News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Student Blogger: Olivia Mathis

Student Blogger: Olivia Mathis

Olivia is a student at the Institute for American Musical Theatre, studying various styles of dancing, singing, and acting. Outside of being an actor, she loves crocheting, writing, reading, eating sushi, and finding the best coffee shops with family and friends. 




LEARN MORE ABOUT Student Blogger: Olivia Mathis

First Show:

Aladdin

Favorite Show:

Falsettos

Favorite Stories:



MOST POPULAR ARTICLES


Student Blog: Acting Technique
Student Blog: Acting Technique
September 15, 2024

When I started going to school and developing my craft, I ended up dropping most of the ideas that these acting technique books taught me, but I found myself seeking out something else entirely. A big aspect of the acting technique that I studied in school dealt with breathing and mindset. Because of this, I sought out books that helped the mindset of a storyteller.

Student Blog: Taking Time Off
Student Blog: Taking Time Off
September 10, 2024

I can recall certain instances where actors have bent over backward trying to make themselves available, whether that means calling out of work several times a week so they could attend callbacks or planning their vacations based on when auditions are slow.

Student Blog: Finding Your Sound
Student Blog: Finding Your Sound
September 1, 2024

Try singing every genre, even the ones that you think are out of your wheelhouse, and get an understanding of what you sound best doing. This isn’t to say that you should never try to sing anything outside of what comes naturally to you, but having an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses will help you as you continue training as a vocalist.

Student Blog: Self-Advocacy as an Actor
Student Blog: Self-Advocacy as an Actor
August 30, 2024

Advocating for yourself helps you understand your worth as you take control of your career. The best part is- you don’t need to rely on anybody else to exercise these habits. In fact, even if you have representation to advocate for you, seeking out opportunities for yourself is still vital.

Student Blog: Writers Block
Student Blog: Writers Block
August 4, 2024

I imagine that I will magically wake up one day and suddenly something will change. I think that if I could just have more time and ideal conditions, I would get more done. But this is rarely the case. The truth is, there will never be a perfect time to write.

Student Blog: Getting out of Your Comfort Zone
Student Blog: Getting out of Your Comfort Zone
August 4, 2024

Fear of perception will shut you down as an actor, but the opinions others hold about you are completely outside of your control. What you can control is your pride in your work. A great way to get out of your comfort zone is to make big, confident choices as an actor that you’re proud of, despite how you think it will come across to others.

Student Blog: Self Tapes
Student Blog: Self Tapes
June 25, 2024

When you’re not used to sending in auditions virtually, it can be so draining. Even for someone very used to the process, it can also just be frustrating when you feel like you’re sending self-tapes into the void.

Student Blog: Survival Jobs
Student Blog: Survival Jobs
June 25, 2024

Once you have a survival job, you must understand balance. It can be so easy to get wrapped up in the job that is providing you stability, especially when work as an actor gets slow. But you can’t forget the reason you’re working so hard in the first place.

Student Blog: Your Type
Student Blog: Your Type
June 1, 2024

Type can be a tricky topic. While it is important not to put yourself in a box as an actor, it is also smart to understand that sometimes people are going to expect certain things from you based on your appearance, your energy, and how they perceive you.

Student Blog: Training Post Graduation
Student Blog: Training Post Graduation
May 28, 2024

In order to keep up my daily training, I knew I needed to find a personal routine that I could uphold whether or not I had room in my budget for classes, coaching sessions, and lessons.

Student Blog: Audition Season
Student Blog: Audition Season
April 30, 2024

Consistently look through casting breakdown sites, learn new songs that suit you, and figure out what materials you’ll need for auditions coming up soon. Be proud of the work that you put in because even if you get cut or don’t get the role, that work doesn’t go unnoticed.

The Importance of Branding
The Importance of Branding
May 1, 2024

You don’t need to be a content creator to have effective branding, but you do need performance content accessible to the public while auditioning. Casting agents need to be able to find you online and understand what you do best. When they’re the people determining whether or not you get the job, why not make it as easy as possible for them?

Student Blog: Accepting Rejection
Student Blog: Accepting Rejection
March 31, 2024

It can be so easy as an actor to get swept up in your identity as an entertainer. In my experience, because I spend so much time and energy on my career, it can be easy at times to forget that I am more than who I am when I’m performing.

Student Blog: Consuming Art as an Actor
Student Blog: Consuming Art as an Actor
March 26, 2024

Being a part of the audience when you’re an actor helps you better your craft and allows you to live in the joy of what you do by experiencing it from the outside.

Student Blog: Start of Spring Semester
Student Blog: Start of Spring Semester
March 4, 2024

But with everything that’s been going on this past month, I find that I’ve been struggling to stay present in my day-to-day life. This month I have had to constantly remind myself to take things one step at a time. It’s so easy to get caught up on what’s next rather than what you’re currently living through.

Student Blog: Deciding on a School
Student Blog: Deciding on a School
February 26, 2024

For most of my high school career, I thought I wanted to attend a four-year university, but I hadn’t considered why I wanted to take that path. When I stepped back and thought about what I truly wanted, none of those expectations ultimately impacted my decision at all. I knew I wanted to be in New York City, but other than that, I just wanted to get the best training I possibly could, 4-year school or not.

Student Blog: Maintaining Discipline
Student Blog: Maintaining Discipline
January 31, 2024

I admire the fact that IAMT is untraditional. For instance, because nothing is formally graded, it motivates students to work hard, for no reason other than personal drive. It is one thing to be disciplined enough to get an A in a class, but it is another to learn how to push yourself when there is no immediate gratification for your efforts.

Student Blog: Parental Support for Young Actors
Student Blog: Parental Support for Young Actors
January 23, 2024

Parents may not be supportive because job stability is so low, so being an actor can be difficult financially. It takes dedication and a lot of perseverance to work in this industry, and this can be a scary pill for protective parents to swallow.

Student Blog: Restlessness Over Break
Student Blog: Restlessness Over Break
December 30, 2023

In my experience, restlessness over winter break is caused by the harsh transition from working myself to the bone- to then doing absolutely nothing but relaxing over the holiday break. Because I get used to sprinting from task to task for the last few weeks, resting will feel unfamiliar, even wrong.

Student Blog: How Overworking Leads to Burnout
Student Blog: How Overworking Leads to Burnout
December 12, 2023

It is so easy to think that overworking is the norm. In this industry, we are taught, consciously or subconsciously, that there will always be somebody who is working harder and training more. Comparison is not healthy, but it’s a hurdle every actor has to overcome, and a way a lot of actors cope with this is by overworking to “catch up”.



 1     




Videos