Cassidy Tilden studied abroad with ISA in London, England during the summer of 2017. Cassidy was an ISA Global Ambassador before graduating from Emporia State University in 2018. Cassidy is part of the Disney College Program and her original play, Green Bean Casserole, premiered in October 2019. Cassidy talks about how her experiences abroad have influenced her writing and creativity. We reached out to Cassidy to learn more!
How has studying abroad influenced and inspired you?
My time studying abroad is a constant inspiration for me. The places I was able to visit were unlike anywhere I had ever been, and I am constantly thinking about the sights and smells I took in. I studied in London, which is a huge hub for theater, so being able to take advantage of seeing so many different types of shows was also a huge inspiration for me.
Tell us more about the Disney College Program. What is that like?
I absolutely adore the Walt Disney Company and getting to work for the Mouse. I come from a family of cast members, both of my parents worked for Walt Disney, so I knew that some day I would also follow in their footsteps. Similar to studying abroad, I’ve made countless connections with people I never would have before this experience. It’s an incredible opportunity that I would recommend to anyone interested in theater. Getting to make magic every day for people across the world is an incredible honor.
Tell us more about your play! What was your creative process like?
My play, Green Bean Casserole, had it’s world debut back in October of 2019! It’s a farce that focuses on family and looking at what “adulthood” looks like in present day. By the time the play premiered, I had been working on it for about three years. Most of my creative processes focus on an idea or a specific character first, then I build my own world and plot around that focus.
What are some future goals and aspirations? How do you think your study abroad experience influences these?
I would love to continue to work on becoming a professional playwright, or potentially become a screen writer. I think my study abroad experience helps a great deal in the writing field just because if you haven’t experienced the world or different places, it’s hard to find inspiration to write original content. In fact, that’s one of the biggest things that is highlighted in most creative writing fields. I adored and enjoyed every second of my study abroad experience, and my list of destinations to travel to just keep getting longer by the day. It really gave me a travel bug that’s hard to ignore.
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