Name: Tiffany Black
Year: 2nd year
Degree: English and Spanish
Star Sign: Pisces
Hometown: London and Australia
Tiffany is a 2nd year student who is fully immersed in the dramatic arts/singing world at St Andrews. She is a member of the Accidentals, which is an A capella group; she is involved with One the Rocks and is performing in Roleplay; and she has recently finished assisting directing The Waste Land. On the side, she is working towards a degree in English and Spanish – having always loved reading, especially that moment of connection with characters no matter the era or setting of the book.
Singing is in Tiffany’s blood as her parents are both opera singers, and she has sung for as long as she can remember. Apparently, as a litle girl she used to sing herself to sleep in nonsensical sounds that verged on Italian! Impressive. As she grew older, so did her acting talents and capabilities expand. In fact, Tiffany recounted a memorable episode from her school experiencet that demonstrated both her commitment and holistic approach to acting: a one-man show of the birth of Jesus. Yes, Tiffany played the innkeeper (the lead role), Joseph, and a variety of additional characters.
This passion for acting has continued into her St Andrews career; she had a blast assistant directing The Waste Land and performing in Roleplay. The Waste Land was a performance of T.S. Eliot’s poem and contained complex language and a complicated meaning – “the point is you don’t understand”- about many things including the fragmentation of society. Tiffany says, “The experience was enjoyable, because I was able to see the poem come to life with the voices in the poem transforming into real characters.” Watch out for Roleplay, which is being performed in Week 6 with Tiffany playing an alcoholic middle-aged women who flirts with all the men. Saucy Stuff.
Empowering, fun, and sassy is the way Tiffany describes the number one female A cappella group on campus, the Accidentals. The highlight of her experience with the group so far was the Scottish A Capella championships in which they ruled supreme in their moving performance of Blindsided. The response from the audience was magical – check out the video here! In addition to their well-deserved victory, Tiffany also had a wonderful evening being serenaded at the after party – her birthday was the next day. The social aspects of the group are also important, because they are a “group of sisters” who are “all really close” and share gossip as well as their musical talent!
The next chance you have to watch the Accidentals will be as part of the Women in the Arts event taking place next Wednesday and Thursday at the Barron theatre. Alongside the Accidentals, the evening will feature other A Capella groups, a poetry slam, and “The Pillow Fight” sketch comedy night. If last year’s event is anything to go by, it will be a spellbinding evening showcasing some of the best female talent St Andrews has to offer. Essentially, it will be a great evening of female empowerment at St Andrews, and the event is in collaboration with the charity, Women for Women International, which seeks to help women in conflict zones. Philanthropy? Check. Performance by the Accidentals? Check. What more could you want from an evening?
Tiffany is wonderfully friendly and is an immensely talented girl, so be sure to check out her upcoming performances! And, like the café that she works at, is completely Gorgeous.
Quick Fire Round:
Favourite place in St Andrews: Favourite rock by castle sands – sitting in the Sea.
Favourite song: ‘Here Comes the Sun” by The Beetles
Lizard or Brew Pub: Brew Pub
Favourite Food: Chocolate
Guilty pleasure: Country music
Dream travel destination: New York
Dream dinner party companions: Elvis, Maya Angelou, and Sylvia Plath
What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod? Anything
Inspirational quote: “To live is the rarest thing in the world, most people merely exist.”