By Shannon Musgrave

During his freshman year in the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University, Josh Gad took the “Freshman Curse Challenge” and signed his name to a wall backstage in the Kresge Theater. Legend had it that those who signed the wall in their freshman year would not make it through the (now extinct) “cut system,” in which certain students were cut from the program if professors didn’t think they were making enough progress. Fortunately, the cut system was eventually cut, and fortunately, Josh Gad was not. He graduated in 2003 and went on to build a prolific and eclectic career on stage and in film and television, as an actor, writer and producer. 

Gad recently returned to campus to work with current acting students and to take a stroll down memory lane. His newly released memoir, “In Gad We Trust,” details his time as a student at CMU and his experience grappling with the famously (or, infamously?) rigorous conservatory training within the School of Drama. And while times have changed, and some faculty have come and gone, the rigor and discipline of the training are alive and well.

“CMU has the best actors on the planet,” Gad emphatically stated after watching a classroom scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest” starring junior actors Greyson Taylor and Grant Pace. He spent two hours coaching six comedy scenes on the morning of his visit, helping students extract every bit of humor from the page. 

“Never leave one second of a scene unmined for potential comedy,” he told them. 

Gad works with juniors Greyson Taylor (center) and Grant Pace (right) on a scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde.

Gad gives notes to junior actor Darrion Brown on his scene from “Time Flies” by David Ives.

Gad helps juniors Lily Cline (left) and Kylie Edwards (right) find every laugh in their scene from “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde.

It’s clear that comedy is in his veins. With just a slight pause or sidewise glance, he had the room in stitches. In his book, Gad attributes this proclivity for making people laugh to a difficult time in his childhood, when his father left the family. The only way he could think to help his grieving mother was to make her laugh. “Comedy equals tragedy plus time,” as the old adage goes. 

In the afternoon, Gad worked with the senior acting class on their filmed scenes for Showcase, which is an annual opportunity for graduating students to be seen by agents, managers and casting directors in New York and Los Angeles. Acting for the Camera is a class taught by Randy Kovitz, who also taught Gad when he was a student, though this specific class did not yet exist. Gad was delighted to know that students are now learning the art and craft of acting on camera, as it was something he had to learn “on the job.” 

Josh Gad works with senior Sean Hodges in Acting for the Camera class.

Photo by Louis Stein

L to R: Edward Patrick, Sean Hodges, Randy Kovitz, Josh Gad, Jack Ducat, Ella Noriega, Evan Vines, Reynaldo Quintana

Josh Gad and Randy Kovitz watch students’ work in Acting for the Camera class.

Photo by Louis Stein

Jack Ducat, a current senior in the acting program, said the time Gad spent with them was invaluable. 

“Getting to work with and observe Josh Gad in the classroom was the most inspired I have felt during my time at Carnegie Mellon,” Ducat said. “He has always been someone I have looked up to, and someone whose career I would dream of having.” 

But it wasn’t just the hard skills and industry tips that had an impact on Ducat; even more meaningful was the humanity and authenticity that Gad brought to the work. 

“He spoke about experiences that he had at my age,” said Ducat. “I had very deep connections to some of what he spoke about, and it made me feel that there was a place for me in this industry.”

Gad ended his campus visit with an onstage Q&A facilitated by School of Drama professor and chair of the acting and music theater program, Rick Edinger. Gad was open and honest about his own mental health struggles during his time as a student, and the challenge of being true to himself as an artist and a human being. So many of the anecdotes he shared from his own life came back to that lesson: know thyself, and to thine own self be true.

He talked about battling imposter syndrome and said that only now, at age 44, does he feel like he’s really figuring out how to act. His lived experiences are becoming deeper and more authentic and he is still always learning.

“Every time I’m on set, I’m back at Carnegie Mellon,” Gad said. “I’m always learning and studying.”

The School of Drama’s alumni network is one of its hallmarks and greatest strengths. It’s something that prospective and current students consistently point to as a reason for choosing CMU. There is a deep connection and bond among those who have gone through this program, and alumni play a large and impactful role in nurturing the next generation of Tartan talent. 

“When given the opportunity to build alumni relationships, it begins to take the mindset out of the classroom and into the real world,” said Ducat. “As I am about to graduate, getting to work with and hear perspectives from someone who has experienced both this program and the world far beyond, reminds me how close and accessible the professional world is. When I meet alumni, I’m reminded of how possible this career really could be.” 

Gad is a shining example of how talent, training and truth make for a thriving – and hilarious – career. Read more about his life and work in “In Gad We Trust,” available now at your favorite bookstore.