The student experience of being a drama major: Laura Astiz Andrade
By Ben Read, March 26 2026—
The School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) is a department here at the University of Calgary. It is divided into three different divisions: music, dance and drama. This article will reflect on the student experience of engaging with drama, and how the department inspires its students to breathe life into their art.
Laura Astiz Andrade is a drama major in the SCPA. Astiz Andrade spoke to the Gauntlet about her experience as a drama major and her pursuits in the performance arts.
“There was an immediate connection to the people in the drama department and the drama cohort that I’m in,” Astiz Andrade said.
Astiz Andrade’s connections with other people in the drama department has greatly contributed to her time and experiences at the university. She has gotten the chance to talk to professionals who are working in the performance industry and they have given her insight on their work. Connecting and gaining mentorships with her professors, who are active members of the theatre industry, has allowed her to get advice from professionals and make useful connections to succeed in the industry.
“Knowing about life and human relationships is just as important as the craft itself,” Astiz Andrade said. “Because one feeds the other. I need to learn how people behave in real life, in real scenarios, so I can translate that into a live performance on stage.”
In Astiz Andrade’s drama classes, the importance of learning how people behave in real life and being able to replicate those behaviours on the stage has been stressed. The need to know how people’s brains work in real life is reflected in her performances and allows her to delve into multiple, differing viewpoints, of multiple and different characters.
“The show that I am currently in is called Esperanza, which is a show based on Mexican culture and a bunch of us got together and decided to do a piece of theatre based on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead),” Astiz Andrade said.
Throughout her time as a drama student, Astiz Andrade has been a part of a few different projects, with her most recent project being Esperanza. The play is happening on March 18 to 19 and is a part of the Festival of Animated Objects.
Experiencing and working on plays both as an actor and a stage manager have been the most helpful for Astiz Andrade by developing the skills needed to be part of the theatre industry. This application of knowledge in a professional setting has allowed her to determine what does and doesn’t work furthering her understanding of her craft.
Astiz Andrade expresses her belief that supporting the performing arts includes supporting the working members of the performances and being there for them when the stressors of the long hours put into the performances can weigh on them. She especially implores those who know people in the arts to directly show their support through both the highs and the lows.
“It’s not just about the successful days and the joyful days, and that doesn’t make a play. So support your arts people through the days they’re grinding and they’re working very hard to make it happen,” Astiz Andrade said.
For those interested in the Esperanza play Astiz Andrade will be a part of, more information can be found on the play’s Instagram account.