Student Blog: Back To School: AS A MT FRESHMAN

Having to get right back on your feet after a whole month off is something that didn’t seem as challenging to begin with. In fact, it seemed a bit easier. You think that maybe after that month you’ll be productive, maybe even go out, exercise, be able to rest, be more organized for the New Year. While that may be the case for some, it might not be for all. Getting back to school as a musical theater major was not something I wasn’t prepared for at all. Immediately as school began, all the things you once thought could be put off, came right back. After a while, you’ll get used to it. However, the first couple weeks of getting back aren’t all sunshine and rainbows.

Beginning the average Freshman Musical Theatre schedule in an MT program, there’s a lot that goes into it. Personally, a basic schedule for me, on Mondays and Wednesdays, would include the following: Basic Acting II (9:30 am to 10:45 am), Ballet (11:00 am to 12:15 pm) and Contract, which is a class where we are able to experience other theater jobs like building sets and working with costumes, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Suzuki starts my morning at 11:00am-12:15pm, a Technical Theatre class at 2:00pm-3:15pm and a Jazz class at 3:30pm-4:45pm. Now although this schedule is straightforward, sometimes things may get in between. For example, voice lessons or rehearsals for acting showings/ a showcase rehearsal can be in between or after these times, making some of us students run back and forth class after class. As annoying as it can get, after a while it seems to be more organized, feeling as if your whole day is filled and productive. 

Throughout all these classes, one of my favorite and the most difficult one I personally take is my Suzuki class. Not a lot of actors know about Suzuki, which is unfortunate as I personally find it one of the best acting techniques taught. Suzuki is a method taught to actors, connecting your body to the world around you to enhance the power of your emotion and physical ability when acting. There’s a lot of movement when it comes to Suzuki. This movement is strict and straightforward, having us speak a monologue while doing these movements. These movements are called Basics and throughout these basics, we move different parts of our body while being connected to the energy around us and inside us. Doing this class the first time was extremely hard as it requires a lot of strength in the core and legs but after a while, things seem easier. Currently, my class is up to Basic #5, which includes us lining up and moving our legs in different ways as well as reciting A Midsummer Night's Dream monologue. 

As you look at this schedule, you might see this as a lot. Although it is, it's all worth it in the end. These classes are full of experiences, guiding us through thick and thin. Eventually, us freshmen will see this as easy work, but for now, we’ll get through it