Student Blogger: Leah Packer

Hello Broadway lovers, creators, and theatre students around the world! Welcome back to the blog, and to my ongoing segment: Sharing Their Stories. For the past year, I've shared the journeys and artistic discoveries of notable artists in my DC area, and around the world. Every person I've had the honor to speak with, carries unique experiences and perspectives about the constantly changing world of the arts. I hope their stories serve as inspiration, demystification of the road to artistic success, and as fuel to keep creating.

Hello Broadway lovers, creators, and theatre students around the world! Welcome back to the blog, and to my ongoing segment: Sharing Their Stories.

Hello Broadway lovers, theatre students and creators around the world! Welcome back to the blog as we continue into the heart of September. I'm sitting here procrastinating on my schoolwork and watching the leaves start to fall outside...a.k.a, the perfect time to write about my summer. As I re-enter the world of college theatre, collaborating daily with fellow artists and friends, I find myself thinking a lot about one of my favorite moments from the past few months. Read on!

Hello Broadway lovers, creators, and theatre students around the world! Welcome back to the blog, and to my ongoing segment: Sharing Their Stories. For the past year, I've shared the journeys and artistic discoveries of notable artists in my DC area, and around the world. Every person I've had the honor to speak with, carries unique experiences and perspectives about the constantly changing world of the arts. I hope their stories serve as inspiration, demystification of the road to artistic success, and as fuel to keep creating.

Hello Broadway lovers, theatre students, and artistic creators around the world! Welcome to the blog as we enter August. This summer literally flew by, and I'm still working on resting and reigniting my dedication to the arts before the school year begins again. When life speeds in a blur, it becomes easy to feel out of touch with ourselves and our passions.

Hello Broadway lovers, creators, and theatre students around the world! Welcome back to the blog, and to my favorite segment: Sharing Their Stories. Over the last year, I've shared the journeys and artistic discoveries of notable artists in my DC area, and around the world. Every person I've had the honor to speak with carries unique experiences and perspectives about the constantly changing world of the arts. I hope their stories serve as inspiration, demystification of the road to artistic success, and as fuel to keep creating.

Growing with Fefu and Her Friends just reminded me to think about my performance in the larger contact of us, an ensemble. In rehearsal, we come together to learn, fail, heal, and grow. I think that's the most important thing I take away from this production. Rehearsals are about becoming stronger together. It's the only way to put on a successful show.

Sitting on that KCACTF workshop, I wondered how different life would be if I went on college auditions as I am NOW. I wouldn't be the girl with the glossy headshot and fear in her eyes. I would be the confident auditionee, with better audition pieces and longer resumes. Then, I quickly checked that hypothetical train of thought...I am thankful to that girl with the glossy headshot. I never want to wish her existence away, or regret anything she did. Her determination and courage to audition, learn and grow led me to the life I live today. She will always live within me, reminding me where I started and how far I've come. And I think that growth is an important part of who I am.

The fundamental nature of living successfully in theatre IS change. If you're working, then you're constantly getting new jobs. New auditions, new agents, new casts and crews, new parts, new lines, new experiences. No matter what these new things bring, they all involve an element of change. Choosing to ignore or despise that change can stall a career. Technically, each new job equals an unprecedented time. We must constantly adapt! That's one of the hardest and most rewarding parts of life in the arts. I realized that I had to embrace that aspect of theatre (and life!) instead of dismissing it entirely.

This performance marked my first time on that stage, physically and figuratively, since the pandemic. Just a few too many firsts for one slightly overwhelmed understudy. The moment before my first scene was rough. I felt completely vulnerable, a far cry from the way I usually feel while performing. During the first scene, I actually went on a kind of autopilot. I just let my work take over while I mentally got used to the feeling of an audience again. I was shaking as I walked offstage. That rocked me. I loved theatre more than anything in the world. Why was I so nervous?

As actors, we grow up programmed to say yes to everything and everyone. We hear that everyone is replaceable, and if you don't try anything and everything- you get fired. I learned to bend over backwards in order to please people and get roles. Jenny helped us rewrite that narrative. She helped me remember that we don't have to say yes to everyone. We are all just people, responsible for taking care of ourselves. We all deserve the autonomy to choose what makes us happy and safe.

Every time I felt myself spiraling into uncertainty or fear, I would re-direct my focus to what was happening right now. If I were in class and worrying about next weekend, I stopped myself. Grabbed my runaway mind and re-directed it to what was happening in that moment or what would happen right after. This sounds like the smallest technique, but I swear it helped. For those few weeks, I would just put one foot in front of the other. Take it moment by moment. It eventually worked itself out to the point where I no longer needed to repeat that phrase 10,000 times a day. I got adjusted!

Hello Broadway lovers, theatre students, and artistic creators around the world! Welcome to the blog as we pass through August. Yes, eager blog-readers, after a long, pandemic-driven wait, I will be back at school before this month ends. Wow. I reached out to some exceptionally talented people and asked: what's the best piece of advice you've received in your artistic career? I guarantee you that their answers will move you- whether or not you work in the theatre. Read on for a dose of happiness, motivation, and reminder to continue embracing the unexpected.

I never thought that Frozen Kids Jr would mark my return to live theatre. But that's exactly where I found myself last Friday. This summer, I'm working at Imagination Stage (a local children's theatre) as a summer camp counselor. I help out in the Musical Production Camp, groups of determined 6-10 year olds putting on a new musical every two weeks. Last week featured the ever popular Frozen and twenty (very excited) theatre kids.

Spending a year in isolation reminded us how much we need PEOPLE. It's the human connection and love for each other that makes this life so special. The world found new ways to stay connected and heal together from six feet apart. It's refreshing to know that we won't recede into our own bubbles just because life is normal again.

I reached out to other theatre students from both my department and other colleges and asked them: what's the best piece of theatrical advice you've ever received? Their answers are insightful, funny, and filled with love for their craft. Absorbing them almost felt like hitting the reset button, helping me re-align and focus on what I love and want to accomplish in theatre. Read on for their words of wisdom!

Student blogger Leah chats with John-Andrew Morrison, James Jackson Jr, and Jason Veasay, three of the fabulous cast members in A Strange Loop! 'While I cannot wait to get my tickets to any productions that open first, one of the shows I'm most looking forward to seeing is A Strange Loop'

“And Leah? You just be yourself.” The cast laughed at playwright Stephanie Gajeski’s words, and I couldn’t stop smiling. She had no idea what those simple words meant to me. It had been a long time since I felt like just being me was more than enough.

Choosing a school can feel overwhelming. Trust me, I’ve been there. In honor of the approaching “decision day,” I’m sharing my overall college takeaways and (slightly cursed) decision day story. Hopefully, it can help ease some worries, and at least let you know that you’re not alone.

When Broadway actor, content creator and life coach Bret Shuford sits down with new clients, he helps them envision what they want their life to look like. 'So many actors come to me and say…I want to work on Broadway. I help them get more specific than that.'