Will Garden is a four-year Performance Studies major primarily interested in the intersection of sexual politics, media, and queer studies. RAW is his first foray into creative writing, though he has also written collections of poems, performance scores, and performance analyses.

Title of Capstone Project

RAW

Description of Capstone Project

An exploration of student life in New York City, power, social capital, and sexual politics, RAW is a collection of short, autofictional, and introspective essays following the adventures of a protagonist, Will (loosely based on the author), and his friends who navigate the difficult and liberating emotions involved in pursuing a fully actualized sense of self. From drug-fueled nights in New York City nightlife and rooftop parties to quiet moments of reflection after sexual encounters and the betrayal of a friend, RAW seeks to reveal unsaid truths about the nature of these encounters and how they allow for a "coming-of-self" for those involved. A form of autofiction inspired by Barbara Browning's astonishingly beautiful novel, The Gift, this collection of essays uses the author's real-life experiences to tell a different version of the truth in pursuit of the liminal performance space of "not me...not not me" as described by Richard Schechner in his book, Between Theater and Anthropology. Resulting in essays that are "real and not real at the same time," RAW is a form of performative writing that attempts to engender catharsis, introspection, and the delicate art of confronting uncomfortable truths in the reader.

Why PS @ NYU?

When I was researching my learning opportunities at NYU, I came across Performance Studies, and, already interested in activism and social justice, applied on a whim. Little did I know that I was about to be introduced to one of the most inclusive, scholarly, and warm departments in all of NYU. Performance Studies has allowed me to broaden my lens of the world all while applying critical theory to real-life situations, allowing me to better interact with those around me and build a more holistic worldview. As far as homes away from home go, the Performance Studies Department comes pretty close, and for that, I’m forever grateful!