Christine Baranski 2012 Grads, The Readiness Is All Analysis

Christine Baranski attended the most prestigious performing art institutes in the United States after auditioning for the school twice. Baranski’s time at Juilliard was spent striving for excellence after being critiqued before faculty and classmates multiple times a year. Baranski’s has had a constant thriving career as a Tony and Emmy award winning actress. In the article, “Christine Baranski Addresses 2016 Grads, the Readiness is All,” Baranski reveals, “in the summer of 1970—I had to reaudition for the speech faculty after doing some corrective work on my sibilant S” (Par. 20). Baranski was denied acceptance to Juilliard due to a gap between her teeth which made it hard to pronounce a sibilant “S”. After working with a speech coach, Baranski auditioned a second time before the drama
division’s speech faculty at Juilliard and was then accepted. In the fall of 1970, Baranski began studying at The Juilliard School’s Drama Division in pursuit of an acting career. Twice a year after putting on a rehearsal project of a classic play, students were individually critiqued before peers by the drama faculty. Baranski’s critiques revolved around the need to relax her body and be less stiff while performing or speaking. From those unpleasant critiques Baranski experienced how to trust one’s natural talent and instincts.
Baranski describes her time at the most demanding and prestigious institution of performing arts as intimidating yet humbling but, being the most thrilling years of her life (Par.3-4-5-6-7-20). Baranski graduated from Juilliard as the drama division's third class in 1974, six years later she made her broadway debut in an off-broadway performance of “Hide and Seek” directed by Melvin Bernhardt. In 1984, Baranski won the “Best Featured Actress in a Play” Tony Award for her performance of “The Real Thing” by playwright, television producer and director Tom Stoppard. In 1989, Baranski won a second “Best Featured Actress in a Play” Tony Award for her performance of “Rumors” by playwright and television producer Neil Simon. However, Baranski is also known for her accomplishments and success in television and film acting. In 1990, Baranski starred in the television comedy “Cybill” as the character Maryanne Thorpe, Baranski won “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series” for “Cybill” in 1995 (“BWW Profile: Christine Baranski Emmy-Nominated Star of Stage and Screen” Par.
3-4). Baranski has had a “current six-year run of nominations for Supporting Actress in a Drama for playing Diane Lockhart on The Good Wife” (“BWW Profile: Christine Baranski Emmy-Nominated Star of Stage and Screen” Par. 3). Baranski has been nominated for multiple Emmy Awards for her role of Diane Lockhart in the dramatic television series The Good Wife and is currently [2016] maintaining that role. After Baranski worked with a speech coach and auditioned for the Juilliard School twice due to her speech impediment, she was accepted into Juilliard’s Drama Division. While studying acting at Juilliard Baranski was frequently critiqued on her need to relax her body when speaking or performing. As a result of those harsh critiques Baranski experienced how to trust natural talent and instincts, describing her time at the most prestigious and demanding institute as exhilarating. Baranski has won two Tony Awards and one Emmy Award for two musical productions and a role she is currently maintaining on a television series.