Sam Morrison
Government & Performing & Media Arts
Sarasota, FL
What accomplishments/activities are you most proud of while at Cornell?
I created a one man stand-up comedy show at Risley Theatre called "Unspecific Faggotry: A Sexual Autobiography" that will debut this May. Since freshmen year I've been doing stand-up comedy intermittently in Ithaca and New York City, and most recently at the Ugandan National Theatre. It's both the most challenging and rewarding task I've taken on.
What was your most profound turning point at Cornell?
The 24 Hour Playfest freshmen year was my first doing theatre. And then I accidentally became an actor, and then a director, and then a comedian, and then — crazy how life works.
What, if any, research projects did you participate in at Cornell?
Professor Shorna Allred of natural resources is a personal mentor of mine who cares deeply about people and the environment. I am lucky to have been able to assist her in a project, Living With Water, in which we are building flood resilience in Binghamton through various arts-based projects. In the same vein, fall of my sophomore year I learned about a small Ithaca-based theatre company called Civic Ensemble. I am amazed at the incredibly hard work that is put into their projects, and am grateful they have found ways for me to plug into their mission to democratize theatre. They practice theatre in ways that people rarely do. I am proud to be a part of the organization.
