Student Blog: A Week in the City

This past week, I was blessed enough to have made my New York playwriting debut as a part of The Players Theatre’s Short Play Festival: NYC with my play It’s For the Plot.

That is still so crazy to say. I was in the city for a week and a few days and I loved it. I learned so much and I just wanted to share my experience living in the city. This blog/journal is more for me so I can remember everything and never forget it , but if you wanna give it a read too that’d be pretty cool :)

Before I left and for my first day and a half in the city, I was terrified. I was so scared. I would be in the city by myself for the first time ever. I was so blessed to have both my actors in the city along with a few friends that I went to school with. I also had my wonderful friend, Annie, who was gracious enough to let me stay with her-but still I was terrified. I had no idea what I was doing. I was a loose goose in New York. I’d never taken the subway before so I was still trying to figure that all out. There are people everywhere who actually know what they are doing and it can be so overwhelming.

No one ever talks about how scary just packing up and heading out to the city is. Granted, I was only visiting, but still it is so scary. Especially since I had no idea what I was doing. Before this, I’d only been to New York twice and I was with my mom, so I wasn’t flying in by myself and trying to figure things out. Annie was a huge help in teaching me how to get around and everything, and I eventually did figure it out, but at the beginning I was so anxious. All I had to eat my first full day in the city was a piece of pizza and a cookie. Annie had to work and I had to go to my tech rehearsal, and I was too scared to walk around and find something for dinner, but to be honest I wasn’t that hungry because I was so anxious. I was homesick. I cried a lot those first two days. I just wanted my mom which sounds silly, but it’s the truth. When I graduate, I plan on moving to the city, but during that first day I didn’t think that was going to be an option for me anymore. In my head that day, I couldn’t do it. I didn’t know how people could just move out here and not get overwhelmed. 

My second day there, still incredibly anxious, I ended up meeting up with one of my actors and very close friend, Cameron, and we walked around and got coffee which was very nice and definitely helped. Then, later that night, I met up with a few friends I had gone to college with and we headed over to hang out with some other SEMO alumni who moved out to New York after graduating. So we went and I got to see some familiar faces from when I was a freshman and also meet a few new faces. We talked about plays and some people shared their own work. A huge release went through me during this. I felt so cozy and this sense of comfort. I was in a room of people who went to the same college I did with the same major I have currently and are doing all the things I want to do. This was so comforting. To see people, just like me, actively doing what I want to do with my life. After experiencing this, I knew that it was possible. I knew I could do this. I can do this. And I still want to. After that, I felt so much better and my anxiety was lifted.

The rest of my week was so wonderful. The next day, I spent it at Bryant Park and in Midtown with my two actors, Olivia and Cameron. We played Scattergories, walked around the New York Public Library (but we couldn’t find any books so either we were missing something or we were in the wrong building). We had a very chill day together. Then, I wrapped up my evening by seeing Shucked, fresh off of all of their tony wins, and it was incredible. I stage doored for the first time and it was a blast. Then, Annie and I took the subway back to her apartment for the evening (see I took the subway, I was learning). On Wednesday, I saw Parade with Cameron and it was one of the best experiences of my life. 

Oh my gosh I would go back and see it so many more times if I could. Then I had dinner with Cameron’s family and it was so fun. On this trip so far, I had tried Thai food and now Greek food. I'm very proud of myself for expanding my palate and trying new things. They were very yummy. 

The next day was…Opening night! Ah! I was so excited. That morning we rehearsed for a bit, then did some shopping around midtown. We stopped at the Drama Book Shop, which I spent way too much money at, and Muji which was really cool, if you’re in the city I 10/10 recommend. After that, Annie and I headed back to the apartment to get ready for opening. Opening night was incredible and so nerve wracking. It is crazy to sit and watch a piece that you wrote be performed in front of other people. That is so crazy. It went so well and I’m so blessed. We made our New York Debut!!

And it was everything I could have ever asked for. I cried again, a lot but for very wonderful reasons. Also, my best friend flew out to see it, and that was just another layer of comfort that I definitely needed. Afterwards, we all went out to eat which was so wonderful, then Annie and I did a night time bus tour of the city which was so pretty and so silly. Then we called it a night. This was a wonderful day. I cannot even begin to express how grateful I was and am for all of this.

The next day was definitely more chill, which I needed, I was so sleepy. I got lunch with my best friend, Josh before he flew out which was lovely.

Then I went back to the apartment and took a huge nap to prepare for night two of the festival which went very very well. The next day, my mom was in the city! Yay! We did some sightseeing with my mom and her friend that joined us on our little adventure. We saw the Statue of Liberty, which was really crowded but it was still cool to see. After that, we went back to their hotel and got ready for the show. The show again went really well, we were sold out! Yay! Afterwards, we took some pictures and then decided to do another bus tour hehehe but this time my mom, our friend, and Cameron joined us which was a blast.

The next and final full day in the city was very nice. I decided to hang back at the hotel and get some rest before my show, so I slept in, woke up, got ready, and then ran some errands before the show. I stopped in a coffee shop and did some work, then attempted to take the train to the theater but the trains were delayed and I didn’t want to risk it, so I took a lyft (did I sound like a new yorker/I knew what I was doing just then?). I got to the theater and decided to walk around Greenwich a bit and I found the corner of Bleaker and Mercer for my Ordinary Days fans out there. Then I walked back to the theater to spend some time with my actors and the other wonderful people involved with the festival.

Everyone was truly so kind and nice and it was great to get to meet everyone and see everyone's work. I can’t get over how wonderful this whole experience was. After some very sad goodbyes, my mom, our friend and I headed out to get dinner and then catch one last show before we left, The Book of Mormon. A great last day to end my trip.

This experience was incredible. I owe it all to God. I also can’t thank everyone involved in this enough for helping make it happen. I couldn’t have asked for better people or a better place. I wouldn’t change a thing. Even the scary parts. Because once I did figure things out, it made the release so much more joyful. I want to leave you with this, it is okay to be scared. It’s okay to be homesick and to want your mom. It’s okay to cry and get those feelings out. No one is going to judge you because everyone feels that way at some point. Whether it’s in New York or some place else. We get it. New York especially is so overwhelming, but once you get over that first wave of fear, it is so exciting. Just, don’t let your fear inhibit you from doing what you love. Now go do great things!

If you have any questions about how to get involved in the SPF Short Play festival or want more information, follow the link here. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me or message me in the comments section of my author page.

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