Beaver Reflections:
I graduated in 1989, so I started around 1982. Back then there was a 5th and 6th grade. I was one of the last students to be a lifer that started in the 5th grade. Beaver was much simpler and yet the core of what they were trying to do there has remained the same, which is to create interesting humans. They really made sure to make everyone feel singular. Many, many teachers had a lasting impact. My 5th grade teacher, Ms.Schuester, was a great teacher and the other 5th grade teacher was a guy named Mr. Denny Brown, and he was a great teacher. All these really really spectacular people who really cared about kids and educating them. They were kind enough to be patient with me, a little schmucky kid who probably thought he knew much more than he knew and they were patient enough to give me the chance to learn stuff from them. The talent level of the kids that were doing theater at Beaver was very high and I would never even dare to get involved with that stuff because I was intimidated by how good they all were.

What is #happeningnow in your life:
Graduation was, what, over 30 years ago? Oh my goodness. It’s like a different lifetime. I went to college at Hobart College and then I went to film school at the American Film Institute. I got married a couple times and had some kids. I was very focused on a two-track approach to life which was working hard on building a career and building a life for myself that involved art, creating, being paid to make art, and also working really hard on myself as a person. I know lots of people who only focus on the work part and even with all the success they don’t feel happy. They don’t feel fulfilled or they don’t feel like they’ve earned it. So I really try to do both at the same time, never letting one compromise the other. It wasn’t until college that I started to experiment a little bit, and was like, “I’m going to write a play. I’m going to write a movie.” My success, the reaction people gave me, and the amount of joy that came from actually doing the work really changed me. I said, “I could sit and do this all day long. This is something I should be focused on.” Now I’m at a very fortunate place in that my work continued even during the pandemic, but we couldn’t shoot anything for months and months, which is very unusual. Not having anything to shoot was challenging because you want to get something on the air, but it was also a great relief because I don’t think I’ve not been in production for a decade. It was nice to have time to just write and develop new things.

“The thing about Beaver, whether it be when I went there in the 80s or now, is that there is a spirit, a particular energy. We all get it, but no one else gets it. I think the Beaver community is different because we have the ability to facilitate real change in the world and we work together.”

– Brad Falchuck ’89

Advice to current Beaver Students:
Everyone at Beaver is already at such a privileged place and such an advantage by being there. You have access to some of the best people, you have access to the best teachers, and you are learning how to learn in a way that most kids are not given the opportunity. Don’t waste that or throw it away doing what your parents want you to do or what you think is right or what you think is going to get you a lot of attention or make you a lot of money. Don’t waste that. You were given too much of a gift, so don’t waste it on a thing that doesn’t make you feel incredibly satisfied with your life. Relax, don’t rush, take your time. Never stop working hard but really listen for your calling, which is different than finding a job.