--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started at Howard in the drama…" description: "\"I started at Howard in the drama department. At the same time, I was a fledgling member of the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. When I gradu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/lynn-whitfield-23769_drama_i-started-at-howard-in-the-drama-departm_1111071.jpg" --- # I started at Howard in the drama department. At the same… ![“I started at Howard in the drama department. At the same time, I was a fledgling member of the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. When I graduated, I had the great fortune of being in the Los Angeles production of 'For Colored Girls'... And all these years since, I've done stage work.” quote by Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/lynn-whitfield-23769_drama_i-started-at-howard-in-the-drama-departm_1111071.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/lynn-whitfield-23769_drama_i-started-at-howard-in-the-drama-departm_1111071.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/89a/lynn-whitfield-23769_drama_i-started-at-howard-in-the-drama-departm_1111071.jpg) > “I started at Howard in the drama department. At the same time, I was a fledgling member of the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. When I graduated, I had the great fortune of being in the Los Angeles production of 'For Colored Girls'... And all these years since, I've done stage work.” [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes her early career path, linking academic study with community theater, leading to professional stage work. **In simple terms:** Her education and community involvement launched her acting career. Key Takeaway Leverage education and community networks for career growth. Themes career development theatre community engagement Mood reflective inspirational Type personal career artistic When to use this quote - college drama program - community theater - regional productions - Broadway auditions Key Concepts professional growth networking artistic mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How did community theater shape your artistic voice? - What role does mentorship play in artistic careers? A Different Perspective Success often depends on timing and connections, not just talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I also try to surround myself with people I love - make a family out of the company. So I tend to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/i-also-try-to-surround-myself-with-people-i-love-make-a-family-out-of/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/each-writer-is-born-with-a-repertory-company-in-his-head/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Having that college-town atmosphere with a live repertory company available was a real gift. I found myself gravitating toward the theater from about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/having-that-college-town-atmosphere-with-a-live-repertory-company/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When I was beginning, a young actor could go from repertory company to repertory company. I did that and loved it. I was also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blythe-danner/when-i-was-beginning-a-young-actor-could-go-from-repertory-company-to/) [Blythe Danner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blythe-danner/) > [Animation functions like a repertory company. It requires a stable group of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-minkoff/animation-functions-like-a-repertory-company-it-requires-a-stable/) [Rob Minkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-minkoff/) > [I was in the movies. I danced, I sang, I learned to work in front of a camera. It was like being in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wagner/i-was-in-the-movies-i-danced-i-sang-i-learned-to-work-in-front-of-a/) [Robert Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wagner/) > [I wrote 'The Room', 'The Birthday Party', and 'The Dumb Waiter' in 1957, I was acting all the time in a repertory company, doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-wrote-the-room-the-birthday-party-and-the-dumb-waiter-in-1957-i-was/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [“Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. … I have 10 or so, and that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/each-writer-is-born-with-a-repertory-company-in-his-head-shakespeare/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [For two years I was a member of a repertory company in Los Angeles, doing mostly original material, plays written by the director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-norton/for-two-years-i-was-a-member-of-a-repertory-company-in-los-angeles/) [Judy Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-norton/) > [I was maybe one of two black kids in the drama department. It was, 'Well, you can't play this role because that guy has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-was-maybe-one-of-two-black-kids-in-the-drama-department-it-was-well/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [I went to high school directly across the street from Carnegie Mellon, actually, and I knew people that were a couple of years older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-went-to-high-school-directly-across-the-street-from-carnegie-mellon/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [I was a dance major at NYU, but it wasn't working out. I had friends in the drama department, so I switched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maura-tierney/i-was-a-dance-major-at-nyu-but-it-wasn-t-working-out-i-had-friends-in/) [Maura Tierney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maura-tierney/) > [Every weekend the drama department would have parties. The 20 hot girls on campus? All of them were in the drama dept. So we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/every-weekend-the-drama-department-would-have-parties-the-20-hot/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [I started performing in high school. There was a pretty great drama department at my school, and that's when I started doing plays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missi-pyle/i-started-performing-in-high-school-there-was-a-pretty-great-drama/) [Missi Pyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/missi-pyle/) > [Our high school offered a comprehensive drama department where I was doing 'Angels in America' at 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/our-high-school-offered-a-comprehensive-drama-department-where-i-was/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) ## More by Lynn Whitfield > [When I saw 'Breakfast at Tiffany's,' and Audrey Hepburn was standing in front of Tiffany's in this Givenchy dress, or when I saw 'All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/when-i-saw-breakfast-at-tiffany-s-and-audrey-hepburn-was-standing-in/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [When men age, their love interests get younger. It doesn't stop them from doing different genres of stuff. As women age in film, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/when-men-age-their-love-interests-get-younger-it-doesn-t-stop-them/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [At consignment shops, I can collect things reasonably, and it's joyful. My dining room table was $75, and I'm so proud. It's beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/at-consignment-shops-i-can-collect-things-reasonably-and-it-s-joyful/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [A spiritual relationship to me is much more about making your own connection to the divinity that you believe in and much less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/a-spiritual-relationship-to-me-is-much-more-about-making-your-own/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [I think Marvin Gaye is one of the greatest American music icons. His 'What's Going On' is as fresh today as when he did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/i-think-marvin-gaye-is-one-of-the-greatest-american-music-icons-his/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [I have always been part of a family with a great appreciation for the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/i-have-always-been-part-of-a-family-with-a-great-appreciation-for-the/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [Josephine Baker is such an iconic woman that once you've touched her and she has touched you, it never goes away. I'm stuck with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/josephine-baker-is-such-an-iconic-woman-that-once-you-ve-touched-her/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [I wanted to do what I was seeing Dorothy Dandridge doing, what I saw Marilyn Monroe do, what I saw Bette Davis do. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/i-wanted-to-do-what-i-was-seeing-dorothy-dandridge-doing-what-i-saw/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [Many of the people I know and that you know are very complex human beings, and it's not all about race. Everything isn't a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/many-of-the-people-i-know-and-that-you-know-are-very-complex-human/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [Funny enough though, despite what Donald Trump has to say and the way African-American people are portrayed so often in media, African-American people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/funny-enough-though-despite-what-donald-trump-has-to-say-and-the-way/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [I think that huge Christian institutions deal a lot with corruption. You see it happen with so many institutions. We've seen the questions with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/i-think-that-huge-christian-institutions-deal-a-lot-with-corruption/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [Law enforcement agents need to be vetted more thoroughly and psychologically and emotionally to see who they are, if they're really built for fairness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/law-enforcement-agents-need-to-be-vetted-more-thoroughly-and/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [I am very loyal to the women I am fully licensed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/i-am-very-loyal-to-the-women-i-am-fully-licensed-to/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [The life of an artist is always reproving what you can do, and I feel like there is still so much more to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/the-life-of-an-artist-is-always-reproving-what-you-can-do-and-i-feel/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) > [The metamorphosis of people is so interesting. I guess that's why everybody loves before and afters, throwback Thursdays, and all that kind of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-whitfield/the-metamorphosis-of-people-is-so-interesting-i-guess-that-s-why/) [Lynn Whitfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) [Explore all 25 Lynn Whitfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-whitfield/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started at Howard in the drama department. At the same time, I was a fledgling member of the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C. When I graduated, I had the great fortune of being in the Los Angeles production of 'For Colored Girls'... 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