Spring Break
The Daily OrangeDigging it
TV star, SU alum returns to alma mater
By Kelina Imamura
Posted: 3/30/08, 11:58 PM EST Section: Feature
"Chances are, if it's something you're scared of, it's probably good for you," he said. "Madonna said that. I didn't know she said that so I wasn't trying to steal from Madonna. But, that tends to be the case. You have a safety net here, take as many risks as you can while you're here."
Diggs and Palermo met in Rochester, N.Y. at the School of the Arts, before separating for college - Diggs came to SU to study musical theater, while Palermo went to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music for acting. The two remained close friends despite the distance.
"Before he was 'Taye Diggs,'" Palermo said, "I would always say to (friends), he was going to be famous. Something about his vision and drive, you couldn't doubt it. If you believe it, it's pretty possible it's going to happen."
After college both were fortunate, Palermo continued, because both had agents. Rather than traveling the route of "Hell on Earth" open calls, they were able to go to agent submissions and were lucky to get jobs on Broadway quickly.
However, though both began on Broadway, they eventually strayed. Palermo went backward, traveling on national and European tours to see the world, while Diggs chose a more unconventional direction.
"He (Taye) went to Disney Tokyo after he had done a Broadway show," Palermo said. "He wore bananas on his arms. You might be able to find YouTube videos, I don't know."
But before that, immediately after graduating, Diggs headed to New York City and began auditioning for musicals. As a triple threat - dancing, acting, singing - he knew it was his best bet for getting cast. Keep in mind what you want to be, he said. But also, keep in mind what you are.
"For me, it's good to see an African-American representative since we make up such a small part of the department," Bailey, a music theater student, said. "To see someone that has made it pushes me to be the best I can be."
As time ran down, Diggs and Palermo answered the final questions and left everyone with some advice.
"Me, being as old as I am, and seeing how young you are, there is this need to impart what I can upon you - be honest with yourself," Diggs said. "And it's perfectly fine if after all of this money and all of these classes - if you're not feeling it - it's fine to choose to do something else… Figure out what it is that you love, it may still be in the arts, it might not be. Do it for you."
kmimamur@syr.edu
Diggs and Palermo met in Rochester, N.Y. at the School of the Arts, before separating for college - Diggs came to SU to study musical theater, while Palermo went to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music for acting. The two remained close friends despite the distance.
"Before he was 'Taye Diggs,'" Palermo said, "I would always say to (friends), he was going to be famous. Something about his vision and drive, you couldn't doubt it. If you believe it, it's pretty possible it's going to happen."
After college both were fortunate, Palermo continued, because both had agents. Rather than traveling the route of "Hell on Earth" open calls, they were able to go to agent submissions and were lucky to get jobs on Broadway quickly.
However, though both began on Broadway, they eventually strayed. Palermo went backward, traveling on national and European tours to see the world, while Diggs chose a more unconventional direction.
"He (Taye) went to Disney Tokyo after he had done a Broadway show," Palermo said. "He wore bananas on his arms. You might be able to find YouTube videos, I don't know."
But before that, immediately after graduating, Diggs headed to New York City and began auditioning for musicals. As a triple threat - dancing, acting, singing - he knew it was his best bet for getting cast. Keep in mind what you want to be, he said. But also, keep in mind what you are.
"For me, it's good to see an African-American representative since we make up such a small part of the department," Bailey, a music theater student, said. "To see someone that has made it pushes me to be the best I can be."
As time ran down, Diggs and Palermo answered the final questions and left everyone with some advice.
"Me, being as old as I am, and seeing how young you are, there is this need to impart what I can upon you - be honest with yourself," Diggs said. "And it's perfectly fine if after all of this money and all of these classes - if you're not feeling it - it's fine to choose to do something else… Figure out what it is that you love, it may still be in the arts, it might not be. Do it for you."
kmimamur@syr.edu
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