Student Blog: My Spring Semester 2024

Spring semester has sprung! Even if it feels like -10 degrees outside, the semester has begun, it is here, and I’m already starting on my second week of the semester. I am writing this on my first Monday of the semester, and so far, it’s been pretty good and has honestly already felt like a month already. But, I’m excited to be back and glad to have started classes, rehearsals, and all that good stuff. I wanted to talk a bit about my classes and projects that I have going on this semester and share what all I have going on. 

First, my classes. I am not in as many classes this semester, since I have to do my BFA project this semester and that will take up a good chunk of my time, so I cut back on my credit hours to make sure I get that all done. My BFA Project is basically a run down of how I prepare and perform in a show. It has 4 different components to it, character analysis, script analysis, research, and journals. I have to basically just put on paper what my process is when I’m in a show and what I do to get to know my character, how I research the show, what my script analysis looks like, and finally I journal every rehearsal that I attend and what we worked on and what I discovered in the rehearsal. This project is required to graduate, and I will be doing my BFA project on my role in Yeast Nation, which I will talk about in a little bit. So, that is one class/credit/project I will be doing this semester.

I am in two dance classes this semester, Conditioning for dance, which is a 50 minute stretching/conditioning class that is geared to help strengthen dancers and help prepare them for their other classes and performances and such. I am also in Broadway Dance II, which is a continuation of the class I took last semester. In this class we are learning big musical numbers from musicals and we will be learning the choreography and the song itself. This class is supposed to help build up endurance and learn how to sing and dance at the same time which is something I need desperately. I’m excited for both of these classes and cannot wait to fully dive into them.

I am also in Directing I and I am absolutely loving it so far. This class is laying the foundation and giving just a basic understanding of directing and the work that goes into it. We were all given a short play on the first day of class that we will work on, study, and then cast actors to perform a workshop version of. I’m loving this class so far.

Finally, I am in earth studies and environmental hazards and the lab for that same class. It is all about natural disasters and such. I am also in private voice and Rehearsal and Production, which is my practicum. I was assigned to work backstage for one of our mainstage shows. Those are all my classes! Now my favorite thing to talk about, the productions I’m apart of hehe.

1st on the docket in February, I had the pleasure of getting to write a play for Saplings, a night of student written one acts done at my conservatory. The amazing director for my piece has already started rehearsals and I cannot wait to see it. I love Saplings, it’s so cool to see every year. Next up, a play I wrote will also be premiering at The Players Theatre through Short Play Festival in their annual LUV FEST February 21st-23rd, so if you are in the city and looking for a fun night of one-act plays all about love, check it out!

Next also on February 22nd and 23rd, I am assistant directing a brand new dance play called Crash written by Connor Vanatta at my conservatory through a student group called Brick Road Productions. The play is a beautiful piece about relationships growing and changing. The play has moments of dancing that integrates into the story and it is oh so cool. We are on week two of rehearsals and it’s going so well so far. I love this piece so much and I’m so happy to get to be apart of it.

                                                                                              Finally, I will be playing Jan the Famished in Yeast Nation the musical at Dobbins

Conservatory. It is oh so silly and I love it so much. This is the role I will be doing my BFA project on. This is also my first time performing in a musical at my school and I’m so excited. We run the first weekend of May, so if you are in Cape Girardeau, come see us be Yeasts!

That is what my semester looks like so far! I hope you all are getting back into the swing of things and living your best lives doing it. I’m excited to see what all this semester will bring. As always, go do great things!

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