It is easier to get caught in the rat race than to fear it. Getting ahead is a good thing, but before you do the ‘what,’ it is good to know the ‘why.’

I experienced a lot of burnout this summer. I was memorizing line after line for a scene I had to do the next day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I hate memorizing. I took a break over the weekend and reset myself. Here's what I realized.

'Above all, be the absolute best you can be, and help create a safe environment for others to do the same.'

I have exactly 12 days left of my summer at home, and I’m actually quite terrified of leaving again.

Theatre has brought me my closest friendships, funniest inside jokes, and deepest realizations about myself and who I want to become. The theatre community as a whole means so much to me, and I am beyond grateful for the way in which it’s changed my life.

Treat every day like a blessing and a challenge all wrapped into one, and hopefully your days will feel burnout free!

It is difficult to decide to voluntarily do something scary. To step outside of your comfort zone, you must consciously decide against your natural habits. As a performer, I have discovered the value of pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone. 

In my last entry, I covered playwriting tips for outlining and creating the idea for a strong play or musical. Now that we’ve covered how to make a solid plan for the piece you’re trying to write, there comes a time to put that plan into action and give a shot at the writing portion! Here’s my advice on how to kickstart your script and bring your planned piece to life.

Now in college, and having had the opportunity to stage and direct “Mortal Dilemma” at my school, I’ve had lots of my theatre major peers ask me about my writing process and tips on how to create and perfect their own pieces. In this entry I will cover the beginning steps to creating a strong written piece, and how to set up your play (or musical) for success! 

'Being an actor, and an acting student, is incredibly time consuimg. And it should be! Art takes time, and care, and attention to detail. But it can sometimes feel like in order to create something we can be proud of, we have to sacrifice our mental well-being.'

Musical theater is hard work and it is never going to be a walk in the park. But you never want to push yourself to the point where you lose your love for performing altogether. At one point or another, every performer will experience what is called “burnout.” Burnout is the feeling when performing loses its joy or spark.

I think we’ve all experienced academic burnout at one point or another, but I didn’t appreciate that burnout could extend to a summer job until now. 

Have you ever been told that you're special, an old soul, or very mature for your age? Was any grade below a 95% considered 'failing' to you? Were you constantly participating in every activity humanly possible? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation. 

Being burnt out means that you are not well. You’re emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted that you just can’t function as a human being. I have experienced burnout multiple times in the past, and I don’t think it's worth it. So why does it keep happening?

It’ll be nice to take a class merely because I’m interested in the topic, something which can often be overlooked while choosing college courses.

I have burnouts a lot more than I’d like to admit these days, and it’s been helpful to know the causes of this massive weight hanging in the air.

So, you successfully landed a part in your first show; congrats! Now that the stress of song singing, monologue reading, and waiting for the auditions is over—what comes next?

One of the things that I wanted to do this summer was to learn something new. So, I decided to learn how to use Adobe Photoshop. For practice, I wanted to create a series of photos with a specific theme. And that’s how the “Animals go to Broadway” series was born.

Remember that prescreens are just a snapshot of your work. They’re not supposed to be perfect, and they are also not your audition. Do your best, but don’t allow them to become something stressful.

I also allow myself to devote time to other hobbies to give my mind a break. I take the time to try a new baking recipe, read books, or practice yoga. These interests may seem trivial, but through them, I’ve learned how to try new things without the fear of messing up or doing it “wrong”: a skill that has translated to all areas of my life.

I also allow myself to devote time to other hobbies to give my mind a break. I take the time to try a new baking recipe, read books, or practice yoga. These interests may seem trivial, but through them, I’ve learned how to try new things without the fear of messing up or doing it “wrong”: a skill that has now carried over to other areas of my life.

One of my favorite things is walking back into my community theatre for the summer. This is a big signifier for me that summer has begun. I walk in and I immediately feel at home.

The only way to achieve your goals is to know what you need to do to get there. Building your toolbox, strengthening your skills, and gaining experience is the beginning of the journey to attaining your dream career!