“No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care”
-Theodore roosevelt
“Taking your class at uchicago was an incredible highlight of my experience there! Especially being someone who was studying all STEM, stepping out of my major and tapping into acting was what truly represents the Core Curriculum. And the highlight of the class was actually YOU! The way you cared about each and every one of us so deeply and helped us become better people by showing how acting and theater are about stepping into someone’s (even if fictional character’s) story and understanding relationships, people, and the world. The way you led the class and got us to engage with each other was truly incredible and inspiring.I also appreciate you keeping in touch sharing volunteer opportunities and other events. I am truly so grateful to have met you and wish you the very best!” -Ana Guedes (former student)
“Professor Coop is incredibly driven and passionate in class - she is the energy! I appreciate that she makes sure all of us feel included, involved and heard. Furthermore, I think she always makes sure to explain instructions clearly and physically makes an effort to get up and come act out scenes with us (which is super helpful!). Moreover, she takes a lot of time out in the form of office hours, practice rehearsals, etc., to ensure all of us have continued support throughout the week! This class has helped me express myself in different ways and be more in tune with my emotional state! I think a large part of this has been to do with the feelings wheel, breathing exercises, and games we play in class. In short, it has made me a happier person. My takeaway from her class is to be proud of yourself. Be confident. Be expressive.”-Vansh Bagaria (former student)
“As someone who loved to act and participate in improv in high school in Rhode Island, Coop’s TAPS class at UChicago was a potent moment of joy to attend each week during the quarter. I wish it had lasted all year. Coop introduced me to the brilliant play Topdog/Underdog, and I couldn’t have been more fortunate to spend time expending energy with her and my peers in the best way there is: acting and learning with others in a collaborative, active, and refreshing environment. I still read the notes that fellow classmates wrote about the scene I performed, and to be sure, the serotonin boost in doing so surpasses about nothing else. It is these qualities of Coop - joy, energy, and attention to details and feelings - that separates her from the pack.” -Jonathan Rosenzweig (former student)
“Professor Cooper dedicates not only her time and expertise to her students, but also her energy and authenticity! She repeatedly emphasized her goal to make us not only better actors, but better people overall. By checking in with her students and reading how they showed up in class, Professor Coop developed a unique curriculum with in-class scene and song presentations as well as viewing productions in the larger Chicago-land area. Speaking of her knowledge and involvement in the community, Professor Coop also offered several community service opportunities for her students. By connecting with us in class and out, Professor Coop made a huge impact on my involvement in performing arts and helped me become a better contributing member of the community.” - Keara Booth (former student)
“My takeaway from your class is that an actor has to be malleable, adaptable, and prepare thoroughly.” -Sam Pastor (former student)
“Professor Cooper makes me feel comfortable and relaxed in class, so I never worry about making mistakes while I learn. Working with her taught me how to trust myself onstage and how to connect honestly with scene partners. I really appreciate how Professor Cooper spends so much time outside of class helping me grow and get better; her support and detailed feedback have made a huge difference in my confidence and my work.”-“Professor Cooper makes me feel comfortable and relaxed in class, so I never worry about making mistakes while I learn. Working with her taught me how to trust myself onstage and how to connect honestly with scene partners. I really appreciate how Professor Cooper spends so much time outside of class helping me grow and get better; her support and detailed feedback have made a huge difference in my confidence and my work.” -William Zhao (former student)
“One thing I took away from this class is learning how to be more comfortable confronting my emotions and processing them in a healthy way!” -Manav Domadia (former student)
“One of the biggest things that I grasped onto from Celeste, was to display my most authentic self from the beginning . I found this to be super important especially since most of us students had never met each-other until then. We had moved from all over the world and it made it super easy to put up a front that wasn’t completely genuine. She curated a positive environment that allowed everyone to play and learn in ways that were comfortable and beneficial to us (without letting us hide behind a mask. The biggest lesson she expressed was in order to grow your craft and personal practice you have to live in your truth. I take that learned lesson with me in every new room I enter.” -Nicholas Blevins (former TTS student)
“I really appreciate how Professor Coop takes the time to make our classroom space unique to our class. She has done an incredible job fostering a community where we are all comfortable taking risks and helping each other improve as actors!” -Jaden Sher (former student)
“Prof. Coop creates an environment of bravery and the ability to feel free in her class. Free to be someone else, free to make mistakes in order to take feedback well, and free to interpret scenes in your own way. Personally, this class really helped me understand how easy it is to be closer to people. Coming in the class, it felt pretty intimidating seeing all the peers (who I thought had prior experience) until we all realized we were starting in the same place. I think as a human that's a good reminder to know that you're not the only one that's "starting" and finding people who are okay with knowing they are beginners too really make it easy to develop together. One takeaway I have from this class is to just go for it. Before taking this class, I am usually more aware of what I do in case I might affect someone or I am always thinking of how others think of me. But after taking this class, I realized nobody really cares that much about what I do and that everyone is paying attention to themselves so the best thing you can do for yourself is to just do the best you can. For instance, I really became comfortable with just looking silly in this class because: who cares? If looking silly means I am doing what I need to do and participating then that's not silly to me at all! I also really like how everyone else in this class developed this mindset along the way.” -Clarize Rodriguez (former student)
"As a Cuban-American PhD student in chemistry, I would not consider myself an actor in the traditional sense, but Professor Cooper's universally applicable insights into verbal and nonverbal communication have made me a clearer and more compelling presenter, be it in front of ten fellow scientists or 200 Latino college students. Whenever I start a talk, I still remember to do it with a 'breath and a big smile.” - Steven Labalme (former student)
“Celeste is a wonderful teacher and mentor because of how personable she is. She creates a space where students feel seen and free to be themselves, which in turns fosters vulnerability and a sense of play. Both are essentials for aspiring actors.” -Preston Khalil (former TTS student)
“What I most appreciated about Professor Cooper’s class was the genuine passion she exhibited for theatre, teaching, and helping us to grow as people. It was due to this energy and dedication that, even on cold Monday mornings, I found myself genuinely excited to come to class and engage with her and my peers. She made every class enjoyable, and it was always clear that she poured both her heart and her technical expertise into helping us become not only the best actors possible in the short time she had with us, but also more confident and empathetic individuals.”- Zoe McDonald (former student)
“Your class was super special to me. As someone with no acting experience, I really appreciated Professor Cooper's patience and positivity when assessing and giving feedback on my performances; she fostered an extremely welcoming environment and made it super easy to wake up early for Monday morning classes. Do you teach any classes above Acting Fundamentals? I loved the experience of acting and would love to continue with you if possible!." - Matteo Musicco (former student)