ALEXIS CAMARENA
Staff Writer

Cindy Fernandez, a senior at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has participated in every one of FDU’s theatre productions since her freshman year. Singing, acting or working backstage, Fernandez has done it all. This theater major has been in plays and musicals such as “Carousel,” “The Heidi Chronicles,” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and last semester’s “Guys and Dolls.” Thus, she is no stranger to the spotlight. Fernandez most recently played the female lead in last month’s “Once in a Lifetime.” The Metro sat down with one of FDU’s most talented actors for an interview.
The Metro: How did you first get involved in theater?
Fernandez: I was making my schedule for my freshman year of high school and I originally wanted to take a violin class, but the class was cancelled. My guidance counselor put me in a drama class and I was furious! All I wanted to do was play the violin, but she said I would love it. Before I even stepped in the first class, I had determined that I wasn’t going to like it. In fact, I almost wanted to walk out hating it so I could prove my guidance counselor wrong.
I ended up walking out of there in love with the art! Mainly because of [the drama teacher I had], Bets Tuxill. She sucked me right in, she’s been my mentor ever since.
The Metro: You’ve participated in every one of FDU’s productions in one way or another, and you played a lead in “Once in a Lifetime.” Have you ever been cast in any other leading roles?
Fernandez: My first lead was in “Guys and Dolls,” but my biggest role was in “The Heidi Chronicles.”
The Metro: How was your role in “Once in a Lifetime” different from other roles you’ve done?
Fernandez: I think that my role in “Once in a Lifetime” was different because it’s very real. [My character, May Daniels] is very like me, so it was hard for me, but easy at the same time. It’s a side of myself that I wasn’t used to showing. I got to play a very smart, straight-forward, good character. She’s the heart of the play, and has a harsh, real good sense of who she is.
The Metro: Tell us a little about your experience with “Once in a Lifetime.”
Fernandez: The show itself was a big challenge for me. It is based off of Hollywood, and how people change when they go to Hollywood. It takes place in the 30s, and mainly talks about what happened to the film industry after talking films were introduced, and how this affected the careers of silent actors. I play May Daniels, who is a vaudeville actress, and decides to go along with Jerry Lewis to California in the hopes of being hired to teach actors that are unaccustomed to speaking on screen. Hollywood changes Jerry a lot, but May remains the most unchanged. She’s like an outsider looking in.
The Metro: What are your plans after graduation?
Fernandez: I’m planning on either going to a conservatory program, or graduate school. I haven’t decided exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I want to continue studying theater, if it means continue school or auditioning, working, and taking classes on the side.
The Metro: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Fernandez: Broadway, of course. It may seem like a stretch, but you need to dream big. It’s what fuels me. I have a lot of goals that I strive for. I might not accomplish all of them, but I can accomplish and come close to many. If you don’t see me on Broadway, you’ll see me on stage somewhere. I want to be working, and most of all, have the respect of my fellow actors because of who I am and my craft. If in five years I can be thought of in high regard by the theatre community that would be great, but I’m still aiming for Broadway. My aunt always told me, “You plan, God laughs,” so we’ll see what’s in store.
The Metro: This is your final year at FDU. How do you feel about your experience with theater here?
Fernandez: It’s been a really cool experience. I’ve grown a lot. There is still a lot that I need to learn, whether I start working or continue my schooling. Every actor will always wish they had done something different with their performance after a show; you think, “I should’ve said this line differently, or I should’ve sung this a certain way.” In the end, I’m happy with all the choices that I’ve made; I’ve worked with all the best of my abilities, and every role I had came for me at the right time.
The Metro: What, out of your experience, will you take with you in the real world?
Fernandez: One thing I’ve learned is to just let things be. Whether it’s on stage, or in real life.