Bigus Studies at Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin

Touring Ireland?s famous scenic countryside and volunteering every week at an AIDS/HIV support agency are some of the behind-the-scenes activities that Sarah Bigus '09 pursued while studying theatre.

Bigus, a theatre and neuroscience major, spent a semester in Ireland, living in Dublin, studying at the Gaiety School of Acting and exploring the island country through field trips. The semester immersed Bigus in the rich historical culture and deepened her understanding of Irish theatre and society in a way that goes beyond that experienced in traditional study abroad programs or even by traditional tourists.

?I was very busy in Ireland. My class week was very full,? she says. With six to nine hours of class every day, Bigus says she would not have it any other way. ?I wanted to experience everything.?

In addition to the contemporary Irish drama class, Bigus regularly attended stage shows and local theatre festivals in Dublin. She volunteered at Dublin?s Fringe Festival gaining access to stage shows, and she played a different role volunteering at Open Heart House, an HIV/AIDS support center.

No stranger to the role of HIV educator and activist, Bigus started educating classmates at the age of ten. ?I learned that my cousin contracted HIV from a blood transfusion. He spoke publicly about it, and he (Chris) became a role model to me.? Getting permission from her junior high school teacher, Bigus spoke about her cousin?s HIV, and ?from that point on I spoke to several classes every year.?

A newspaper article detailing her AIDS education led to more speaking engagements. She spoke to students, parents and church groups, participated in AIDS walks, volunteered at an HIV house and got involved in Fighting Aids Through Education (FATE).

?When I went to Ireland I knew I wanted to get involved in the AIDS scene there,? she says. Tapping into what she learned in a community outreach in the performing arts class her first year at Knox, Bigus was able to apply what she learned into developing a curriculum for a body movement class at Open Heart House. ?It was so cool to discover I could put together that curriculum and teach a class. It opened up so many options for me,? she says. ?And, the experience gave me a more global perspective with HIV and AIDS. That was my goal.?

With her fine performance in a supporting role, Bigus says that she knew her world would be too small if she limited her studies to just theater. ?I was always interested in how the brain and body work together. I found a way to keep them both in my life.?

In looking at colleges, Bigus says she wanted a college where she could double major. ?Larger schools didn?t work for me, because there was no way I could double major in two completely different fields.?

Bigus first noticed the diversity and the interaction between faculty and students at Knox. ?When I visited, I fell in love with the theatre department. The stage in Harbach Theater is absolutely amazing. It is so beautiful and the acoustics in that place are amazing. The fact the stage can turn 180 degrees gives it so much flexibility.?

She says she has not changed since coming to Knox, but that Knox has provided many opportunities. "I am so passionate about the neuroscience that I am studying and confident that I could be a neuroscience researcher, but if I could support myself in an acting career, I would be happy with that too. We?ll see.?

Touring Ireland?s famous scenic countryside is only one of the behind-the-scenes activities that Sarah Bigus '09 pursued while studying theatre.

Bigus, a theatre and neuroscience major, spent a semester in Ireland, living in Dublin, studying through the London Florence theatre program at the Gaiety School of Acting.