DRYDEN ZURAWSKI
Actor | Collaborator
Testimonials
"Dryden jumps in with two feet always. Whether he's in an ensemble or defending his turf as Shakespeare's Macbeth, Dryden is riveting and dependable... He can lead a room, but be humbled by the craft; a great professional combination."
Karen Sheridan, Distinguished Professor of Theatre Oakland University
"Versatile, thoughtful and a risk-taker, Dryden is the kind of actor directors love to work with because you know he's going to arrive prepared, engaged and ready to push both himself and his colleagues to do their best work. His attention to detail and unyielding commitment to the work elevate the storytelling... Dryden has time and again proven himself an adept performer, equally at home in classical and contemporary work; on stage and in front of the camera."
David Gram, Assistant Professor of Theatre Oakland University
More People Say
Angela Lin,
BroadwayWorld Chicago Review of 12 Ophelias
“he has a suave cockiness to his walk and a smolder that could kill, but throughout the play, we see him work through layers of personal demons that warp his sense of love and self. Zurawski does a great job of displaying that tender confusion and vulnerability as he works to reject his past and embrace his future, while being stuck in a present he doesn’t fully understand… brief yet stirring songs are a standout element of the production with a cast that can sing with such controlled yet heartfelt emotion, particularly Zurawski’s first enticing song as Rude Boy…”
Bryce Lederer,
Artistic Director of Couch Penny Ensemble
“What is most astounding to me about [them] as a performer is just how seriously [they] take [their] craft… the level of prep, dedication and sheer work that [they] brought to [Everybody] is crystal clear to me. Unmistakable. You can see it all over the work [they’re] doing on stage; in the confidence and security with which [they] hold [themself], calm in the face of the storm. In the openness [they] exhibit with [their] scene partners, always receiving what [their] fellow actors are giving [them]... And you can see it in [their] precision. All of [their] beats land.”
Born and Raised in Metro Detroit, currently based in Chicago, Dryden (They/He) made their acting debut in their high school's production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. They've been on their own journey down the rabbit hole ever since. Now a proud Alumnus of Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance with a BFA in Acting, they have their sights set on a lifetime of storytelling.
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In their time at University, Dryden eagerly frequented the main stage and second stage working in many genres with every director they could. For their devotion to the craft, Dryden has received distinguished honors in the form of two departmental MaTilDa Awards. They were also a 2x Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nominee at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival where they performed and advanced to be a Regional Finalist for both nominations.
Dryden is an actor first, but is also a director and a highly capable collaborator in almost any setting. They've acted in independent film projects, intimate storefront theatres, touring children's shows, zoom productions, parks, and Greek amphitheaters. Equally at home in comedy or tragedy, they thrive amidst the work, contemporary or classical. They can sing and dance their way through musicals, and they've studied improv at The Second City. They can engage in thoughtful discussion in a production meeting, be a valuable asset to a devising process, design and build sets, and ignite an editing room with intrigue. They have a considerable amount of experience with violent storytelling as an actor combatant who has taught, choreographed, and directed armed and unarmed fights for the stage and film. Most importantly, they have every intention to continue to learn from the mentors and educators in their life --- those past, present, and future.