When I was a freshman applying to colleges, I attended multiple theater design and technology interviews, or portfolio reviews.

Ita??s been slightly over two months since the theatre industry lost one of the greats, Nick Cordero after his long battle with COVID-19.

Next (and likely last) in my series of interviews with professional performers from my hometown of Columbus, Indiana is my interview with Mary Claire King. Mary Claire is currently the understudy for Velma in Chicago on Broadway!

Ia??m not perfect. I never will be. I definitely want to be, but I need to stop trying to be. I share this because I just got out of my acting class and Ia??m laying on my bed reflecting on my day. As someone with social anxiety this is a pretty normal thing.

If youa??re anything like me, Ia??m sure that you have heard at least one person question the value of the arts or a career in the arts.  Lately, many arts workers have made social media posts about the a?oeBe An Arts Heroa?? initiative.

Samford University has been in school approximately three weeks, and the theatre department is already in full swing with a variety of socially distanced, live-theatre events.

Coming back to college is a weird thing, even if we werena??t in a pandemic. There is the a?oeah wea??re back!a?? moments of adrenaline but then you quickly fall into the pace and feel like you never left.

The first month of school is over! Thata??s certainly something to celebrate regardless of what level of education youa??re in right now. Ita??s the little victories, isna??t it?

Ita??s that time of year again. Upperclassmen are gearing up to audition for productions or new groups, apply for clubs, and decide who should join their groups.

For quite some time now, there has been talk of a big screen adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen, and in the last several weeks many details have come out about the film and who we can expect to see bring the nervous teenager and his friends from the stage to the screen.

As the calendar turns from August to September, with the hazy summer days transitioning to crisp fall mornings, another semester begins. Except, such is the case for everyone right now, life at the university I have returned to looks incredibly different.

I asked two simple, yet broad questions to a handful of different Xavier University Theatre majors. The questions are as follows: What is something you want to see more of in theatre? What is something you want to see less of in theatre?

Like many fellow theatre people, and just, well,a?? people, I have anxiety. Certain situations, or even nothing at all, can cause me to have panic attacks and suddenly assume the worst. When I get like this, one of the few things that can mellow me out is music.

When I got my first zoom audition notification the first thing I did was cry, and jump around, and then cry some more. Truly I was overwhelmed that I was allowed to use my skills in any capacity for other people instead of my bathroom mirror. But then the question came, what do I do now? 

I have been at SUNY New Paltz for about two weeks now. I am currently staying on campus, and I will admit I am nervous about everything. How can you not be? COVID-19 is still a huge problem, and people are still not taking it seriously.

Going to school for theater can be a big adjustment from a typical high school education.  Add in the fact that people are now taking theater classes virtually, it can be a lot to handle.

When I first saw the trailer for the new Mulan movie, I cried, because her story was so important to me as a child, and even now. When I watched the new movie, I did cry. I cried a lot. But they werena??t happy tears. They were tears of disappointment and anger. 

During these trying times of COVID-19, many people, including myself, have found comfort and solace in television.

What can I say, this year has been one crazy ride, but Ia??m happy to say Ia??m back on campus!

Whether it is your first day of freshman year or your first day of senior year, college is going to look different this semester.

The new age of auditions is self tapes which can be a very positive change to the auditioning experience. This allows you to really fine tune and perfect the material you're working with in an audition space.

I have already experienced the zoom audition, callbacks and casting process first hand. Ia??m going to share my experience, the different processes I faced and share some helpful tips so that you can nail your zoom audition! 

Freshman year of college is challenging for multiple reasons, but I believe it truly comes down to finding your own groove, your own schedule, and your own self.

Have you ever thought about the fact that there are musicals being produced in Brazil? Both Broadway adaptations and original work? Thanks to these shows, many are being exposed to the art form we love so much, myself included! 

Ten hours. Three teams. One line and one prop. All-Day Theatre Fest tested my  creative will-power, my imagination, and in the age of COVID-19, my laptopa??s battery life.