Stefano Theodoli-Braschi ’07, a member of Saybrook College who lives off campus, is a double major in theater studies and history. He hails from London, England, and spends his extracurricular time acting in a variety of theater productions. He has also been working on a video log called BathTubYoga — an “online sitcom” — with fellow Yalie Satya Bhabha ’06.
Wednesday, April 5
10:30 a.m. — “Africa Since 1800,” in Street Hall with professor Michael Mahoney
Theodoli-Braschi starts his day studying Africa, a continent he said he did not know much about before coming to Yale. He noted that it is often overlooked amid the study of European and American history, although Africa encompasses “so many countries and has so much history.”
11:30 a.m. — Lunch at Atticus
After lecture in Street Hall, Theodoli-Braschi will often go to lunch with a friend and relax before his next class. Atticus and Book Trader, popular cafes and bookstores on Chapel Street, are two frequent haunts, as both are across the road from his morning class.
3:30 p.m. — “Dramatic Theory and Criticism” in Linsly-Chittenden Hall with professor David Krasner
This is Theodoli-Braschi’s third class of the day, and it, too, is a seminar. The course began with the ancient playwrights, and will finish with post-modern feminist theater.
“It’s an extremely specific subject, and the professor encourages students — who are theater, literature or English majors — to discuss their own opinions on the readings,” Theodoli-Braschi said.
6:30 p.m. – Arrive at Whitney Theater to prepare for opening night of “True West”
Wednesday was the opening night of Theodoli-Braschi’s most recent play, Sam Shepard’s “True West,” at the Whitney Theater. It was the senior project of theater studies major Patrick Knighton ’06, but Theodoli-Braschi said his own participation was for “pure extracurricular enjoyment.” Theodoli-Braschi was one of just four actors in the play.
10:30 p.m. — Relaxation and work at home
As he could not walk home with his crutches and leg brace, Theodoli-Braschi called the mini-bus, a service that picks up students and takes them to various spots on campus. It brought him to his apartment, where he did homework for the following day until midnight. Finally, he relaxed for an hour before he went to sleep.
“Managing time is one of the most important things you learn to do well here, so that you can have fun and invest your time and potential into things other than work,” he said.