Broadway bound: Julia Rakus wins the Open Jar Institute Scholarship
Musical theater is full of rewarding moments: the first swelling chords of a song, the graceful flow of inspired choreography, the roar of applause as the curtain closes. A dual major in theatre and English, Julia Rakus lives for these moments — and, most of all, to see a show work its transformational magic on an audience.
“Being in front of people and sharing a story for two hours, and having them leave with a different perspective or a different mindset — I think that is really cool,” she said.
This summer, the Binghamton University senior received the prestigious Open Jar Institute Scholarship at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) in Washington, D.C. The national-level scholarship will give her the chance to attend New York City’s most Broadway-integrated actor training program next summer.
“There will be a lot of workshops and networking — and seeing what it’s like to do theater full-time,” said Rakus, an Olean native.
The Theatre Department is an active member of the KCACTF, which means a representative within the network sees faculty-directed productions to review and recognize students for outstanding work in performance, stage management and design. Rakus was initially recognized for her fall 2019 performance in A Man of No Importance, qualifying her to compete at the regional conference.
Rakus competed in her first regional festival in January 2020 at the University of Maryland, prior to the pandemic. That year, she also won the region’s Musical Theatre Intensive Scholarship Award, which earned her an invitation to the national festival at the Kennedy Center.
The global pandemic, however, disrupted the festival’s usual timeline and methods. The national festival was postponed until the following year, when it was held virtually with all of the winners from the regional festivals in 2020 and 2021; prior to that, Rakus participated in the regional festival, also held virtually. Rather than a live audience, Rakus submitted video performances for both regionals and nationals. During the latter, she was accompanied on piano by Assistant Professor and Director of Musical Theater Tommy Iafrate, who also coordinates the musical theater intensive for KCACTF’s Region II.
Pursuing theater during a pandemic is difficult, Rakus acknowledged.
“I think I missed out on a lot. Now that everything’s coming back, you have to prioritize what you want to do versus what everyone thinks you should be doing,” she said. “You come out with a different perspective. If anything, it just reignited my passion for performing and collaborating with other artists and meeting new people.”
The musical theater performers from both years were invited to the Kennedy Center in August 2021. Attendees performed in a showcase, attended workshops and classes with the likes of Bobby Smith and Broadway performer Arbender Robinson, and forged connections with peers across the country.
“The bonds that I made with these people in such a short time — it was incredible. Being able to be with people for four days who are just like you and have the same goals as you; it was truly amazing,” Rakus said.
The next act
Rakus first became involved in theater at 6 years old, and has spent much of her life participating in the art through non-profit organizations. After completing her bachelor’s, she will remain at Binghamton for another year to complete her Master in Public Administration through the 4+1 program.
The MPA will give her the opportunity to help run the organizations that bring performances to the larger world. She’s open to other opportunities in the nonprofit world, too, along with pursuing her performance career, she said.
Binghamton’s theater program has helped her hone her performance skills, sometimes in unexpected ways. Take A Man of No Importance, which required Rakus’ character to do a tap-dance solo. There was only one problem: prior to the show, she had never tap-danced in her life.
Enter Assistant Professor David Wynen and long, apologetic hours spent in the dance room, trying to nail the routine.
“He was so supportive and patient with me, and I don’t know how because I was not even patient with myself,” she remembered.
Wynen is one of the professors who made a major impact on her Binghamton experience, along with Iafrate and Music Director Robyn Womersley. In fact, their influence will likely continue for years to come, as Rakus auditions for shows in the Big Apple.
“Without them, I would have been completely lost. They’ve gone above and beyond, making sure that I’m ready to leave and go into the real world,” she said.
Ultimately, a degree in theatre isn’t necessarily about grades, but about the skills you master, Rakus pointed out. She gained needed insights into the workings of the industry from her professors, during classes, voice lessons, rehearsals and more.
But she also cherishes the fun moments along the way, such as the time she brought her wig collection to a rehearsal. Yes, you read that correctly; she collects outrageous wigs with roommate RJ Fox, and wears them in random places for fun, such as at the grocery store.
“During the last scene of the show, I gave a wig to each of the actors and we all walked on stage with these horrible wigs! And Tommy (Iafrate), who is our director, he just screams ‘Julia!’ laughing so hard,” she recounted.
That sense of humor and her willingness to have fun makes Rakus stand out both as a performer and a collaborator, Iafrate said.
“She brings that to her work in a way that makes her characters more present and self-aware, and makes those in the audience root for her,” Iafrate said. “She’s just fun to watch!”