Student Blogs This Week - Performing Arts Degrees, Back to the Rehearsal Room, and More!
Check out what our student bloggers are writing about for the week of September 9 - September 17.
By: Taylor Brethauer-Hamling Sep. 17, 2021
Our student bloggers write about how they're coping with the current global health crisis, give insight on their school's performing arts programs, share their opinions on the latest theater news, and so much more.
Read some of the top blogs from this week below!
Check out more Student Blogs here! And don't miss a single blog by following our Instagram and liking our Facebook page!
Interested in joining the Student Blogger team this fall? We're currently accepting applications now through Wednesday, September 29 at 11:59pm ET. Learn more here.
Student Blog: Back to Campus
Student Blogger: Michael Scuotto
Excerpt: I'm extremely lucky to have all my classes in person (masked, of course). While I'm thrilled for each and every one of my classes, my theatre classes have been particularly exciting. The opportunity to be in a room again with other theatre makers has been magical. In just a few days, I feel like I've established a thriving community of artists and makers who are gonna take this privilege to do wonderful things. There's a sense of joy and excitement vibrating throughout the air, and I cannot get enough of it.
.png "Student Blogs This Week - Performing Arts Degrees, Back to the Rehearsal Room, and More!")
Student Blog: Chatting with TikTok Sensation Broadway Bob About His New Podcast, Patti LuPone, and More
Student Blogger: Marissa Tomeo
Excerpt: This week I had the honor to interview TikTok comedian, activist, theatre-lover, and Patti LuPone-impressionist, Broadway Bob! Bob (@broadwaybob on TikTok and @thebroadwaybob on Instagram) has made a name for himself amongst the TikTok theatre community, ringing in with 45,000 followers and over 2.8 million likes on his account. I found his account over a year ago, instantly dropping a follow when I saw a video in which he voice-dubbed a Patti LuPone performance with uncanny and hilarious accuracy.
.png "Student Blogs This Week - Performing Arts Degrees, Back to the Rehearsal Room, and More!")
Student Blog: Choose Your Fighter: BA or BFA?
Student Blogger: Maddie Davies
Excerpt: When I started looking into college theatre programs about 5 years ago (I can't believe it's already been that long), I had very limited knowledge about the difference between a BA and a BFA. It has been drilled into my brain by a variety of sources that BFAs are better. I had no reasoning behind it other than hearing it from other people. In reality, BAs and BFAs are just different. Neither one is inherently better than the other. It just depends on what you are looking for. It still feels like there is a stigma around opting for a BA program over a BFA in the general theatre community though.
Student Blog: Six: The Musical is Finally Coming to Broadway!
Student Blogger: Mia Van Deloo
Excerpt: After a great success in London, the musical about Henry VIII's six wives is taking off in New York City starting September 17, 2021. With Broadway coming back this fall, I wanted to show just a few reasons why Six is a must-see musical of the season.
Student Blog: Drama, Double-Majoring in Journalism
Student Blogger: Sydni Dichter
Excerpt: On my first real day of my Journalism class this year, after syllabus day, my teacher sent us outdoors with an assignment: observe your surroundings, write down potential story ideas, and come back in 40 minutes, and we'll talk about what you saw. I realized that I'd done a similar exercise for my acting class during my freshman year of college.
Student Blog: What Makes a Jukebox Musical "Work"?
Excerpt: As I watched the townspeople of Cinderella sing Queen's "Somebody to Love" to celebrate the changing of the guard, I was forced me to think about what it is that makes some jukebox musicals work, while others (like, perhaps, Cinderella), perhaps...don't quite.
Student Blog: Tony Predictions
Excerpt: Need some help predicting the winners? I have attempted to predict about half of these categories (mainly the musical theatre categories since I was not able to see the majority of the plays in the 2019-2020 season), and have provided some rationale for each category. Of course, all the nominees deserve awards, but only one can win in each.
Student Blog: Coping with Disappointing Grades
Student Blogger: Zac Denver Lee
Excerpt: We are actually not a goal oriented industry where there's gold, silver or bronze at the end of the race, or where the value of our work is determined by our grades. I think that art is subjective and the subjectivity is reflected in your grades too.
Student Blog: We're Finally Back to School! What Now?
Student Blogger: Aingea Venuto
Excerpt: My sister, who is a freshman, is experiencing college as a brand-new concept. It's her first time living alone, and she didn't adjust right away. To all of the freshmen and the returning students trying to get into the flow of things: it's okay to be scared or homesick!
Student Blog: The Problem of Recent History
Student Blogger: Sydney Emerson
Excerpt: The sharp contrast in perspective between the young performers and those behind the scenes-the professors and technicians who remember 9/11 well-has kidnapped my attention. I find it fascinating and meaningful in a layered way that I'm not entirely sure I'll ever understand.
Videos