Student Blog: Back To School: Handling High School As A College Audition 'Survivor'

Hi! My name is Laken Ariah Richardson. I am currently a high school senior in Denver, CO who just finished the Musical Theatre college audition process (THANK GOD!!). 

As a senior transfer to my current high school, I sometimes find it hard to ‘live in the moment’ as much as I can. As I’m looking to start my new journey, I’m met with my current challenge of still being completely caught up in a new path, new school, new lifestyle that I never thought would exist for me! Although my old school put me in a place where I eventually lost my love for musical theatre in the first place, my new journey is so completely different from where I thought I would have ended up. I’m so nervous but beyond excited to see where I end up next month (due to most of my acceptances not coming out until March 1st). In the fall, I will be living in New York City and could not be more ecstatic, especially coming from the cold and dry state of Colorado! I will be getting a BFA/ BM in Musical Theatre and am undecided on where I’m committing to as of right now!

One thing that really helped me continue my love for theatre and solidify that it is something that I really see myself doing is attending auditions. My freshman year I attended my first non-equity casting call for a national tour. While I did not even receive a callback, I found being in a room full of kids around my age who loved performing, made me feel more motivated to keep performing. Since then I have auditioned for HUNDREDS of performance opportunities which have led to me doing things I never saw possible. 

I made my broadway debut in the ‘Arts For Autism’ benefit concert at The Gershwin Theatre in June of 2023. My first broadway show was Wicked in 2018, so it really was a full circle moment for me. Through that opportunity, I got to work with Broadway STARS such as Cassie Levy, Josh Strobl, Paul Staroba, and others. Without Arts For Autism, I would not be the performer I am today. 

Since then I have spent my time making college lists, filming prescreens, screlting in voice lessons, and spending late nights at the computer writing essays and supplementals. I auditioned for 23 programs and will not hear back from most until the first of March (which is a little nerve wracking to say the least). 

However, I want to live my high school experience to the fullest. 

It’s hard as a prospective MT major. With all of the travelling, callbacks, auditions, etc. It's hard to find a healthy balance between still being a kid and being a student. There are only 3 more months of school for me right now, I'm savoring what I can while being in two one-acts with my school and in summer stock auditions. It's hard to come to terms with the fact that almost everything that seems “normal” right now will be over soon. No more school dances, school cabarets, choir concerts, after rehearsal sweet treat runs. Life as you've grown so accustomed to will be over, so put yourself out there and live your life to the fullest, while you still get the chance to be a stubborn high school student.