prepared you for your college and career?
A: No, DSOA was the best! I learned a little from all the art forms and had a great nurturing creative environment.
.jpg) When Eric graduated from Dreyfoos he went on to attend Berklee College of Music and was a Bass principal; he received his BFA in 2005. But music just wasn’t in the cards for Eric; he was disillusioned by the music industry and turned to stand-up comedy.
Q: For people who have never watched The Eric Andre Show can you briefly describe what they are missing?
A: The most miserable talk show of all time.
Q: How would you categorize your style of stand up?
A: Psychedelic
In reality The Eric Andre Show was highlighted in a New York Times article titled “The Rise of the Anti-Talk Show” which read, “Mr. Andre, a stand-up with a lopsided smile, has nervy, flailing energy. He is either barreling forward … or falling apart, defeated, humiliated, often nude. His performance has a reckless volatility bubbling up close to the surface.”
Q: What recommendations do you have for our current DSOA students?
A: Work really hard and treat people with kindness.
Q: What does Dreyfoos mean to you?
A: Dreyfoos allowed me to make the best personal relationships I still keep and allowed me to grow in a creative environment that I wouldn't have been a part of at my local high school. It also wasn't full of racist sexist homophobic jocks, so that was good.
Eric has some exciting projects coming up. He is slated for several stand-up gigs around the country including a set at Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee this June, he is in pre-production for season 2 of The Eric Andre Show and you can catch him on the big screen this summer in The Internship starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.
For more clips and to see when Eric is coming to your town visit his website www.ericandre.com
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March 2013 | Alumni Spotlight
 Scott Armetta is a painting and design teacher at Dreyfoos School of the Arts as well as a working artist. Scott is also a Visual Department alum from the class of 1994 --- the first graduating class! He is one of the few who have experienced the school from both sides. Scott took some time between classes to answer a few questions about his experience.
Q: What was it like being in the first graduating class of Dreyfoos (Palm Beach County School of the Arts)?
A: It was great - I’m fortunate, one year older and I would have missed it! It was very small. We had 99 graduates, 100 if you counted Burt Reynolds who was made an honorary graduate. He spoke at the graduation. It was nice being in an environment where you pursued your interests without backlash from faculty or other students. There was an openness. There was, and still is in my experience, an artistic and intellectual rigor while remaining friendly.
Q: Favorite Dreyfoos (SOA) teacher?
A: Jane Grandusky and Connie Rudy – they helped influence me to think in a richer way, not only about art, but generally as well.
Q: What is the most profound change you experienced at Dreyfoos (SOA)?
A: A significant part of it was a thoughtfulness, to think through rather than more mechanically responding. My critical thinking was developed here.
Q: How did you arrive at your current career?
A: I moved to New York after I graduated college and had various jobs- photo assistant, guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was accepted to Hunter College and decided to move back to Florida to save up money for my graduate school. Jane Grandusky called me for an Artist in Residence position, so I basically became a part time teacher. This was the first job that I really liked and it stayed interesting and vital, so I was fortunate enough to make it my full time job.
Q: What differences do you see from the old school and the new school?
A: The old school was intimate - very small. But the new campus is beautiful, distinctive. Having more space also allows more students the opportunity to go here.
Q: What do you feel has been the highlight of your career so far?
A: Being able to work with, and hopefully positively influence, the students here – as artists, but perhaps more importantly, as critical thinkers, because that relates to art in addition to just about every other endeavor they’ll take part in.
Q: What do you think makes a good artist?
A: To be thoughtful enough to create as sincere a body of work as possible - to find what really moves you - to not get too distracted by what is particularly hot now.
Q: What do you think makes a good art teacher?
A: The ability to let the students see and experience as many ways of expression as possible. When they are aware that all of these modes of creation exist, they become more able to choose among them while developing their own work.
 Q: You recently had a solo show at the Armory Art Center how did that come about?A: Talya Lerman, the Director of Education at the Armory, as well as an SOA graduate asked if I would be interested based on some of the work she’d seen of mine, so we set up a studio visit and I was fortunate enough to be able to show there. It was a great experience.
Q: How long does it take for you to create one of your pieces / what is your process?
A: The time it takes depends on the work. If it is a painting the time scale for it to really feel finished for me is generally in months, not weeks. I go out and gather images that move me and I find ways to manipulate them until I enhance the aspects that intrigue me and eliminate or obscure the non-essential areas.
Q: What recommendations do you have for our current DSOA students?
A: To really think through what it is that you want to do. An art college may be great for the right students but it isn’t always the most appropriate choice. For example, some may want to go to a university to experience a wider scope of classes and options while they find out what they really want to do. College debt is also something to be very aware of.
Q: In a brief statement can you explain “What Dreyfoos means to me”?
A: It’s a place where students of varied backgrounds can find encouragement and a strong educational background, both artistically and academically, so they can become more thoughtful and engaged with the world.
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February 2013 | Alumni Spotlight
 Carlos José Alvarez is a Los Angeles based film composer and percussionist. As a child in a musical Cuban household, he was exposed to a spectrum of music, ranging from the Cuban masters to the great symphonies. Enthralled by Cuban rhythms, Carlos took up percussion. He is a class of 1998 Music Department alum who had the experience of attending both Palm Beach County School of the Arts and the newly named Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.
Carlos has contributed his talents to notable films such as Deadline (starr. Brittany Murphy, Thora Birch), One for the Money (starr. Katherine Heigl), 9 (starr. Elijah Wood), Fame and Discover The Gift. Additionally, he has composed the music for numerous national and international commercials including BMW, Acura, Best Buy, Kia, Home Depot, and Expedia. He considers himself as much a storyteller as a composer; breathing life into the characters and luring the audience into the story.
Q: What is the most profound change you experienced at SOA?
A: My first year there was pretty life-altering. I had come from an even smaller private school and the transition was scary for me. I didn't know whether or not I would fit in or what to expect. But I was excited to meet other artists and I immediately felt at home within that community. Mr. (Wayne) Miller pushed us, believed in us, and inspired us. He always saw us greater than we saw ourselves. I knew it was where I belonged. We were a little weird and different and it was all ok.
Q: What was it like being the first class to graduate from the newly named Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts?
A: We were all pretty nostalgic about leaving the old campus. It was our training ground and we took with us so many memories. It was where we had grown together as friends and as artists. But I think moving campuses was a perfect lesson in how to adapt and transition at that age, and I think in some ways it prepared us for the next step in our lives. We were such an incredibly talented class and I felt a sense of pride in the legacy we were leaving behind at the new campus.
Q: How did you arrive at your current career?
A: I was obsessed with films as a child and was mesmerized with the roll music played in them. There were few things that excited me more than sitting in a dark theater. The first album I ever owned (which I saved up for) was John WIlliam's score to “Jurassic Park”. I would play it over and over again while standing on my bed conducting to it. I wanted to be a part of it and had made a subconscious decision that I would one day work in Hollywood. Though I don't think I publicly acknowledged it until my senior year of high school.
When I got to college, I started composing music for student films, trying to figure it all out. One thing led to another and after graduating, I made the decision to move to Hollywood. It was a bit tough in the beginning, but I found my way and had great mentors. It's been quite the roller-coaster and I remind myself everyday how lucky I am to be doing this.
Upon graduating from Florida State University with a BA in music, Carlos was honored with a scholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music, graduating magna cum laude with a diploma in Film Scoring. He then accepted a conducting fellowship to study with maestro Michalis Economou with the Athens Symphony Orchestra
Q: What do you think makes a good film composer?
A: Writing a great piece of music is one thing, but understanding how music shapes a story, a scene, a character, a line of dialogue… that is a different skill entirely. I think the great film composers are as much committed to the story-telling as they are the music. They are passionate about the marriage of music and image and have that special sensibility of knowing what is needed and when it's needed.
Q: What do you feel has been the highlight of your writing career so far?
A: Personally, I would say it's my most recent score to the film Cubamerican. I’ve dreamed of the opportunity to compose music that would celebrate my Cuban heritage and serve as a tribute to the sacrifices made by my parents and grandparents’ generation. It’s a really great film and was a labor of love for everyone involved. I was able to record the score using first-class Cuban musicians along with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It was kind of a dream gig.
Q: What is your next project:
A: I’ll be composing the scores to two films: The first one is titled “Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind”. It’s a drama about a neuroscientist’s journey to uncover the mysterious past of a New Orleans street singer stricken with Alzheimer's. It’s actually a very moving story. The other, is the action film “Payday: The Heist” which is a modern day Robin Hood story based on the Sony online video game. Both could not be more different and will have their own unique challenges. I’m very excited.
When asked what Dreyfoos means to him, Carlos put it simply, “SOA is where I discovered who I was and where I was going. It is where I decided that music and my artistic expression would be my life's work. It was the foundation for everything to come.”
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January 2013 | Alumni Spotlight
 Katie Alender (nee Schmidt), is the author of the Bad Girls Don't Die series of young adult novels from Disney-Hyperion and the upcoming Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer from Scholastic. Katie is a Palm Beach County School of the Arts class of 1995 Communications Department Alum.
Q: What is the most profound change you experienced at Dreyfoos (SOA)?
A: I learned that not only was it not a terrible thing to be different from the people around me, but it was actually a good thing. I had spent two years at a "normal" middle school being crushed by the sense of not being good enough. At SOA, the change was immediate and so powerful--people liked you for exactly who you were and not only didn't expect you to change, but didn't want you to.
Q: Favorite Dreyfoos (SOA) teacher?
A: I have so many! Mr. O'Brien, a science teacher who was one of my class's faculty sponsors, and Mr. Deluz both had a huge impact on me. I remember Mrs. Schanel, my math teacher, for her utter commitment to her students' learning, and Ms. Beermann for her creative approach to teaching. I also remember having Dr. Bucklew my senior year after having heard for years that she was strict and serious, and finding her very kind and completely willing to let us be crazy and have fun as long as we put the work in. That was a great lesson for me. I honestly feel that, between the emphasis on academics and the space given to the arts, Dreyfoos set me up in the best possible way.
After graduating from the School of the Arts Katie went on to attend the Florida State University Film School and received her degree in Motion Picture, Television, and Recording Arts. She then moved to Los Angeles and began working in development TV shows.
Q: How did you arrive at your current carreer?
A: When I moved to Los Angeles, I worked in development—researching, writing, and pitching ideas for TV shows. One of those companies produced content for kids and teens, so I spent a lot of time thinking of that age group as protagonists. I had wanted to write a book for a couple of years (and had started but not finished one or two in that time), and after I had begun a draft of “Bad Girls Don't Die”, I came across Stephen King's memoir, “On Writing”. That book made me realize that normal people like myself could actually finish a book. You just had to put the work in. So I finished the draft and spent the next couple of years rewriting it in my spare time--early mornings, late nights, weekends.
About four years later, I came across a web page my graduating class had started and found that one of my former classmates, Matthew Elblonk, was a literary agent. I emailed him, and he said he'd be happy to look at the book. He liked it, and we sold it to Disney-Hyperion. When the first book came out, it did well enough that my publisher asked me to write two additional books in the series. Up to that point, I was also writing and producing televised dog shows for Animal Planet. The email with the offer for the two additional books and the email saying the dog show series had been canceled arrived on the same day. And that was the day I became a full-time author.
Q: What was more intimidating writing and publishing for first novel Bad Girls Don’t Die or finding out that it had become a 3 book series and that you would need to keep the audience captivated for two more books?
A: I wouldn't say there was pressure with the first book--or if there was, I wasn't experienced enough to perceive it. With the second two, I suddenly found myself mired in the rules of my own mythology, the logistics of reopening a story after a pretty definitive "The End," and a pair of tight deadlines. At the same time, I had grown as a writer. My various day jobs had taught me a lot about discipline, collaboration, and getting the work done, so I was well prepared for the new challenges.
Q: What do you feel has been the highlight of your writing career so far?
A: Oh, there are so many highlights. The personal connections I've made with readers and other writers are inspiring and rewarding. Seeing the cover of a book for the first time is incredibly cool, as is holding a copy of your own book in your hands. Also, having been a writer long enough, having put in the work and been through the slogs and continued to educate myself, to feel truly literate in terms of craft--and to have real, involved discussions about story with other writers and creative people. But the overall highlight is the fact that I get to spend my days telling stories.
Q: You came back to Dreyfoos to talk to the students about your books and career; what was that experience like?
A: It was amazing! The students were so bright and interesting, and I got to see a few of my former teachers. I wish I had more time to spend working with aspiring writers there.
Q: “What Dreyfoos means to me”?
A: At a time when many teens are being shut down and closed off, told they're not good enough and that they have nothing to offer, I was encouraged to express myself and search and chase my passion. Dreyfoos made me who I am. It's also the place where, in ninth grade, I received the excellent advice to "get off my high horse," which has led me to spend my life in pursuit of humbler horses.
Q: What recommendations do you have for our current DSOA students:
A: If you are determined to pursue a career in the arts, make good use of the alumni networks that are available to you. When you're young, you don't realize what a pleasure it is for people who are established to encounter younger people with integrity, intelligence, and talent, who are eager to learn and put in the work. On that note--be willing to put in the work! There's an adage that to become proficient at something takes 10,000 hours of practice. Dreyfoos students certainly have a leg up in that regard, but you must continually push yourself to grow and learn.
Another thing I would say is not to see your future as simply a timeline to get through in order to achieve acclaim and success. Enjoy every minute, every day. Remind yourself that each moment is its own reward. Don't be brainwashed by our society that idolizes celebrity.
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December 2012 | Alumni Spotlight
 Joshua Harto, a class of 1997 School of the Arts Theatre alum, is an actor, writer and producer. Since beginning his career at age 15 on the Nickelodeon series "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" he has appeared in numerous award winning and critically acclaimed plays, television series and films; most recently opposite Michael Sheen and Sam Jackson in Gregor Jordan's controversial film, Unthinkable. Many of you may remember him as the blackmailing attorney 'Coleman Reese' in The Dark Knight.
As a television writer and producer, Josh along his wife Liz W. Garcia, has sold TV pilots to CBS, ABC, FOX and NBC. Their show Memphis Beat ran for two seasons on TNT with George Clooney's Smokehouse Pics producing and starring Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard. This year they are creating a project for NBC with Gordon Ramsey attached as an executive producer.
Josh has worked extensively on the New York stage, premiering plays for the likes of Doug Hughes and John Guare and starring opposite legends such as Kate Burton and Amy Wright. His long list of Independent films includes The Believer opposite Ryan Gosling and Swimming opposite Lauren Ambrose.
When asked how his experience at the School of the Arts shaped his career path Josh offered this explanation:
“It isn't profound enough of a statement to say that my SOA experience shaped my career path in some way. My SOA experience is directly responsible for any and all professional success I have had. SOA has the ability to see a hidden spark of something special in otherwise "ordinary" kids, helps them to hone in on it and develop it. Had the faculty not seen that and allowed me to attend, it's difficult to imagine who or where I would be today. I can say with a good deal of certainty though that I would not be the fully realized adult I am.
The school helped me to define myself as a young adult, and artist, and businessman based on the specific and unique qualities I possessed. Not on a set of general, one size fits all, criteria handed down by some kind of legislative board. Yes, there were all the tangible opportunities that come with attending an art school: being able to work at your chosen art every day, perform on stage, learn about design and music and history, receiving professional help, learning about the business of the business, meeting talent agents and industry professionals. But most importantly, SOA fostered an environment where it was safe to explore who you were becoming as an emerging adult. SOA taught me that it was okay to be my own unique self. And I can't stress what an important quality that is. I see it over and over again, as the single most important shared characteristic of those who are the most successful in the professional arts world. And I would venture to say the same is true in most arena of employment.
I talk about this with fellow alumni often. Each and every one of whom, whether they followed an art career path or not, are contributing something special and unique to the world. My wife loves to watch over my shoulder as I scroll through Facebook, delighted at the incredible, unusual and profound achievements, bold ideas and rich voices everyone one of them posses. Though she attended one of the top high schools in the country, she is constantly surprised and fascinated (and I think a little jealous) by our experience at SOA and the stables of prolific individuals the school has turned out.”
A few weeks ago when I asked Josh about his career highlights he responded, “I have a good one that I think will be exciting, but I won't be able to talk about it until Wednesday at 1pm west coast time.” The suspense was killing me … I updated my Google alert and waited. This past summer Josh produced and starred opposite Kristen Bell in The Lifeguard which his wife Liz wrote and directed. On November 29th it was announced that The Lifeguard was selected to compete at Sundance!
Josh commented on what attending the School of the Arts meant to him, “It really means everything to me. I wasn't a kid who was blessed with a wealthy family, or any kind of special connections. There really shouldn't have been any kind of easy path for me to achieve my goals. But SOA came along. It was the defining factor in my life. The school, the teachers, the staff and my fellow students as a whole were the opportunity I needed to change the direction of my life.” He concluded, “I am who I am, where I am, able to do what I do (a job that, by the way has the ability to affect countless others) because of the School of the Arts. And I am just one of so many that I know feel the same way.”
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November 2012 | Alumni Spotlight
 Kasia Reterska, a class of 1997 Communications alum took some time out of her busy schedule to candidly answer some questions about her experiences at the School of the Arts and how that shaped her career.
Ms. Reterska is currently Vice president at Fenton, the largest public interest communications firm in the United States with offices in New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and London. They combine decades of expertise with creativity and innovation to accelerate progress on today’s most pressing global and national issues. Their first client was Nelson Mandela.
Kasia manages several corporate and nonprofit clients with multiple teams with budgets totaling about $2 million. Her focus is on crisis management, message and brand development, leadership positioning, stakeholder engagement and corporate and public affairs management. Her recent and current clients include: ACLU, Avon, CDC, Enerkem, GE, General Mills, Half the Sky Movement, Kate Spade, Merck Foundation, Novartis, United Nations Development Program, Warner Bros. and a former deputy prime minister of Russia (by far the most colorful experience of them all).
During her time at the School of the Arts Kasia majored in communications, “though I dabbled in Theatre for a year, which was catastrophic. Thanks Mrs. Blanchette for putting up with me”.
Q: What is the most profound change you experienced at SOA?
A: I cut my hair short and never looked back...it was so liberating not to mention lessened the fuss of getting ready each morning - not that I wore beauty queen hair every day, but still. Also, meeting and developing a magical and lasting friendship with Cotter Douglas Christian. He continues to be a force of greatness in my life. Also, watching my brother Milosz (an SOA alum too) transform from a high school kid to the globetrotting, brilliant rockstar he is today. Making and maintaining other super friendships helped shape me, too. Like with Susi Kandel. And others...you know who you are.
Q: Favorite DSOA teacher:
A: That's a tough one. I had a number of favorites for different reasons. Ms. Sherri Catalano Hubbard (née Mills), Señora Smith (despite her insistence that I was a thief for stealing a yellow plastic Quidado Piso Mojado sign from a janitor at a store on Worth Avenue; it was purely a symbol of my devotion to the Spanish language and my contribution of a real world artifact to her classroom. She and I never saw eye to eye on that, unfortunately), Mr. Deluz, Ms. Marshall, Lady Pfeffer (the lovely standby substitute teacher and Stephanie Pfeffer's mom)
After high school graduation Kasia attended NYU film school, and received a BA in Communications, she then went on to earn her MA in international affairs from Marymount Manhattan, New School.
Kasia doled out a little advice for college students, “Always remember to confirm you properly dropped a class if/when you're adding/dropping at the start of the semester. I have a horrendous recurring dream where two weeks before graduation I'm told I got an F in English class and consequently need to repeat a year because I didn't drop the class the right way”. Luckily that didn’t happen and she graduated, on time.
Ms. Reterska went on to explain how she arrived at her current career.
A lot of it was serendipitous. I always liked storytelling - my own stories and those of people who had no voice. My first job in New York outside the fascinating and sometimes unsavory nightlife scene involved working with Cuban and Haitian refugees for International Rescue Committee. The next job I worked on an HIV/AIDS communications advocacy campaign for Save the Children in Malawi. Then I worked as a press officer for a human rights organization that sought to bring war criminals to justice in post-conflict countries (Liberia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Colombia, and so on). Just before the Beijing Olympics I was hired by Edelman, the largest global PR firm, to help message and publicly position some of their Fortune 500 clients about corporate responsibility, specifically regarding human rights. From there I came to Fenton, where I currently work, to help build the corporate responsibility practice - essentially to help companies and public sector organizations have positive social impact while conducting business in a sustainable--and profitable--way.
Q: What recommendations do you have for our current DSOA students?
A: Getting good grades in school is important, yes, but it's not everything and certainly not something to lose sleep over. In my view it's critical to go outside your comfort zone, be endlessly curious, learn by doing (beyond the classroom) to become a valuable contributor to the world. Look for real life experience outside of school. Get an internship in something completely different from your studies. Volunteer helping Haitian refugees. Travel to a place that makes you uncomfortable. Be scared every now and then. And try to have as much fun as you can along the way.
Life is so much more fun after high school. My two kids, dog Penelope, and Nicolle, my partner of 12 (!) years are proof that it gets better. Embrace who you are and don't let bullies bring you down.
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