Judy Stadt
I knew from the age of five that an actor's life was for me ... listening to the radio all the time ... to the beloved children's program "Let's Pretend" to all the dramatic, frightening, funny shows while in the car on Sunday afternoons as we drove back home from weekly Sunday visits to my sister Beverly, who was locked up for twenty five years in Rockland State Hospital. That was a place where the practice of lobotomy had just recently become common ... it took her personality and ultimately robbed her of a life.
Quit Evander Childs H.S. in my junior year to get married at 16 (didn't have to, was just stupid). Desperate to learn and make something of myself, after attending for three years, I did graduate Vale Dictorian of my class from Theodore Roosevelt Evening High School and my little boys David, Michael, and Kenneth came to my H.S. graduation. Attended Lehman College majored in Psychology & Education. And you thought I was just another pretty face.
Jump ahead sixteen years - all this time I was acting wherever I could, in community theatre, children's theatre, any theatre. That has been my passion: I was born to entertain and have been doing exactly that for all of my life.
So, to date I've performed in more than 80 plays plus a few indie films and some television. I recently received my 2nd Rockland County Executive's Arts Award for Performing Artist of the year in recognition of my extensive work for 30+ years.
My dream would be to have our schools show Foreign Films to the students because I'm convinced that by seeing how other cultures live, in different countries, there would be a platform where our children could grow respect for our many differences. That is what is so lacking in our world. There needs to be more communication and effective listening/speaking courses and interest in understanding others way of life. They could see the beauty of all humanity and know we all come from the same place and want the same things for our families and loved ones.