Halloween is my favorite holiday and, let's be honest, I'm quite a perfectionist about it. Every detail of my Broadway-themed costume has to be perfect from head to toe, and I always have to have something to do on the night of the holiday. However, this year is different. Having taken note of my money in the past month or so, I realized quickly that I had to get creative this season. I set myself a budget of fifty dollars, put together a costume plan, and got to work.

After a long restful and restorative summer, being back in the city of Philadelphia feels amazing and nostalgic! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Lina Batista. I am a Jersey Born Philadelphia- based actor, singer, creative, and student. I attend The University of The Arts and I’m experiencing my fourth and final year as a Musical Theatre major! I simply can't believe I am finally able to officially say that!

Having a new perspective of a ceremony like this was something I’ll never forget, working with great people and being part of a team “behind the scenes” made me realize why I love theater so much.

College is the time for you to try new things and “fail big” so take every opportunity presented to you to grow and learn! You never know, you may be pleasantly surprised by something and find a brand new lifelong passion!

It’s my sophomore year! While someone’s second year in college is nothing particularly exciting, it is a year that I have been looking forward to. I spent most of my freshman year feeling clueless, like a little baby on campus. Now that I have navigated through that awkward stage, I finally feel comfortable to explore and take advantage of everything Washington DC has to offer.

This semester, I'm just starting graduate level courses here at Towson University. When signing up for classes, I was nervous about how heavy the workload might be, so I decided to keep it somewhat light.

For many, back to school is an exciting time as college students begin new classes, participate in various clubs and extracurriculars, and spend time on a new or familiar campus. When I stepped onto Cornell’s campus in August, the enthusiasm for the new school year was visceral as thousands of students moved-in and prepared for the Fall semester. Despite my initial worries regarding beginning a new semester, I was soon enveloped by the energy of my peers and professors as I started classes.

The fear of graduating dawns on every student at least once in their college career. Whether it was when you failed your first exam, accidentally slept late and missed a final, or contemplated switching majors. Feeling inadequate is something many students empathize with on a personal level. Between the shadows of self-doubt and fears of the future, it is no wonder college students hate to hear the question “so, what do you want to do after college?”

I only had one midterm this semester which was for my script analysis class. This test would review the plays that we read so far in the semester. “Perfect!” I thought, “seems easy… now how do I study?”

Knowing I have 4.5 weeks left of my college experience really puts things into perspective for me. All of those little moments where I doubted this was the right major for me, sleepless nights stressing over a 9 am deadline, or even just sitting in meetings for different organizations I was in to plan an event following pandemic guidelines.

Recently, I’ve been involved more in the theater world and with that I’ve learned something new each day I spend in that magical place.

Hi! I'm Diana, a freshman Theater Studies major at Wagner College! From the moment I first sent in my application, I couldn't wait to join the seahawk family, thinking of the friends I'd make and the classes I'd take.

College. It's something I've dreamed of since middle school. I kept a notebook in my desk in sixth grade that planned out my entire future- I'd get accepted to a musical theatre BFA (Bachelor's of Fine Arts) program from a prestigious school in New York, graduate with honors, and start my career with wild success. I guess I never let go of that dream as I grew up. As middle school ended and high school began, I still knew exactly what I wanted in life. I worked hard, moved up a year, and started immediately on my BFA applications with high hopes. In the end, I wasn't accepted to a single program.

Many students thrive with a busy schedule while participating in multiple activities. But if you are like me and often find yourself struggling under the pressure, there is no shame in cutting back on your responsibilities. College burnout is real. Does that require taking and leaving some extracurriculars? Perhaps, but that doesn’t mean sacrificing important parts of your personality. Prioritize finding the time to do activities that you love but in a way that makes you happy and stress-free.

Back to school can be stressful and scary, especially for a transfer theatre student, but also very exciting!

I live in London- something that used to be beyond my wildest dreams! If you had asked me a year ago where I thought I'd be post-grad with my BFA, I don't think I would have said living in London getting my Master's in Shakespeare... but life works in mysterious ways, and here I am!

After working for years on dance, I was worried I would forget everything I ever learned after entering college. COVID-19 made it harder to get out and I was terrified my body wouldn’t remember the steps. I started practicing pirouettes on the smooth floor of my garage and stretching daily. Dancing in front of a screen was far different from a live studio.

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.

It goes back to the days of Vsevolod Meyerhold- theatre has a social responsibility; that is, theatre has the responsibility to lift the voices and tell the stories of every kind of person and every community. Theatre is the most magical form of storytelling, and the possibilities for just how these stories can be told are endless. Having just had the wonderful opportunity to see The Anthropologists’ No Pants in Tucson (a devised work by and for the queer and feminist community), I’ve started thinking about how much the theatre world needs more of this kind of work, this queer-focused and queer-based work. This is the kind of work whose main objective is to tell the stories of a community that still struggles to be heard. After learning that each vignette in this particular piece is based on true stories, I realized that there are probably just thousands of other stories that were never so much as examined that are just waiting to be told onstage.

Happy college to me and anyone who chooses to celebrate it! Welcome to a new year of school, that one thing you wish you left back in highschool, and a chilling fall semester. I thought I’d bring you along for a week in the life of my first semester as a Sophomore BFA Acting/Directing/Playwriting at Boston University (BU)!

Dropping this picture here purely because I just got the chance to download it, so here's a little gift for you. Anyways, this month has been full of revelations and such for me.

In August, Transforming Space Over Time: Set Design and Visual Storytelling with Broadway’s Legendary Directors by Beowulf Boritt was released. After reading the book, I had the chance to speak with Beowulf about the book’s release and his years of experience as a set designer.

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

In this musical adaptation of Fellini's 8 1/2, NINE features one man and the dozens of women in his life.

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!