BroadwayWorld.com Blogs Stories

Student Blog: Loud and Proud

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:02:40 PST

Despite having done theatre since I was six years old, I had never been classified as a ”theatre kid” at school. I always believed in being friends with people who had differing interests in order to learn from one another and reduce competitive tension. Since elementary school, I have jumped from community theatre to community theatre, filling my schedule with rehearsals and auditions. I was able to learn so much about becoming not only a better performer, but a team player from each director I worked under. The distinct environment fostered within each theatrical company always felt like a new opportunity for reinvention. In every show I joined, I was able to find myself a new Best Friend and find my place in each temporary social scene that formed. During each three month rehearsal process, it was thrilling to learn so much about new people, create inside jokes, tell secrets, and feel the strong bond that can only form from being in the cast of a show with someone. However, these friendships somehow seemed to always wither away in tandem with the closing of the show. Regardless of vows made to one another to hang out after the show, friendships made with people who live hours away without a show keeping you together are quite difficult to hold on to. Old friendships were replaced by new ones as each new show rolled around. It was challenging to constantly be saying goodbye and then quickly reintroducing yourself.

And then, I realized something, a majority of people at school had no clue I loved theatre. I’m not sure if I was subconsciously omitting mention of it whilst standing in sporty circles, but this led me to feel like I was living a double life: one where I was a theatre kid, and one where I was “normal.” This sort of made me feel like people didn’t understand me because I wasn’t truly letting anyone in. But I enjoyed my separate worlds, it turned theatre into my escape. Issues with friends? Blast Rent until you forget! Hard day at school? Go to rehearsal where none of it matters! Anxious? Watch Tick, Tick…BOOM! for the twentieth time! My love for theatre is one of the most sacred parts of my identity and my sanctuary; opening that part of myself up to scrutiny would be one of the most personal attacks someone could make.

Naturally, there were times when I wished that I had someone to gush about theatre to, someone who would recognize my eyes light up when the words “no day but today” were uttered in conversation or someone who knew that I’d been in Annie three times and obviously want to watch the 1982 film when it is suggested on screen. I was starting to wish that the most personal parts of my character could be more public and that I could be shamelessly myself in front of absolutely everyone. It isn’t that I was scared that people wouldn’t like me, I just was overtly aware of the negative stigma that came with being a theatre kid; I honestly wasn’t looking to deal with the judgment.

After tirelessly juggling my separate identities, it was becoming clear that I needed to begin merging them together. I was proud of my passion and I didn’t want to shield one of the best parts of myself any longer. I really wanted a consistent group of theatre friends where I could embrace this side of myself more openly.

I was determined to allow my love of theatre to remain holy. If people chose to make jokes about it, I classified them as people who did not attempt to understand me, and had no base to accurately comment on my character.

Finally joining my school’s theatre department in ninth grade was the greatest decision I made in my high school career. I, at last, had a community of theatre people who encouraged my nerdiness and wouldn’t disappear after three months. I watched my new friends walk straight out of the auditorium, singing showtunes, into the crowded hallways without a flinch. I was simply inspired. I understood that I didn’t need to hide my love of theatre to be accepted, I found a creative home where my differences were applauded.

I’m sure people have made remarks about me being a theatre kid behind my back, but they most definitely have never impacted me in any way. My friends outside of theatre are completely accepting of my theatrical side and I enjoy connecting with them over a shared love of Hamilton and Wicked.

All I had to do was take that initial leap. My passion for theatre supersedes judgment and I am constantly feeling grateful that my high school theatre community showed me that. I thank every “theatre-friend” throughout the years who has respected me for my fearlessly geeky self.

Student Blog: Yes, I’m a Theater Kid, but not THAT Kind of Theater Kid

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:03:08 PST

I just finished my first year as a lighting design student in a theater program. Looking back, it was a year full of things I never expected to be doing. I worked on two mainstage productions, a dance concert, and a student show. I spent countless hours in the theater, survived more homework than I thought possible, and pulled the occasional all-nighter when deadlines got a little too close for comfort. For the most part, I loved every second of it.

There was just one problem: I still have no idea how to explain what I do.

Whenever someone asks what my major is, I can practically see the follow-up questions forming before I even answer. If I say "theater," they assume I act. If I say "lighting design," I get a confused look and an awkward pause. Then comes the inevitable conversation: What exactly is lighting design? Do you just turn lights on and off? How do you major in that? Why lights? Before I know it, ten minutes have passed and I've somehow ended up explaining my entire life story to a stranger. People studying psychology, engineering, or biology can usually answer the question in a sentence. Meanwhile, I feel like I need a PowerPoint presentation.

One of the weird things about writing about theater so much lately is that it made me realize that tech and acting aren't actually that different in what their function is. It feels strange to write that, because the line between performers and production teams is usually drawn pretty quickly.

Obviously, acting and design are entirely different in how they come together. When my acting friends tell me they spend class rolling around on the floor, experimenting with movement exercises, I can't help but laugh. I could never picture myself doing that for class. My version of classwork usually involves staring at a Vectorworks drawing, worksheeting a light plot, or programming cues. In fact, throughout our entire first year, designers and actors only shared one class together. From a curriculum standpoint, our worlds barely overlap.

But the more I think about it, the more I believe lighting is just as much about performance as it is about design.

A lighting designer creates the environment the actors live in. We decide what the audience sees, when they see it, and try to anticipate how they feel about it. Light shapes the actors, establishes the temperature of a scene, creates atmosphere, and guides focus.

I like to think of lighting design as building the chessboard rather than moving the pieces. The actors are still the ones making the moves. The director is still calling the game. But without the board, there is no space for those choices to exist. Lighting creates the world where the story happens.

Designers are storytellers. We may not speak any lines, but every cue is a choice. Every blackout, color shift, and spotlight tells the audience something. We direct their attention. We influence pacing. We create tension, relief, intimacy, or spectacle. The audience may not consciously notice those decisions, but they feel them.

Maybe that's the answer I've been looking for all year.

The next time my acting friends tell me their homework is to pretend to be a cat, I’m going to try to be less judgemental, because the more time I spend studying and writing about theater, the more I realize we're all trying to accomplish the same thing. Whether you're standing under the lights or acting in them, the goal is still to tell a story.

Actors do it through movement, emotion, and dialogue. Designers do it through color, composition, timing, and atmosphere. The tools are different, but the purpose isn't. Neither one works particularly well without the other. A beautifully lit stage means nothing without actors to bring it to life, and even the strongest performance can be transformed by the world that surrounds it. We both act, direct, and create the environment for an audience to see.

Maybe that's why it's so hard to explain lighting design to people outside of theater. Most people only notice lighting when something goes wrong. If we've done our job well, the audience isn't thinking about the lights at all—they're thinking about the story. The lighting is simply helping them get there.

So when someone asks me what I do, maybe I don't need the ten-minute explanation anymore. Maybe the answer is much simpler than I've been making it. I'm not just a designer, technician, or programmer. I'm a storyteller. I just happen to tell stories with light.

Student Blog: For Anyone Missing Home This Summer

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:03:44 PST

As a kid, growing up felt exciting. I couldn't wait to be older, more independent, and really start a life of my own. In many ways, that's exactly what I'm doing now. This summer, instead of heading home for three months, I'm staying in Boston. When I first moved away for college, staying in the city for the summer felt like something older students did. Now, somehow, I'm one of them!

I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunities and independence that come with living in a city on my own, but I've found myself feeling really homesick recently. Not really in the way I did freshman year, when everything was still super new and unfamiliar, but in a different way. I feel it at moments when I see my family together at dinner, or think about the summer nights by the beach I grew up with. Boston’s definitely starting to feel like a second home to me, but there’s a piece of me that still really misses my home in Florida.

One of the hardest parts of growing up for me is that nobody tells you what it’s like to have your life moving forward in one place while your heart is still hanging on to another. Part of what makes this transition hit me so hard is realizing how much everything’s changed over the past couple of years. Now, as a rising junior, graduation feels a lot closer, and responsibility feels a lot heavier, and suddenly all the talk about internships, summer gigs, and future plans feels way more real. Being a theatre student means always being surrounded by people chasing big dreams. Every summer, my feed is packed with posts about cool gigs, contracts, intensives - everyone has something amazing lined up, and I love seeing my friends do what they’re passionate about! But sometimes, those things make me wonder if I’m doing enough. Am I training enough? Networking enough? Working enough? Am I making the most of my summer, or am I falling behind?

I started asking myself these questions and spiraled a bit. I’ve always loved theatre and always wanted to take every opportunity I had to pursue it. Even after a long year when I repeatedly felt burnt out, I still felt like I had to keep going and keep forging ahead, even when my body and mind felt exhausted. After taking some time to reflect on those thoughts and conversations with friends, I realized it’s okay to want to take a break. To live a somewhat normal college kid life when I want to. Of course, continuing training and keeping myself on track is important, but I also want to give myself some grace when it comes to taking a break and staying true to what I need at this moment in my life.

This summer, I'm trying to worry way less about what I’m not doing and more about what makes me feel fulfilled right now. And of course, that might be a contract or an internship doing what I love, but it can also be learning to build a life of my own and discover who I am. With that comes working through feelings of homesickness, becoming more independent, maintaining relationships from a distance, and enjoying life outside of a classroom or rehearsal room. Neither is more valid than the other, they just reflect different parts of what it means to grow.

Student Blog: The Goodbye Article

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:04:20 PST

As an incoming senior in high school, it is inevitable that the coming months will be fraught with nostalgia and deep analysis of my numerous childhood endeavors. I can predict that when reflecting on this year specifically, I will certainly feel overwhelmed by the many ups and downs that coincide with the survival of junior year. Rites of passage for teens — like AP classes, SATs, and driver's tests — surely influenced the fluctuation of my demeanor throughout the course of this year. Heavy themes were introduced to my life and I was challenged to adapt and grow stronger from their presence. In the midst of such a hectic time, I was prepared to rely on the strength of showtunes to comfort me, as they have always been there for me in the past. However, what I did not expect was for my new Student Blogger position here at BroadwayWorld to become my new source of solace.

Every month, I was tasked with producing two articles, and this job became this beautifully ever-present opportunity that seemingly grounded me during chaos. No matter how hard my day was or how much stress I was under, I was able to pull up the broadwayworld.com website and immerse myself in a new world. This job was my escape that was always there for me to gush about my favorite things. Writing for BroadwayWorld softened the intensity of my problems by constantly reminding me of the wonderful world of Broadway.

In my time as a BroadwayWorld Student Blogger, I have cherished the opportunity to combine two of my favorite things through creating articles: writing and theatre. Separately, these two forums have served as vehicles for self-expression; writing because I could precisely detail the intricacies of my feelings through the satisfying compilation of words, and theatre because I could connect with the saturated experiences of others articulated through music. Together, I have been able to use the two to find my voice to share advice, opinions, and stories through both difficult and prosperous periods.

I would like to thank everyone who has chosen to read my articles and I hope that you were able to resonate with them and they allowed you to feel understood. It means so much to me that my words can be out there in the world to be referenced by others, and myself, during times of need. Goodbye for now, I hope that this will not be the last you’ll hear from me :)

Student Blog: Here's To The Ones Who Dream: How I Became a Reporter for the Jimmy Awards

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:04:43 PST

In 2023, my life was changed by a video.

Around March of my junior year of high school, my theater director approached me and asked if I would be interested in submitting a video to the Stephen Sondheim Awards. They were looking for students to submit a short video showcasing the reasons why they would be the best pick to be a Student Reporter for the Jimmy Awards.

After carefully drafting a script for the video, I ran around my high school theater, stood in front of my collection of life size Broadway cutouts (yes, you read that right), and even interviewed my high school director in hopes of standing out to the Sondheims and the Jimmys. I didn’t think there was a world where I got selected, but the anxious excitement of the “what-if” loomed in the back of my mind.

Because I know you were curious:

In April of the same year, I checked Instagram while on a college tour. I nearly dropped my phone when I saw that I had been selected as one of two Student Reporters for the Sondheims. To this day, my mom and I joke that the reason I liked the campus so much was simply because I was elated from the news of the Sondheims.

It was an honor to serve as a reporter for the Sondheims. Along with my co-reporter, the lovely Kirstin Ward, I interviewed the nominees, did takeovers on Instagram showing behind the scenes rehearsal clips, and ran the red carpet livestream. We even got to present an award during the ceremony. To make the entire time even more special, Kirstin and I were lucky enough to both be selected as finalists for the Jimmy Awards Student Reporter Search.

The incredible Kirstin and I on the red carpet at the Sondheims
PC: The Stephen Sondheim Awards

Only a few days before the Sondheims, I was at picture day for my dance studio. As I grabbed my phone to head out, I saw a notification about a missed Facetime call from an unknown number as well as a text from my theater director to answer my phone. My heart dropped, and while I still didn’t think there was any way I “won,” I hesitantly opened my email. It was at this moment that everything changed. I had been selected as one of the two Student Reporters for the Jimmy Awards. I ran to the parking lot and called my Best Friend. I was so emotional over the phone that she initially thought I had gotten in a car accident. I proceeded to run back inside and tell my dance teacher who was one of the most influential figures in my life throughout middle school and high school. Eventually I Facetimed the unknown number back and was greeted by the smiling faces of the Black Rock Theater staff and the Sondheims nominees who congratulated me on the news. And yes, at some point way too late into the Facetime I remembered to explain to them why I was sitting in the car with a sequined mesh flapper dress on.

The post that changed my life
PC: @jimmyawards

Despite the few people that I accidentally told in the excitement of the moment, I had to keep my Jimmys position a secret for quite some time. I’ll never forget the feeling of sitting at the Sondheims watching the closing number. The BRT staff had kindly put Kirstin and I in a box where we were perched above the stage and could look out on the entire audience. As the group on stage performed “I See Stars” from Mean Girls, I glanced at the section where my theater group was sitting. While they had all helped repost my Jimmys finalist video and supported me along the journey, at this point none of them knew that I had “won.” I even shed a few tears thinking about what was in store for the next month, and the unbelievable adventure that I was about to embark on. Watching the closing number was one of the final moments in which the Jimmys was just an exciting secret.

My experience with the Jimmy Awards changed the trajectory of my life. It opened my eyes to the world of broadcast journalism, a field I had never considered prior. Besides getting to meet all of the incredible nominees and learn their stories, I also got to interview Broadway performers (Andrew Barth Feldman, Eva Noblezada, and Corbin Bleu to name a few) and industry VIPs and even tour ABC Studios. One of the most meaningful elements of the weekend was getting to hear about each nominee’s background. Some of them had been performing their entire lives, while others started only a year ago. I got to be alongside the nominees for many of their firsts such as seeing Times Square and stepping onto a Broadway stage. Having grown up in Connecticut, my family went to New York fairly often, so getting to see the magic through an outside perspective was incredibly special.

Touring ABC Studios- I think this is the moment I realized what I wanted to do for the rest of my life
PC: JD Davis

As an ABF superfan, this was huge for me.
PC: JD Davis

My Jimmys co-reporter, JD Davis, and I claimed “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” from La La Land as our anthem for the weekend. We believed that not only did it relate to our own journeys, but also to the ones of the 90+ nominees. Only months prior, we were all high schoolers who dared to dream on a national level. And by a miracle, we were the lucky ones who got to travel to one of the most iconic places on Earth to make these dreams come true. Not to mention, my childhood dream came true when I opened the Playbill during the show and saw my face; it was truly surreal. I still don’t fully know what the Jimmys saw in me, but I am so grateful that they gave me the opportunity to pursue what seemed impossible.

I only brushed the surface here of my time with the Jimmys; truly I could talk about it for hours on end. My time as a Student Reporter carried with me as I entered college, and I still consider it to be one the coolest things I’ve ever done. I owe my career passions and dreams entirely to the Sondheims and the Jimmys. If they hadn’t taken a chance on the 18-year-old from Connecticut, I don’t know where I would be today.

The afterparty on the night that changed me for good. Thank you, Jimmys.

Student Blog: Seeing the Bigger Picture

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:05:33 PST

Honestly, I never expected that writing about theatre would change the way I see it, or myself, as much as it has. BFA programs can be incredibly overwhelming, and after a particularly challenging year, I found that writing helped me step back and focus on the positives. Instead of getting caught up in stress, overwhelm, or comparison, writing really helped me look at theatre and life from a wider perspective and appreciate the artistry, experience, and emotion behind it.

This year, I was really struck by how reflective the writing process can be. Writing about different experiences or even just about my everyday life allows me to slow down and think more deeply about why certain moments resonate with me. It has made my days feel less overwhelming and really helps me reconnect with the joy. I've always loved writing, and I have often found it a good way to decompress. Whether that's journaling, jotting down thoughts in my notes app, or sitting down to write a blog, writing helps me to get my thoughts out instead of letting them ruminate too much in my head. When I start writing, I don't feel pressure to “get it done” or check a box, I do it at my own pace and let my thoughts develop over time. It feels very true to me, because my life and my thoughts aren't linear, and the way I express myself doesn't have to be either. Writing about what I love reminds me to notice the beauty around me and to hold onto that joy, even on the hard days.

I also love writing so much because I feel like it has given me a new creative outlet I have been needing. I obviously love going to school for theatre, but when it's something I do every single day, along with assignments, performances, class, and more, it feels like I need a creative space outside of that. Training every single day at school can get stressful, but when I'm able to turn that overwhelm into something new through writing, it feels deeply rewarding. Writing has not only encouraged me to step outside my school bubble, but also allowed me to dig deeper. I’m able to share my thoughts, talk to more people, reflect more, and feel like I can openly express myself in a creative space without worrying about a grade being attached to it. It allows for an open conversation beyond a performance, where there's not one right answer, but rather a million different perspectives that are all equally important. Writing about theatre helped me stop viewing it only as something I had to succeed in and start appreciating it more as something I’m deeply passionate about.

Looking back at this year, I realize how much writing has helped me to reconnect with myself. By reflecting on my experiences and sharing them, I’ve found new meaning in familiar places and excitement for what lies ahead. It’s a huge reminder for me that sometimes, stepping away from the stage and onto the page is exactly what I needed to see my passions in a new light.

Student Blog: Coming Full Circle

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:12:10 PST

Welcome to my final article! I was hoping to get to eight articles, but my final two weeks of college were an absolute whirlwind, and as soon as I got home, the real world caught up to me in ways I never expected. I wasn’t sure if I was even going to try and get a final article up, but after surviving through the last two weeks, I need to finish what I started.

I began writing this article backstage while working on stage crew for my last show, a time where I was looking back on the past four years and started to notice all the coincidences and accidental miracles along my way, so I started to write them down. The path I’ve been down has been unexpected, but I wouldn’t trade a moment because it has built me into the theatermaker and person that I am today. This won’t be an exhaustive list, we’d be here for a very very long time if so, but these are some of the greatest hits from the last four years.

I began my time onstage in college replacing an ensemble track in a show that takes place in a small town in Ohio as part of “Heathers,” and I’ve officially ended my onstage college career in the same way. Albeit this time I wasn’t singing, but I was dancing, doing fight choreography and puppeteering ⅕ of a five headed dragon in “She Kills Monsters.”

“Heathers” came back into my consciousness a lot this year, starting with the Off-Broadway revival. I’ve also seen so many friends who were in Heathers around this year, whether being still at KU and active in ACT, or in the audience at our shows or spotted around campus or randomly at events. A lot of Westerberg graduates have come back to see me and our other friends in our senior shows at KU. And others came back to the stage for the first time since “Heathers.”

I firmly believe that the roles you are meant for, whether onstage or behind the scenes, will come to you when you most need them. This semester and year as a whole I was lucky enough to get onstage again and finally feel confident in myself as an actor.

I was in our student written show in the fall, “Adventures in Accounting,” and I played Codebreaker, the tech guy on the elite strike team trying to invade the Tungsten Cage and defeat the Crimson Beards. This show was a sequel to one written my freshman year, “A Horse Walked Into A Bar” where I played the announcer of a horse race and basically got to stand onstage and commentate on a pre-recorded race for five minutes. Playing the announcer unlocked something then, and earlier this year, Codebreaker set the floodgates open. I felt so cool and confident, and that weird little guy really healed something inside of me. That role was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in college.

There are plenty of others. I started my time as a costumer also on “Heathers”, and I am ending the same way in “Company.” One of my other favorite things was how much my play, “Waystation,” came into the forefront in my final semester. In She Kills Monsters, the actor playing Orcus replaced one of the 90s show references with Waystation in rehearsal and it got such a great reaction that he changed the line for the entire run of the show, and it got huge reactions every night.

In theater things come in cycles. A lot of times theaters will cycle through shows, repeating good ones and allowing bad ones to become urban legends around the theater. Costumes, props and set pieces will come out of stock and bring their entire history with them. A freshman will enter the costume closet knowing nothing and leave as a senior with the full history of so many pieces of the clubs history as part of their being. This semester and year were incredibly full circle for me. I got to go back to so many roles I’ve loved and pass on what I know to so many incredible theater makers, and continue to do the things I love most with some of my favorite people.

Thank you for reading my articles this semester! Ever since I knew it was a possibility I wanted to be a student blogger for BroadwayWorld, and I’ve really enjoyed putting these articles out. It’s been a wonderful way to record some of my favorite moments in my senior year of college. Till we meet again!

Student Blog: Making Costumes Be Alive

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:12:57 PST

“Company” is one of those unique shows that I’ve always felt connected to. I felt the call to go back to costumes with “Company” because it’s one of those shows I needed to be part of but I could not imagine directing. This was right after I had assistant directed “Fiddler on the Roof” for five months and was about to direct “Any Time Any Way,” a play that I wrote. Plus, I always had a lot of opinions on the costumes in various productions of Company, and I knew I could do a really good job using them to help tell the story.

The greatest asset I had in making the costumes for this show was my assistant, Lizzie. She played Bielke in Fiddler, and I had found out a few weeks before that she was a wizard when it came to costumes and wanted to get her feet wet before costuming next year. So when she asked me I instantly said yes. As a designer I always love having people to bounce ideas off of and help balance the workload, so that made me even more excited to work on this show. I worked on five shows during this final semester, most at the same time, and knowing I had another person around when I got super busy was a massive help.

One of the first things we did was talk to the directors. They wanted to set things kind of in the 80s-90s which was pretty easy to work with. Most characters stayed in the time period, but a couple people, specifically Amy and Jenny were dressed a little bit older in styles more reminiscent of the 1950s and 60s because it fit their characters. The directors wanted a lot of colors, lots of sweaters and comfortable business casual, and most girls in skirts/dresses other than that and a couple of ideas we talked about gave me free rein in creating the costumes.

The next big thing I did was talk to the cast about their characters. I always say that the actors know their characters best, and oftentimes our opinions for the characters were the same, but sometimes they had a great idea for how they envisioned their character that I just rolled with. I also wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable with what they were wearing, because a lot of times act

Company is all about Bobby and how the other characters differ or are similar to him. We ended up making our Bobby blue, so I chose to have characters differ in color depending on how close he is to them. The other main thing I kept in mind was making sure every couple fit together. I started with the three girls in the show seemingly closest to Robert, April is in a bright blue flight attendant uniform just a shade brighter than Robert, Amy a light blue dress with a frantic pattern that is just off from Bobby, and Kathy in a green floral dress that feels slightly off of Bobby’s blue. They all sort of match Robert but none are an exact fit. This extends out to the other couples as well. Amy and Paul have sweaters in the same kind of tan with white and light blue accents. Larry and Joanne are decked out in black and gold. Peter and Susan are in various warm shades of brown. Harry and Sarah both wear khakis. And Jenny and David both wear greens. Marta has layers of black with pops of red to show how different she is to everyone else, but the look still goes with April and Kathy.

I also played with patterns a lot. A patterned dress for Amy to show her frantic energy. And for Peter and Susan, the divorced couple that still lives together, they’re united in having browns in their color palettes, but Susan has plaid and Peter has stripes, showing their differences in compatibility.

One of the best days for me as a costumer has always been our photo day. It’s the first time we truly get to see the costumes on the actors and feeling alive and complete. It’s all the little details like sweaters and jewelry coming together that make it magical. People doing twirl tests and admiring each others looks and figuring out exactly where to roll their sleeves to. Being responsible for making people feel confident and in character with what they are wearing is a beautiful thing.

Another thing I noticed with this show was that the costumes truly made them look like they were in their 30s and 40s rather than early 20s, and even though a lot of people didn’t love the sweaters because of the heat, most agreed that it helped them get into character and feel a little older.

My costume work was mostly done after photo day, but I did run crew for the show as well, which was delightful. There were of course some quick fixes during tech and the shows, a sweater got ruined by a wax melt and we ended up just cutting it, we had to figure out how to get a hat to stay on, and a pair of pants ripped during our final show, and a pin I made for April just would not stay together, but those were all little things.

Company was the first Sondheim show Actors Creating Theatre ever did and I was so proud to be a tiny part of that. Costuming Company was one of the most fun experiences I had on a show in years, and I truly had a blast costuming a final show for all of those good and crazy people, my friends.

Student Blog: Stevie Nicks was Right about Changes

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:13:17 PST

This blog season has truly left me with reflections I hope to look back on and realize how far I’ve come. Without this outlet, I don’t think I would’ve been able to realize how vast my dreams are.

Writing about my love for the arts - especially dance - has left my heart on the table for what else my interests could bring. I’m currently an intern for my county's consumer protection department and as boring as that may sound (trust me I thought it would be boring too…), I’m slowly starting to find excitement in mundanity. I’m a social media intern and I’ve realized that as long as I’m creative - I’m happy. There is not one way I’m supposed to show up for myself, I can do it in various different ways.

I haven’t been very punctual with my blog deadlines (sorry Chloe…) these days, because life has been moving so fast since leaving my dance conservatory in Pittsburgh. I’ve spent a lot of time in therapy to strip myself of the negative impacts being in dance for so long has had on me. It’s been a tough couple of months to be honest. Unlearning all of the negative self-talk and ‘black-and-white’/’all-or-nothing thinking has been a rigorous course, but it’s something I know I’ll be fond of going back to school in the Fall. Also,... I’ll be going to Temple University in the fall now :) Guess I can’t escape Pennsylvania Haha! I’ll probably minor in dance or join a dance club, but I’m looking for something that’s not as strenuous on my body. Of course, I love being pushed - that’s why I danced for 16 years, but I’m ready to see what else I can give my energy to. One of my interests is to study exercise science. Since I’ve dealt with my fair share of injuries, I feel that it is only right to help others with what I’ve gone through personally. I hope to give people another chance at what they love, no matter if it is a sport or just casual, everyday life.

As much as talking it out has helped me be okay with stepping away from 15 years of my life, music has helped tremendously also. ‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac is forever a timeless song about changing and ripping apart what was previously in your life and I think it might be my top song in my Spotify Wrapped this year. I don’t think I’ve gone a day without listening to the comforting melodies of someone I don’t even know. I think I might just be in my own form of music therapy.

One of the things I’ve learned to be okay with is changing feelings. Pursuing dance felt like the right thing for me at the time. My life revolved around it and it was truly all I knew. I dedicated so much time to it, as well as being an academically excelling student in high school, so I knew what it was like to have a lot on my plate and be used to being overwhelmed. But when you ignore your feelings for so long, it is only a matter of time before they come to the forefront of your mind and you are unable to ignore it. I urge everyone around me with a lot on their plate to take it easy. That is much easier said than done and I’m thankful that I learned at an early age (kind of), but burnout is no joke.

Since I’m going to be moving to Philly in a couple of months, it will make it the FOURTH city I’ve lived in! I’ve lived in New York City, Detroit, Pittsburgh and soon Philly! I don’t know how Philly will compare to NYC, but I have high hopes. I thoroughly believe NYC is the best city in the world and I’m completely aware that I’m biased, because I’m from there, but hey! You never know! I might become insane one day and think another city is greater… Which will never happen… But until then, I’ll be incredibly biased towards NYC.

GO KNICKS! KNICKS IN FOUR! LETS GO! SWEEP

Student Blog: Finding a Textual, Theatrical Community

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:13:46 PST

This is my first time ever writing professionally about theater. This space has taught me to approach this field I love so much from a different angle. It has given me a place to digest pieces that I watch, or have meaningful conversations with people within the industry that I admire. However, most importantly, it reconnects me with my love for words. I’ve always loved to read, often finding solace within the comfortable dialogue of a play, book, or the daily articles I get in my inbox. Through Broadway World, I’ve developed an unknown pride for something other than performing. My whole life has centered around the stage, and so I’ve learnt to live in the pride of those accolades, putting the more academic ones on the backburner. Yet through this program, I’ve re-discovered a passion in a more professional way; a way of which I am extremely proud. I feel incredibly grateful to put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and write about this industry from a unique, youthful perspective. I’m proud to be a part of this community, and I am dually proud to use my words in expressing that devotion.

Along with this came another kind of community, different from any company I’ve been a part of. The collective of writers that are a part of the Student Blogger program are all incredibly knowledgeable and exhibit such love for Theater through their words that I can’t help but feel inspired by their genius. When I feel as if I’m completely alone in a career struggle, looking at the weekly articles has made me feel supported and uplifted by strangers that live all around the country.

Additionally, I’ve reconnected with friends and mentors for interviews, granting me the opportunity to ask them questions, evolving into lengthy conversations about their work. To learn what drives each of my friends artistically has been such a privilege.

The cherry on top of this entire experience is the grounding power of text. When I approach the world from a textual angle, I am forced to be where my feet are, and breathe in the world around me. This sounds unnecessarily complex, and maybe it is, but for me it makes perfect sense. When I search for article ideas every month on top of our assigned prompt, I must examine the world around me for inspiration. This examination has led me to watch and attend more theater than I ever have in my life. Most of this theater is right in Los Angeles! I grew up thinking that New York was a theater town, and L.A. was meant for film. Yet the more I immerse myself in the theatrical scene here, the more I realize what it has to offer. I don’t believe I would be nearly as explorative if it was not for Broadway World. Thank you to the tiny but mighty force of readers that choose to click on my articles, writing for BWW has been an absolute dream come true.

Student Blog: Messages and Meanings from Favorite Works Through a College Lens

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:14:07 PST

My favorite and least favorite things about theatre are how ephemeral it is. There is something so beyond special about the way a performance is so in the moment and can never be exactly replicated, but there are at the same time so many nights at the theatre that I would do anything to be able to revisit. I love the way that everyone in a theatre has to be together as one for a brief couple of hours, in the moment, away from technology, focused on the art being made. I think that part of the reason I connect so deeply with theatre as an art form is how I don’t just connect to the performers on stage but also my fellow audience members, strangers, who happened to end up in the same room at the same time. Sometimes I even find myself wrapped up in what productions I wish I had the chance to see, and sometimes even slip into slight anger that I wasn’t alive in an era where such excellent art was being made. The way theatre cycles and shows come and go, makes it unlike any other art form.

However, as brief and in the moment as theatre may seem, there are parts of it that last and stay with an audience long after the curtain closes. One of these things is the lessons written into shows that are oftentimes the motivation for the writer, and the heart of the characters and story. I firmly believe that there is always something to take away from even one’s least favorite works, whether it be an artistic element that worked well, a character trait that one hopes to emulate, or a lesson that one hopes to implement into their life.

In all of my favorite works, I think that the lessons presented are unique and widely applicable, especially in college. I believe there is so much importance to the messages that some of my favorite stories present. All in all, they don’t just speak to the pieces within which they are articulated, but rather the broader importance of theatre in general and how it can impact people.

No day but today - Rent

As cringeworthy and sentimental as it may seem, this famous lyric and lesson from Jonathan Larson’s rock musical, Rent, still resonates so many years after the show was created. Oftentimes, especially in college, it can be so easy to forget to live in the moment and be grateful for the now. With the seemingly constant stressors of exams, studying, internships, and trying to balance all of the complicated elements of a college social and academic life, it can be so simple to want time to just move faster. However, as this show demonstrates, there is nothing quite like the present, and as so many of my mentors and friends have told me for many years, there really is nothing like the present, and one day you’ll look back and wish you had appreciated your time in college more if you don’t make the most of it. Even in the hardest of times, where it feels like everything keeps compounding and crushing you, taking a moment to breathe and ground yourself is always beneficial.

Keep marching - Suffs

Although Suffs is not set in the modern era, the show has so many values and messages that still apply today, as it discusses feminism and the fight for equality for all. At the core of this piece is the finale number, “Keep marching,” a song and message that encapsulates the fight of the women within the show and speaks to a modern audience, telling them to keep fighting and pushing for what is right and what they believe in, even in the face of systemic oppression and corruption. This show highlights so many historical women and through pushing this message, to keep marching on, inspires so many to take control and speak out. In growing up and going to college, becoming an adult, this speaks to me so deeply because the idea that you may not live to see the change you are pushing for, yet should fight and march anyway, feels so relevant to going into the professional world, especially in terms of how in wanting to make a difference in any industry, you have to understand that you might not see it fully realized, and that it takes so many people and so much time for things to truly change for the better. In remembering to keep marching, we can remember to never give up on the things we believe in, and always remember that there are so many people in the past and present lifting us up.

It’s not too late - Schmigadoon!

One of this season’s new musicals, Cinco Paul’s Schmigadoon! teaches audiences that there is always time and space to change and become a better person and version of yourself. It can feel like there are so many pressures on us in college, and as we grow to become the best version of ourselves instantaneously upon becoming an adult, this show is an excellent reminder that it is never too late to grow and better yourself. It also reminds us that there will always be people to uplift and support us through all of the ups and downs, and that we have time, which, similarly to the first segment here, is something that can be hard to remember. Even within the college sphere, you don’t have to build exactly who you are as a student and person during your first year or few months, and this is a great reminder that you can always become who you ultimately want to be. There isn’t one timeline for everyone; change is personal and on one’s own time.

Make them hear you - Ragtime

Another historical work, Ragtime, rings even truer now than it did even just a decade ago, and in telling people to fight oppression, similarly to Suffs, it shows that America runs on dreams and passion, and there is nothing more important than fighting for your values and putting love and goodness above what is bad about the world. Coming of age and growing into yourself also comes with finding your own values and truths and deciding what matters to you and how you should vocalize that. This show demonstrates that there is both so much vulnerability and so much power in saying what others are afraid to, demonstrating how even in tragedy, there can still be hope for a better future, even if it sometimes seems that that hope is dwindling. Going into the world, it is always essential to keep hopeful for the impact you may be able to make with your words and knowledge.

Family is everything - The Lost Boys

Finally, this season’s hit musical The Lost Boys reminds us that family, both immediate and found family, will always be there to support each other. It is easy to feel lonely as a college student or get homesick, missing those who love and support us. However, one of the things that keeps me feeling grounded and connected is my family, and calling them. Although there is so much change in growing up and getting a college education, not everything has to change, and that includes our relationships with those close to us, which this show emphasizes and allows us to consider.

There is so much that we can gain from works of art that others have poured their hearts and souls into, and drawing inspiration from this work can help, especially in stressful times and uncertain ones, like college, when it can be easy to become overwhelmed and lose sight of what is truly important. Theatre speaks to people like me by allowing us to see ourselves in the work, and all of these pieces are perfect examples of how theatre’s true meaning comes from connecting with people and making them feel understood.

Student Blog: Theater: My Outlet, My Refuge, My Joy

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:14:36 PST

When I initially started writing for BroadwayWorld in February, I was concerned that I would not have enough to say.

I go to a university that doesn’t offer a BFA program or even a musical theater major. I only perform in a few productions during the academic year. Before I even started writing, I fell victim to comparison, assuming that I was not worthy of the writing position I had been given.

Writing about theater over these past few months has made me realize just how much the arts influence every aspect of my life.

This past fall at Villanova I got to sing with
Mandy Gonzalez and Christopher
Jackson

When I sat down to write my first article, I spent days editing it and cutting out entire sections in hopes of proving my worth. I nearly had to hold my breath when hitting submit for the first time because I was afraid that someone would see through the cracks and realize that I was not “theatrical” enough to be writing for BroadwayWorld. I wrote about what I knew: my experience doing theater in college. It was simple, but it was the truth: my college theater program isn’t very fancy, but it offers many incredible opportunities. Through this article I slowly began finding my footing as a BroadwayWorld writer, and with each article the task at hand felt less daunting.

Even when I’m not physically in a production, my passion for performance drives me in everything I do. My theatrical background has taught me to use my voice to represent myself and my beliefs, and it has given me the confidence to take risks that have led to outlets I never could have dreamed of.

Theater is my joy and it is what makes me who I am. Getting the opportunity to take time aside each month to write about the thing that makes me happiest has been a blessing. The past few months have had hurdles that at times felt insurmountable, and often writing about theater felt like a refuge.

One of the most fascinating parts about this experience has been the fact that admittedly, I have no clue if people are actually reading these articles. Yet, when sitting down to write I think about the younger version of myself scouring the BroadwayWorld website grasping onto any knowledge I could find about the theater industry. I think of senior year me, preparing to give up her greatest passion believing that it had to end once I took my final bow on my high school stage. If only I could go back and tell that girl how theater would continue to change her life.

My final high school bow in Hello, Dolly!

There is a theatrical world that lies beyond the stage, and it is constantly revealing itself to me in new ways. Taking the time to write about theater has forced me to pause and reflect on the different paths that it has led me down whether it be as an actress or as a publicity director, content creator, social media manager, and much more. High school tends to only show you the world of performance from one side, but the opportunities that lie within the industry are vast and ever-changing.

Getting to write about the thing I love most and bring awareness to outlets that many people may not think about has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career so far. If I can provide reassurance or inspiration to even one reader, then I consider my time well spent.

So, if you, reader, have made it this far, I will leave you with this: Never let anyone place limitations on your dreams. This world, with a particular focus on the theater industry, is never stagnant, and there is room for you to design a route for yourself that has not yet been seen and that will change the game forever. Don’t be afraid to take it.

And thank you for taking a bit of time to allow me to try and transfer my passion through the screen to you. I hope I made your days a little brighter.

The moment that started it all and the reason I continue to chase my dreams

Student Blog: Do I Have to Market Myself on Social Media?

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:15:00 PST

Let’s talk about your social media comfort zone. These days, it seems like everyone is getting hired based on their social media presence. Recently, I’ve felt trapped in a spiral of self-marketing. I am constantly being pushed various self-tapes, showcase videos, and practice room performances. Everyone I know is suddenly posting a video once a week showcasing their talent, catering themselves towards the current Broadway or National Tour season. It starts to make me feel extremely behind. It also doesn’t help that I attend a small theater program where comparison permeates every corner of every hall. When I do post a video of me singing or performing, which is rare, it is always on my stories, and involves me re-watching myself over fifty times, critiquing every little note I sang. I critique it so much to the point that I don’t even want to post it anymore, and then we are back to square one.

Thus, this year, my New Year's resolution was to post more of myself on social media, and really push myself out of my comfort zone. I hated it at first, and honestly, I still hate putting myself out there in this way. What are people saying? Do they think I’m talented enough? Are they sending this to people and making fun of me? What is everyone thinking? The truth is, no one is thinking anything. They’re watching it for five seconds and moving on. Whenever I see a video of a friend or stranger performing, I’m always amazed. One, enamored by their talent, and two, proud of the act of posting in the first place. I can only assume that those who view or follow will extend the same kindness towards me.

As I begin to post more, I feel a sort of freedom that has carried itself into my physical life as well. Since literally putting myself out there, I’ve felt more confident in physical auditions. It takes a lot of guts to post on social media for fear of the hate comments that run rife. But I found that the more I share, the more free I become. It’s the same with my writing. Once I start posting, I realize it really is not as scary as my brain makes it seem, and in fact, I receive kind compliments that fortify my belief in myself. When I rewatch these videos of myself after stepping away from them for a few months, I’m extraordinarily proud.

The truth is, our industry is changing. The way we get hired is changing. Though not essential to a successful career, having an online community that roots for your success gets you into rooms that would have been more difficult to break into if not for your following. All I ask is that we reframe this, and turn it into a positive experience where we can grow our own self-assurance, and post our work for ourselves first and foremost. This career path is incredibly hard, so we must find our own small wins within its daunting nature.

Student Blog: Be a Sponge!

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:15:46 PST

“That’s perfect for my next blog!” I say around five times a day. After seven months of churning out blogs for BroadwayWorld, I have learned one thing: Be a sponge.

I am constantly inspired by the world around me. My creativity as a performer is shaped by the media I consume, other articles I read, and the people who I talk to. No matter where I am at or who I am with, I always seem to connect the world around me to my training, which sparks ideas for BroadwayWorld blogs. Writing these blogs has helped me realize that my education lies not only in the classroom, but in everything I do and everywhere I go outside of my school’s bubble.

Whenever I feel stuck, brainstorming topics and headlines, I just think to myself, “What has been on my mind recently from this month of living in the BFA environment?” I get surprised how easily ideas then flow to me. I just need to pick something that randomly sparked my interest and run with it.

“Fake it ‘Till You Make It,” was my February blog about motivational mantras. The idea started with notes I heard professors giving to my classmates. Although these notes weren’t specifically for me, I made sure to remember them because they might come in handy. Whenever I feel stuck in my acting, I reference these notes, and they refresh my performance. For example, “Stay in the work,” was a simple note that was given to another classmate. It resonated with me so much that I ended up writing about it in my February blog!

“Why Are We Afraid to be Cringe,” was my December blog about going outside or my comfort zone in performance. The idea started because I was thinking about the saying, “to be cringe is to be free,” as I was working on my fall semester recital song. I started to think about campy musicals I have watched recently and how they are often deemed as “cringe.” Then, I thought about how “Camp” was a theme for the Met Gala in 2019. I came to the conclusion that, as an actor, if you are afraid to cringe at yourself or your performance, then something will always be holding you back. I decided that these thoughts I was having might do well in a Broadwayworld student blog, giving insight into what goes through my mind when preparing for an end-of-semester performance.

“With Sprinkles on Top,” was my other December blog. This one was about pre-show rituals. Many of the rituals I wrote about are actually routines that, having been a sponge to my environment, I picked up from other people. For example, I wrote about how I use a tracking sheet to go over my cues the night before a show. I learned this organization tool while rehearsing a show at school. I overheard my director asking the stage management crew about their tracking sheets, and I realized that tracking sheet might help me as an actor. Now, I can't live without it! Additionally, I learned my thank you cards ritual from writing end of semester thank you cards. I thought, “I make these for every end of a semester, so why not make these for every end of a show?”

The most organic idea I had for this blog was comparing ice cream to pre-show rituals. The title, “With Sprinkles on Top,” stemmed from me eating vanilla ice cream with rainbow sprinkles while finishing up the blog. Enjoying my delicious treat, I was still stumped on finding a name for the blog. I glanced down at my ice cream, saw the rainbow sprinkles, and I knew exactly what the name was going to be!

From overhearing notes to glancing down at my ice cream, I was surprised how picking up on random observations from my environment inspired so many blog ideas! The best thing an artist can do is soak up their environment!

Student Blog: Seeing Theatre Through a New Lens

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:48:51 PST

Writing is so much more than expressing ideas on a page, and if done with sincerity, it can take a surprisingly long time–that may be my biggest takeaway from my first attempt at blogging.

As I began the semester and saw BroadwayWorld’s call for student bloggers, I welcomed an opportunity to hopefully improve my writing skills. I did not, however, appreciate what a challenge it would be to routinely create content worthy of publication. I also did not anticipate just how many different directions a blog could start to take. The thoughts in my head are not just a road with many forks, they are more like a DFW highway interchange system.

Balancing a blog with a double major and a school production was definitely more difficult than I had thought it would be. Procrastination stinks, but I already knew that.

Other than the amount of creative labor that goes into writing, my other takeaway from blogging has been just how much there is to think about it when it comes to theater. Often, impact comes in small moments–a lighting cue, a projection, the repetition of a musical motif, or the reaction from an ensemble member in the back corner. The barely perceptible quirks of a character, such as those I saw Andrew Barth Feldman give to Evan Hansen, can be more revealing than dialogue. A simple set of stairs, such as the stairs to nowhere from The Hills of California, can be more memorable than the glitziest, high-tech sets. A single lyric–such as “I’m a great American bitch” from Suffs, can speak volumes about patriarchy.

Writing regularly about theater has taught me that there is so much more energy and attention I can devote to character analysis when I play a role or even when I audition. One of the songs I added to my book this year, “No Man Left for Me” from The Will Rogers Follies, explores a woman’s frustration at her absent husband. It is soulful and bluesy. She is angry and fed up with his lack of attention. At first read, I considered her to be just an angry, wronged wife. But as I explored the song, I began to wonder: why, in this particular moment, has this woman decided that enough is enough? She has probably felt rejected by this man many times before. What happened on this day to make her want to change her life?

This is the level of character analysis that I hope to bring to the next two years of study and to whatever follows.

Writing regularly about theatre has opened my eyes to just how much attention to detail goes into creating a production and how every artistic choice, no matter how small, contributes to the storytelling. Writing regularly about theater has taught me that everyone has a reason for everything they do in life, even if it is trapped in a person’s subconscious. I cannot be a good performer if I am not striving constantly to figure out what is driving my character.

Student Blog: A Streetcar Named Finals- The Last Week of the Semester

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:48:15 PST

Being a theater lighting student is hard to explain to family and friends who haven’t gone through the same version of finals as you have. No grandma, I don’t have a math test. Yes, I have load-in from 9am-6pm. The hours are weird, the assignments are different from a non-theater major, and I don’t exactly have “tests” like everyone else. Instead, I was loading in our Light Lab Final, working on my Vectorworks homework, or battling with my scenic final, obsessing over the scale and depth of it.

My point is, college theater isn’t always the most understandable to everyone I know. It’s sometimes even hard for me to get my family to understand I’m not an actor. But oddly enough, finals week made me realize something really important.

Was I stressed? Absolutely. But it wasn’t the same kind of stress I used to associate with finals—quiet rooms, sharpened pencils, and multiple-choice questions that somehow always had two “correct” answers depending on how the professor was feeling that day.

Theater finals are louder. They move. They take up space. Instead of sitting in an exam hall, I was climbing ladders, checking cable runs, and trying to figure out where channel 301 was since it was just floating on my channel hookup. There’s a very specific kind of panic that comes from loading weight, reaching across the air holding what seems like the 8-millionth brick with everyone waiting for you to finish.

And yet, somewhere in the chaos, there’s a strange kind of clarity.

Theater finals are a lot more human than anything else I’ve experienced academically. Live feedback during presentations, open criticism in front of my peers, watching my work be critiqued by industry professionals, it all seemed worse than a pencil and paper final at first. But as I moved through it, it became a lot more of a conversation than a grade to me. Sure, I was still getting a grade, but it felt more like an open discussion than a number to me. In a strange way, it felt like Blanche’s line in A Streetcar Named Desire: “I don’t tell the truth, I tell what ought to be truth.” In lighting, that doesn’t feel dishonest—it feels familiar. You’re constantly shaping how something is seen, deciding what the audience is meant to feel rather than just what is technically there. I decided to lean on this during my finals.

Unlike a traditional exam, there isn’t always a clean end where you close a booklet and walk out feeling either victorious or defeated. Sometimes your final is still debating over cues with your group, or it’s stepping back five feet from an art piece and realizing the thing you spent days perfecting looks completely different than what I wanted. The most useful thing for me that came from it was trusting my work enough to let other people see it without hovering over it like a nervous ghost.

Between presentations, zoom meetings, papers, and my end portfolio review, it felt like the week would never end. Eventually, I leaned onto my humanity. In a world defined by AI, I decided to give myself some grace in the midst of everything. Was the work I produced perfect? Not even close. But when I started to focus on my work as progress versus a final product, it became a lot more natural to me. I just let my work be what felt right in the moment, rather than obsess over technical accuracy.

And then, suddenly, it was over.

One minute you’re debating over cue times and color palettes, and the next you’re striking the space, pulling tape off the floor, and watching the theater go back to being just a room again. That might be the strangest part of all: how quickly something so intense becomes memory.

I came into the week thinking of finals as something to survive. Something to endure until I could finally exhale. But by the end, I realized it was also something I was building—literally and creatively. Not just a grade, not just a checklist, but a small world made of light and timing and collaboration.

And as for explaining theater finals to my boomer family members? Still working on that. At least now, I can show them my transcript to show them my degree is not acting.

So maybe “A Streetcar Named Finals” isn’t really about being carried helplessly toward the end of the semester. Maybe it’s about realizing you’re part of the machinery moving it forward—cue by cue, moment by moment—whether you feel ready or not.

Student Blog: Switching Majors, Transferring, and Growing Up! Oh My!

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:47:20 PST

From 2025-2026, I was a BFA Musical Theatre major at a college. My whole life that is what I thought I wanted. I started performing at 11-years-old and said I was going to do it for the rest of my life. I wasn’t necessarily wrong, I am just pivoting slightly. This year I am transferring to a conservatory and switching my major to a BFA in Stage and Screen Acting.

I learned a lot about myself this year. I learned that I am more independent than I thought, I can make friends anywhere I go, even in tough times I can figure things out, and I learned that maybe a BFA in Musical Theatre wasn’t what I wanted after all.

It’s a really scary thing to figure out that the major you are in isn’t for you… especially when it’s what you thought you wanted for the majority of your life … like, nightmare level stuff.

At the beginning of this year, I wasn’t in a show and during that time I spent a lot of time thinking. It used to scare me to have time to think (especially as someone with obsessive compulsive disorder… thinking isn’t always my friend!), but this was good for me. In fact, it was necessary. If you never allow yourself to think, you never allow yourself to challenge your thoughts or to change. And that is exactly what this time allowed. It allowed me to re-evaluate my goals and ambitions and decide if what I was doing was going to bring me where I wanted to go and I figured out - no, it wasn’t. Not in the way I had originally hoped.

Lots of tears were shed in the making of this decision. It sounds so silly, but it really felt like I was letting my younger self down.

I do still plan on doing musical theatre - trust me, this is not goodbye. I had just realized though, that an acting major at a new school was the right decision for me at this point in my life.

I wanted to share this to let you know that it’s okay to change your mind. It’s okay to realize what you thought you wanted isn’t what you actually wanted after all. It’s okay to shift, it’s okay to expand, it’s okay to grow up.

I think where a lot of my anxiety was coming from was the sheer idea that I was growing up. Growing up means my mind will change one hundred times over and I have to be okay with that. What had fit my lifestyle at 11-years-old does not necessarily fit my 19-year-old lifestyle and that’s OKAY! It’s to be expected. You are supposed to evolve and change and figure out new parts of yourself. That’s what makes growing up so exciting. It’s a real-life “choose-your-own-adventure” book, and the fact is - sometimes you make a choice and realize it isn’t the right one for you - so you go back a couple of pages and try a new chapter. That’s the beauty of being human - you are allowed to do that.

So, yes, I am switching my major and transferring. Yes, my dreams have altered slightly. And YES, I am scared out of my mind. BUT, we learn and adapt and I am so ecstatic to start my new chapter!

Student Blog: Acting Is...

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:49:14 PST

I have been writing student blogs for BroadwayWorld for 6 months now. This really amazes me as it feels like I have just started. I feel very blessed to have been able to write for a website I love and respect so much talking about the thing I love most in the world, performing.

In the 6 months I have been writing I have learned a lot - more than I even imagined. My biggest takeaway from this experience thus far is that everyone has such a beautifully unique view of acting. I don’t think I truly realized how many specific ideas or opinions I had on acting until I was given the platform to write about them. Reflecting on this made me really curious about what other people view acting as. Each person has a different experience - no one has played the same roles, or studied the same way. I reflected on the prompt, “What does acting mean to you?” and here is what I came up with:

Acting to me is connection. As an actor, you must find empathy for every character you portray, or else you cannot represent them with honesty. This empathy creates a deeper understanding of people that I feel is unique to actors. It’s the comprehension that every person is different and flawed in a way that is exclusively human. I view the world very differently as an actor than I ever did before becoming one. It’s like a superpower. I can see things in the minute details of humanity that most glaze over. My hope is that people feel seen in my artistry. Acting is not only my escape from the world, but my contribution to it.

I asked other actors to ponder the same question, “What does acting mean to you?”

“To me, acting is personal self-expression in its truest form. In my life, acting takes on the role of an outlet that allows me absolute and undiluted freedom in a world of ruthless structure” - Sophie Andersen (she/her) a Psychology major and a Theater and Drama minor at UW Madison

“To me acting has meant a lot, especially in the way I’m allowed to take up space. Acting demands the actor to be seen and heard. There’s no hiding on a stage. Every role big or small is another opportunity for me to be a little more open with myself and see how far I can go” - Honora Hubert (he/him) studying at Madison College

“Acting boiled down to its truest form is honesty. In order to act, you must be honest with yourself, and you must be honest with the audience. You must find the truth within yourself and the world around you and translate that into the character. The beauty of acting is that this honesty creates a trust between both you and the audience as well as you and your character! This trust allows true art form!” Haven Lane (she/her) a BFA Musical Theatre major at Missouri State University

“Acting for me is being able to explore the magic of being a character that I can either relate to, or have nothing in common with at all. I enjoy taking up the task of figuring out this character and creating the small details that nobody else but I would know about my given character. I’ve always said I have the opposite of stage fright; being myself on stage and talking in front of people is way harder and scarier than being another character. Although I still struggle with that, acting for me has also helped battle extreme anxieties in social situations, and sometimes in real life you just have to hone those characters to get through the day.” - Bonnie Jean Sanchez (she/they/he) a BM Musical Theatre major at Texas Woman’s University

“Acting is a form of self-expression like no other. It allows a person to step outside of their own life and into another’s to portray an experience completely different from their own. For me, acting has played a huge role in my growth as a person. It has allowed me to experience the lives of others and form emotional connections to people that are entirely different from my own life” Ella Hale, a Nursing major with a Theater minor at Carthage College

“Acting is the opportunity to share stories. We share these stories in order to teach people, create characters people connect to, and to provide an escape from reality. I believe that if I am able to achieve any of these things in a performance, I have succeeded” - Kaia Mavradas, a BFA Musical Theatre major and Dance minor at Northern Michigan University.

“Acting is what makes others feel less alone in their humanity. It is a reminder that we are all living this life together, and no battle we encounter is one we have to fight alone. Acting tells the stories that often go unnoticed and acknowledges the things about ourselves we fear the most. It is what drives us to create, learn, be empathetic, foster understanding, and unite as one imperfect, yet beautiful world.” - Ella Stoll, a BFA Musical Theatre major at Ohio Northern University

Acting has the power to mean so much to so many different people. I am so thankful to this artform for everything it has taught me about myself and the world. It empowers me to be the best version of myself in every sense. It is an art form that brings humans out of their comfort zone and changes how they see the world. It is one of the most complex experiences you can have and yet, so many people call it home.

Acting is emotion. Acting is truth. Acting is humanity. Acting is freedom. Acting is opportunity. Acting is an escape. Acting is… whatever you make it - and that’s the beauty of it.

Whether it is someone's livlihood, or a hobby, I hope that everyone finds tranquility in something they love. Everyone deserves that experience.

(Photo Credit: Aaliyah Housley)

Student Blog: Self-Discovery Through Writing: What I've learned as a Student Blogger this semester

Tue, 26 May 2026 15:30:06 PST

If someone had told me on January 1st of this year that I would be a student blogger for BroadwayWorld, I would not have believed them. In my mind, I never thought of myself as a writer. And during that point in time, I was still a Flute Performance major at my college and feeling incredibly discouraged and unaligned with my career trajectory.

So at the halfway point of 2026, reflecting on the fact that I had both the courage to switch my career path to be more theater-oriented and the ability to share my stories about it makes me feel incredibly grateful for everything life has given me so far. Through this uncertain and daunting journey of navigating a new career path and discovering myself in the process, writing for BroadwayWorld this semester has surprised me with so many lessons about myself and my values.

Self-Awareness

When deciding what I wanted to write about this semester, I was able to notice that I was more motivated to write about certain topics than others. I never realized how passionate I am about advocating for mental health and well-being until I started writing my feelings into words. I always knew it was something I could talk about, but seeing that passion get documented and published somewhere made me very excited. I’ve realized that even outside of my writing, I would love to start creating more content online and sharing more about that side of the industry because I believe it is important for everyone to address in the process of finding their potential.

Solidifying My Passions

With that, just seeing my passion shine so much in what I wanted to share was highly encouraging for me. I like to think that I know what having a passion feels like, because I’ve experienced the feeling of being both aligned and unaligned in how I spend my time and resources. I’ve experienced both passion and burnout intensely, and know how that feels for me.

Keeping that in mind, writing for BroadwayWorld this semester has given me the chance to see my passion shine so deeply. As someone who just made a big decision to change my career focus, knowing how much love I have for theater and how deeply I love speaking about it has solidified that decision. And through all of the doubt and uncertainty that came with all of this, seeing this side of me has reminded me this semester that I need to keep going and that I’m on the right path.

My Value of Storytelling

My whole life, whenever I was asked about my “why”, I didn’t have much of an answer. I knew I loved what I did and was excited by the feeling of it, but I couldn’t pinpoint the reason for that. Through writing for BroadwayWorld, I discovered that a big value of mine is storytelling. I realized that when I feel that I’m making a positive impact to someone through the stories I share, that fires my spark more than anything.

Writing this semester definitely helped me discover that. One highlight of my semester came from publishing my article about my journey to changing my career path to musical theater. When I wrote that article, I had people telling me that they felt inspired and reflective through reading it, and that feeling of knowing that I am capable of making a positive impact on someone’s life was something I hope to have forever.

In general, I want to become the voice I needed growing up. Someone to inspire others to trust the most authentic version of themselves and their abilities. And whether that is done through performing, writing, sharing content, or just having conversations with people, that’s my why. To be a light in the industry. To tell meaningful stories. To inspire people to find and trust their voice.

Last Remarks

To end this article, my last article for the Spring season with BroadwayWorld, there are so many people I want to thank. I want to thank everyone at BroadwayWorld for giving me the chance to share my voice with the world through my journey.

I also want to thank everyone who has led me to this point in my life and brought me to this version of myself, including all of my professors, mentors, peers, castmates, family, and friends.

And, of course, I want to thank you, the reader. Thank you for being here and for letting me share my stories with you. I hope that the things I have written have given you at least a little bit of inspiration and insight. My DMs are always open on Instagram (@angelinakardos) if you need anything at all from me. You are amazing and more than capable of anything you have the passion to pursue.

I hope you’ve had as much fun reading my BroadwayWorld articles as I’ve had in writing them. Thank you for a great spring semester!

Student Blog: Turning Doom Into Determination!

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:16:32 PST

I am so lucky to be studying theatre. I am truly so thankful that I receive the support needed to pursue a career in this field. Being surrounded by amazing artists in my classes is such an honor, and I am so grateful to be able to interact with others aspiring to work in theatre.

However, it can sometimes feel like an enormous risk to pursue an eduction and career in the arts, specifically theatre. I know that many of my peers can relate to experiences like receiving incredulous looks and comments from friends and family when we tell them about our passions. With the endless messaging about how risky the theatrical world is, many are shocked that we would subjugate ourselves to such hardship.

And its true: The theatre industry is an incredibly difficult space, and it doesn’t seem to be becoming easier to navigate. With shows closing left and right, ticket prices increasing, and other signs of hardship, it is difficult to deny that it is a hard time for the arts.

I find myself occasionally afeared for my future in this industry. Will there be a place for me when I venture out beyond my studies? How will the industry change in the future? Is theatre as we know it sustainable? Especially with the current accessibility to social media, it is difficult to keep these doubts and fears from creeping into my mind.

However, I wanted to write this article to propose to myself and others that there may be a much more positive way to look on current trends in the theatre industry. One that directly involves all of us up-and-coming artists. Perhaps, instead of lamenting the “death” and “decline” of this industry (words so frequently used when discussing its current struggles), we should see this time as an opportunity to change it for the better. A time to bring our new, revolutionary ideas to a space that is in need of some changes. A personal value I hold strongly is that, if the old way doesn’t work, despite tradition, changes should be made. Let us view this time of so many unknowns and fear into a time of motivation and inspiration to revitalize an industry we all believe in and hold dear.

In this time of increasing technology, specifically AI, there are many fears on how these devices will effect our lives. More than ever, it is imperative that mediums that emphasize human connection are protected and supported. Now is not the time to give up on the theatrical world; abandoning it due to too much risk and too little financial return. By bringing our sensibilities as students and individuals who have grown up surrounded by these technologies, we are uniquely and readily equipped to meet these challenges. We are also a generation filled with innovators and true creatives. Unafraid to take a risk, we will redefine success in the world of theatre and bring to life some incredible art.

With these important things in mind, I ask the readers and myself to believe in our collective ability to help and support each other in the world of theatre. Before we give in to those who doubt us, and believe our paths will lead to many heartbreaks, I hope that we can all disregard these negative premonitions and realize our collective ability to help and recreate this industry so it will continue on, in the immediate future and far beyond.

Student Blog: Not Every Role Happens Onstage

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:44:47 PST

Writing about my experiences studying theatre in college and everything that I have learned along the way is something I never envisioned myself doing. This last semester, I took an Introduction to Dramatic Writing class. During the first month of this class, I struggled a lot. I did not understand the concepts in class and would get deducted points for not following the instructions when I thought I had. I did not envision myself as a writer because of how much I was struggling in this class. After a few assignments came back with less than stellar marks, I decided to reach out to the professor. I explained how much I wanted to improve my writing as I really wanted to share my experiences through writing. I had great ideas for stories but I was struggling to comprehend the formatting and structure of dramatic writing. My professor met with me a few times to help clarify the instructions and she let me revise my previous work. I met with her at least once a week and my writing began to improve. It became a lot easier to write out my ideas and thoughts on paper.

The biggest thing I have learned from writing about theatre for Broadway World is that it can be hard to see how theatre fits into the bigger picture of my life (and the lives of everyone who loves it) when I am focused on studying for one class, or locked in to rehearsals for one show. Writing about these experiences, helped me pull out lessons from these experiences and really develop a more solid mission for my theatre journey as I started to see theatre as my teacher for life, not just a career path. For example, in my last blog, I had talked about my experience at a recent audition for a musical. I was excited to be cast in the show. I had attended the initial rehearsals, and started reviewing the script. A few weeks into rehearsals, my director announced that they had to change the rehearsal schedule from the weekends to weekday evenings. This conflicted with my work schedule as I was hired as a New Student Orientation Leader for Texas State University. I talked to both my supervisor and my director but even with a modified schedule, I would be mising over 80% of the rehearsals. Although it was a very difficult decision, I ultimately decided that my work came first and I had to tell my director that I was no longer available to do the show. This was hard for me to accept as I was excited to see my friends from the previous summer again and my Best Friend was cast as the lead in the show. They were very understanding about why I had to leave the show, and I am definitely going to see the show to support all of my friends. Initially, I thought that giving up a show that could potentatially go on my resume over a job was the wrong choice. I worried that it would hurt my reputation with the director, show designers, and fellow actors who I would want to work with again one day. After going through training this week for my job, I realized that this is going to benefit me more than I evere thought it would. I will learn about connecting with others, leading a student group full of incoming freshman, and develop my leadership skills. These are all things that will help me grow as a person but also are vital to a successful career in theatre.

After writing about my disappoint of having to leave the show, I realized I was not just writing about how it can be hard to have to turn down a performance opportunity. I was writing about a balance I would have to make throughout my entire life. As a performer, there will be lots of opportunities to perform but not all of these opportunities will be advantageous to my journey. It is also a balance for every theatre professional to balance our love of our chosen career path, and making our financial ends meet. This was my first lesson in having to make this really difficult choice to turn down a show due to a job obligations, but it will not be my last. Luckily for me, the money I earn this summer will still be dedicated to studying theatre. I decided to use the money to study abroad in London and Stratford upon Avon to take my Shakespeare requirements next summer!

When I initially started as a student blogger, I thought it would be fun to share my passion for theater with others, and write about some of the fun things I was learning and doing. I did not realize how many lessons I would learn about life as I wrote about my theatre experiences. As I go into the summer working as a New Student Orientation Leader, I am still sad that I had to back out of the summer musical, but I want to use what I’ve learned about writing and my exepreinces this year to always remember to look for life lessons and opportunities for growth, even in the least likely of places. My heart is always in the theatre, so I can not have a theatre-free summer. In addition to working as an NSO Leader, I started a certificate program at Julliard in Vocal Performance. There are always ways to live out our passions, even if the most obvious door closes. Look for a window, because you never know where it might lead. I am excited for what this summer and the rest of 2026 has in store for me.

Student Blog: My Experiences Writing with BroadwayWorld

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:16:53 PST

I have been writing as a student blogger for BroadwayWorld since October of 2025 and have enjoyed doing it so much! When I first applied for it, I just thought that it would be a fun way to get my thoughts and whatnot about theatre out to the world. However, over time I soon realized that it would be more than that. It would be a way for me to connect with other students in the industry and hear what they have to say about being an artist in the world we are in.

The first thing that mainly surprised me was the amount of different thoughts and ideas that our generation had about theatre. All of the student bloggers have such great articles and I love reading them and hearing what they have to say about theatre. I’ve also had the chance to connect with some of them and get to talk more about theatre, which I have thoroughly enjoyed! It’s a similar thing with my podcast, Behind the Curtain. Over the course of the three years that I have done my podcast, I have connected with so many incredible and talented performers, technicians, and musicians that I never thought I would be able to connect with. I think it’s a really cool thing when two artists who are in different parts of the country (or even world) get to connect via a video chat and just get to talk and discuss the industry. As Alex Benoit (The Notebook) said in our interview, “It’s really cool how we’re able to connect and talk about what we love over a video call when we’re in different parts of the country.”

Speaking of my podcast, I think another thing that surprised me happens when I get to write articles on performers that I already interviewed and get to go more in depth than I did previously for an article. On my podcast, I only get 15-20 minutes with an artist normally and so it really surprised me how many performers are willing to talk with me again for BroadwayWorld. This has really shown me how truly kind everyone is in the industry.,

As I graduate from high school in a few days, and head to Ball State University in the fall to study stage management, I cannot wait to continue to write and share my thoughts and experiences for BroadwayWorld. Throughout summer, I have a lot of fun theatre experiences planned that I can’t wait to write about!

Student Blog: How Lessons From My First Year As A Musical Theatre Student Helped Me Land My First Paid Gig

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:41:47 PST

This week, I hit two important milestones: I finished my first year of college at Marymount Manhattan College, and I booked my first adult professional musical theatre job. This summer, I will be in the adult ensemble of 5Star Theatrical’s production of The Wizard of Oz. As I have been reflecting on this past year and reeling about my exciting summer plans, I have realized just how much my first year of musical theatre training has prepared me for this job.

During my freshman year, I got the opportunity to hone in on my dance skills - a part of my craft that I had not had consistent training in previously. Every day of every week for 8 months, I woke up at 7 am and trained in ballet, tap, and jazz - I never missed a class. My dance teacher, Tera-Lee Pollin’s fast speed of teaching choreography, while sometimes frustrating in the moment, taught me how to pick up choreography in a short amount of time. So when it came time for actual auditions, I was now prepared to focus on my character and presence in the dance call, rather than making sure I knew what steps happened when. It wasn’t until my dance callback for The Wizard of Oz that I realized just how proficient I had gotten at picking up choreography.

The same goes for my vocals. While I have always had pretty consistent vocal training, no teacher has given me more confidence or freedom to bring myself to my performance like my Marymount Manhattan College voice teacher, Rachel Zatcoff. Coming into the vocal auditions, I finally felt the freedom to bring my own personal quirks and individuality to my performance - something that I had not felt prior to this school year.

But other than performing techniques, my first year of BFA Musical Theatre training and my professors gave me so many audition techniques that made the whole experience so much more satisfying. Guest speaker, Lindsay Mendez’s perspective on making sure you get to know the people who are auditioning you and striking up a fun conversation really helped calm my nerves. Tera-Lee’s tip of putting on headphones and listening to your favorite songs while taking time in a corner to focus and stretch was such an aid in feeling grounded in the audition room. My acting teacher Jesmille Darbouze Smith’s constant preaching of making sure you know your character’s point of view ensured that I gave a unique and personal performance.

This time last year, I was anxious and excited to see what life as a BFA Musical Theatre student would bring me. I got what MMC promised and more. I could not be more grateful for what this year has given me and it has been such an honor to learn from my kind and talented teachers. I can't wait for the next three years to learn more and absorb all of their incredible wisdom. As I take the stage this summer, I will continue to rely on the lessons that they taught me.

Student Blog: Movie Musicals as the Star of the Theatre Community: The Obligations for Stage-to-Screen Adaptations

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:26:55 PST

As most BroadwayWorld readers are surely aware, movie musicals far too frequently seem to miss the mark when attempting to capture live theatre’s charm. This prevalent discrepancy when comparing a work across the two artistic mediums is largely due to the fact that live theatre is so special for a multitude of reasons, meaning that there is no replicable quality that will single-handedly initiate a smooth translation. Despite the difficulty of adapting, theatre’s magnetism can be closely curated through aiming to satisfy the theatre community in filmmaking. Without doing so, a stage-to-screen adaptation can be released that is totally misrepresentative of musical theatre altogether. Even so, the fatal flaw of theatre-lovers is our relentless loyalty to the art, meaning that we can be consistently expected to buy tickets to any movie musical. This essentially frees filmmakers with a capitalistic focus from concerning themselves with the extensive desires of the theatre community, who instead, choose to target less-reliable audiences in hopes of securing the largest box office gain possible. Not only do these films tend to appear mediocre to theatre-fans, but, they generally fail to dazzle ordinary groups of ticketholders; further cultivating the narrative that musical theatre “just sucks.”

This is not to say that we have not been blessed in the adaptation department (see: Wicked, Wicked: For Good, and tick, tick…BOOM!), but rough adaptations have obviously contaminated the genre to the point where I feel that they are worth speaking out against. Although I previously stated that it was impossible to pinpoint an attribute of live theatre that must be copied by filmmakers, I hope that this article can serve as a guide towards broad consenuses of the theatre community. Here are some aspects that me, and many other theatre-lovers, would love to see incorporated into the next wave of movie musicals:

Preservation of Theatrical Integrity

Many significantly underwhelming movie musicals that have been presented to audiences can attribute their regrettable status to the negligence of theatrical principles in movie-making. The line between what is only appropriate for stage versus screen is difficult to draw, and is largely dependent on circumstance. However, some key features that can help in preserving the theatrical integrity of many works are as follows:

Casting qualified theatre actors
Maintenance of dance and ensembles
Careful reworking of the score and book (incorporating all essential songs to drive the plot forward)
Striving to achieve a theatrical lense

Risk-Taking

Many of our beloved Broadway musicals made their way into the spotlight for being uniquely groundbreaking. Musical theatre is so much more than entertainment and, oftentimes, lauded shows in this category make bold statements that hold a mirror up to controversial social realities in a non-threatening way. Even though movie musicals are expected to be the "film version" of a particular stage production, this doesn’t exempt them from being special in their own right. Contexts around the debuts of a show versus its corresponding film are likely to be wildly different; it is the job of filmmakers to flaunt the source material’s modern-day (aka: why we need this movie now). Risk-taking is integral to any great movie musical, as it allows for a film to be much more resonant with audiences.

This article in no way is intended to stir up hatred for movie musicals that have proved to be disappointing, because just like on Broadway, no production is pleasing to all. I am simply hoping to call attention to this issue in a respectful manner in order to create positive change. The aforementioned asks have been assembled out of love for musical theatre and my wish to extend this love to a wider audience. Movie musicals are a wonderful opportunity for musical theatre to be accessable to more viewers. Musical theatre has the power to change hearts and minds; it would be incredible for all movie musicals to make use of this power to the best of their ability and change the world for the best.

Student Blog: Everything's Coming Up Theatre

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:41:08 PST

As the semester comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on how much I have evolved as a person in the past year. I went from a Human Physiology student in Boston to a Public Relations and Advertising student in Los Angeles.

Quite the jump.

While these two lives seem completely opposite from one another, I feel as though I have remained the same person and changed immensely at the same time. The main differentiator between my 2025 and 2026 self is how much I am willing to put myself and my voice out into the world.

Contributing as a student blogger for BroadwayWorld this semester was the first public display of my writing. While it may not be the most polished or formal writing I have done, pressing the submit button on these blogs has made a world of difference for me.

I have loved to write since first grade when I wrote books about my pet turtle or recess games with my friends. Holding my pencil was like holding the key to a new world. I wrote, wrote, and kept writing.

All of those words, though, stayed trapped inside my endless stack of journals, across all five of my Google accounts, and inside my OneDrive folders. My personal writings never saw the light of day.

When I saw the opportunity to write for BroadwayWorld, I knew that it was one I could not pass up. Theatre has opened so many doors for me both opportunistically and emotionally, so why not share about it?

A year ago, I was nervous about entering my last year as a teenager. I had so many goals that I wanted to accomplish before I left my teenage years behind, yet they all seemed unattainable. There was so much that I wanted to do that I didn’t know where to start. I was stuck in ambition paralysis. I just sort of froze.

I journaled, journaled, and kept journaling until I willed myself to start. All that I promised myself was that I would put myself out there authentically.

Step one of that plan was joining my first theatre group. Through that group, I found myself a group of friends who allow me to grow and make mistakes without feeling like the world is going to end.

Since then, I’ve crossed off many of the goals that felt out of reach a year ago. I performed on a stage not once but twice, I am a part of the executive board for a club, I made new friends, I survived living across the country from my family, and I put my writing out into the world.

Circling back to the theme of this month’s blog: “what has surprised you most about your experience of writing about theatre?”

That is what has surprised me most. Writing these blogs and centering them around theatre has made me realize the extent to which theatre shapes my own life. Not only does it shape the activities I choose to participate in, but it also shapes the way I live.

Even if performing is not something I plan on pursuing professionally, theatre is at the core of who I have become. It equips me with the skills and people that encourage me to stand in the light and see what comes of that. There are not enough words to express how much theatre means to me, and I thank this blog for reminding me of just that.

Student Blog: Ar(t) You More Creative Than You Think?

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:40:49 PST

Bring this article to your boyfriend who says he is “just not an arts person.” Bring it to your roommate who thinks creativity only belongs to painters, actors, and people who carry around sketchbooks for fun. Bring it to the friend who treats the aux like a full time job yet insists he “does not have a creative bone” in his body. Because I think a lot of people misunderstand what creativity actually is.

Somewhere along the way, society branded creativity as a niche personality trait instead of a very normal human instinct. People hear the word “artistic” and immediately picture someone painting in a loft apartment while jazz music plays in the background. Meanwhile, the same people spend two hours rearranging furniture to make their apartment feel more like them, carefully curate vacation photo dumps, and make small choices every day based on how they want life to feel. That is creativity too. I think people assume creativity only counts when it is attached to talent, profession, or performance, when in reality it exists in far more ordinary places than we give it credit for. It shows up in the outfit you carefully choose before a first date because you want to communicate something about yourself before you even speak. It shows up in the way you decorate your apartment, plan a dinner with friends, build a playlist for a drive, tell a story, cook, and find small ways to make everyday life feel less dull. You may not call those things “art,” but they still require creativity.

Were you ever shown that diagram growing up separating people into “left-brained” and “right-brained” categories? One side was logical, analytical, structured, and practical. The other was emotional, artistic, imaginative, and expressive. I think a lot of people picked a side very early and never questioned it again. Once they placed themselves in the “logical” category, they stopped seeing creativity as something connected to them at all. But the divide was never really that simple because real life requires both constantly. Analytical people still rely on interpretation, instinct, presentation, and imagination every single day. Logic may help people arrive at conclusions, but creativity often shapes how those conclusions are communicated, understood, remembered, and applied. Even the most structured industries still depend on originality, perception, design, human behavior, and the ability to think beyond what already exists. Many people dismiss creativity because they mistake it for talent instead of a way of thinking. They imagine creativity as painting, performing, or writing poetry, even though it also exists in the ability to notice patterns, shape experiences, solve problems, or think beyond what already exists. The real difference is not whether someone is creative, but whether they have been taught to recognize creativity in forms that look different from their own.

Humans naturally want expression. We want things to feel meaningful, memorable, or reflective of who we are. That impulse does not suddenly disappear just because someone preferred Excel over acrylic paint. You can see it everywhere once you start paying attention. It is in the mom who somehow turns into a superhero cleaning the entire house before people come over because she wants everyone to enjoy being there. It is in the friend who somehow always picks the right restaurant, the right stop on the drive, or the right place to end the night. It is in the person who needs their mornings to unfold a certain way before the rest of the day begins. It shows up in holiday traditions, dinner parties, gift giving, inside jokes, and the small ways people try to form atmosphere around the people they care about. None of that happens by accident. Those choices come from people naturally responding to emotion, comfort, and connection. Maybe the problem is that people only recognize creativity when it looks traditionally artistic. They recognize it on a stage or in a gallery but overlook the ways it appears throughout everyday life. Some people express it through painting or theatre. Others express it through humor, hospitality, conversation, leadership, design, or the way they affect those around them. Even people who claim they “do not care about art” still spend enormous amounts of time trying to make life feel a certain way. Comfortable, beautiful, alive, connected, or worth remembering. And I think the desire to shape feeling has always been one of the clearest forms of creativity.

Truthfully, I think even people who do not work in creative fields are influenced by creativity far more than they realize. There is a reason certain entrance songs give entire stadiums chills and certain live events stay with people long after they end. None of those reactions happen accidentally. Even advertising depends on understanding how people think, respond, and attach meaning to things. Especially now that so many of us live significant portions of our lives online, social media has become one of the clearest examples of this. Every post involves choices about what to show, what to leave out, what feels funny, what looks good, and how someone wants to come across. Entire careers and industries are built around understanding what people pay attention to and connect with.

I am one of the biggest believers that everyone should have an outlet because modern life has become aggressively optimized. Every hobby now comes with the pressure to monetize it, scale it, post it, improve at it, or somehow transform it into achievement. It feels like people rarely let themselves enjoy things without needing a reason. That is why I think creating for no reason other than enjoyment is necessary. Not everything needs to become your identity, your brand, or your career. People need places to put their curiosity, attention, emotion, and imagination that are separate from work and performance. Having some kind of outlet pulls people out of autopilot and reminds them that they already interact with art every single day, whether they consciously recognize it or not.

No one needs to become a performer or suddenly pick up traditionally “artistic” hobbies in order to benefit from creativity or explore more personal forms of expression. Creativity is woven much more deeply into everyday life than people tend to notice. People respond naturally to atmosphere, perception, storytelling, personality, and experience whether they realize it or not. It shapes the way we communicate, connect, build environments, form memories, and move through the world. It is not limited to performance or artistic talent. A lot of the time, creativity is simply the instinct to make life feel more human. The real difference is not whether someone is creative, but whether they have learned to recognize creativity in their own life.

Student Blog: Growth Through Expression

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:42:24 PST

Since I was very young, theatre has been the thing that I orbit. I have always looked at the world through a theatrical lens, in both the way I view society and my position within the communities I am a part of, as well as in the media that I consume. Being able to take my passion for theatre and put it into writing this semester has been enlightening, and allowed me to use my findings and learnings to be able to create an image of why theatre is so moving and special through what I write, and this experience has not only allowed me to articulate my thoughts, but has also made my love for theatre deeper.

I frequently write things for myself, whether in a journal, my notes app, or even the margins of my school notebooks. I am, at my core, a sentimental being, and writing things down and remembering them is something I have always done. In my experience writing about theatre for BroadwayWorld, the most surprising thing was how differently I write in a more professional blogger sense than I do for myself, and how difficult it was to condense my thoughts into words that would be easily understood by a reader.

This surprised me because I realized how much of my writing style makes sense mostly to me, and how, in order to be able to communicate more effectively with an audience, I need to remove some of the little anecdotes and trademarks that I always add for myself. However surprising this may have been, though, it was definitely quite beneficial as a learner and writer. I found my voice through writing, and as time went on, I became much more comfortable being open about my experiences, not just the good, bright parts. As someone applying to colleges and going through the college process, hoping to stay involved in theatre as I transitioned into college life, I think hearing more honesty about what might be difficult would’ve helped me a lot, so I tried to include that in my writing as well.

Typically, I feel that I am a very emotional writer and put a lot of myself into my work. Through these blogs, I unlocked a much more reflective side that leaned into not just my emotions but also the experiences that stemmed from my sentimental nature and deep connection to art. So much of what I chose to write about came from insecurities or experiences that might've made me reflect, and through these blogs, I could dive deeper into that and understand why I felt that way, as on paper, some of these things were more comprehensible. I went into blogging expecting to use my experience to help others, but I also ended up helping myself this semester, which I didn't expect. Reading what I wrote before publishing it helped me make more sense of why I feel the way I do as a college student, as well as connect to other blogs I read, giving me a sense of connection to other theatre makers around the country, as we all share the same passion, as well as some of the same fears and doubts.

There is something so beautiful about being able to learn about yourself through writing, and learn not just through the topic that you are communicating, but also the art of writing itself. Something that surprised me throughout the process as well was how little this writing felt forced, and how easily it came to me. Sometimes when I sit down and try to write, I am unable to, even if it is something I am passionate about, because I find myself unable to put my rapid thoughts down on the page. However, this is a problem I never had when I sat down to write my blogs, as I was always so quick to get something I really wanted to say out into the world. This experience has pushed me to look at theatre and my love for theatre through different lenses, as well as examine my college experience in a new light.

In writing about my experiences at Fordham in both theatre and academics, I think I have become a stronger artist and developed new ways to express myself, particularly through blogs and writing. I hope these experiences help others decide what they want out of their college experience or make them feel like they aren’t alone.

Student Blog: Opening the Dance Floor to the Most Joyful of Dancers

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:39:40 PST

At an elite dance studio in my hometown, dancers show up for practice every Thursday like clockwork. They exude boundless energy that rivals the Rockettes at Christmas. But these dancers aren’t worried about triple pirouettes or perfectly pointed toes. They are there simply for the love of dance and the love of each other.

The Joyful Hearts Dance program serves dancers with developmental disabilities in the DFW area of Texas–dancers who are exuberant about what they do and generous with their support for one another. Whether wearing tap shoes or jazz shoes, they are eager to learn. They are passionate about their friendships. The words “I love you” are as common as a chassé across the floor.

Thanks to special education teacher (and former Kilgore Rangerette) Jennifer Cooper, these kids have a vehicle through which to explore the arts and demonstrate their potential. They attend class once a week during the school year and a weeklong camp every summer. They perform at a recital every year–the same recital as award-winning dancers, many of whom will go on to college dance teams or even dance majors. They have performed in productions of The Nutcracker, competed at local dance competitions and most recently won a Golden Ticket to a World Dance Championship in New York.

As the sibling of someone with profound autism, I know the rarity of programs like Joyful Hearts. My brother was excluded from school shows when others made a decision, without involving my parents, that he would not be included because he cannot speak. This type of ableism, unfortunately, is all too common in schools and society at large–which is why programs like Joyful Hearts are so important.

Good art makes an audience member feel something. Great art makes an audience member feel the love that has been poured into it. And by those standards, the art that comes from Joyful Hearts is beyond great.

I became a volunteer–or dance buddy–for the Joyful Hearts program when it first began, the summer after my freshman year of high school. Mrs. Cooper recruited me, and although I did not fully understand what that role would involve, I had some idea, having grown up with my brother. What I was not prepared for was this role of dance buddy becoming one of the brightest highlights of my high school years. I was not ready for how important that hour every week was, how I hated when anything school-related conflicted with my responsibility to those dancers, how it never felt like a responsibility, but more like a gift.

What better job could there be than simply making sure kids are dancing and having fun? Whether watching these dancers learn Disney-themed routines, hip-hop, or tap, I have seen them all grow, both in their love for the arts and in their self-confidence. I watched children overcome with stage fright eventually be able to step away from their dance buddies, head to the front of a stage, and dance independently. I witnessed one dancer who was so overcome with anxiety that she had to leave her first performance blossom into one of the most exuberant dancers on the stage. I have watched a shy dancer transform into a leader other dancers look to when they need help with choreography. I have watched a non-speaking child use an AAC (Augmented and Alternative Communication) Device to be part of narration from the stage.

Joyful Hearts is so much more than just a dance class. It is an example of what meaningful inclusion looks like and why it is important. It is a place where dancers are not defined by limitations, but by their fierce determination and love for each other. The dancers have taught me patience, joy, and the importance of celebrating every achievement. They have reminded me how much people often take for granted, such as merely the opportunity to be seen and included.

I wish every community had fine arts programs where kids with disabilities are included, step for step, alongside typical peers–the way the world ought to be.

[Author’s note: Another wonderful program for people with disabilities is the nonprofit iCanShine, which provides dancing, biking and swimming camps. My brother learned how to ride a bike at an iCanShine camp many years ago, and biking is now a major part of his life.]https://icanshine.org/

Student Blog: The End of Junior Year

Thu, 21 May 2026 13:23:01 PST

For my final blog of my junior year, I want to reflect on my journey as a writer this year. I came into junior year knowing I would have to truly lock in on what I want to accomplish with my future. Halfway through college, you’re supposed to know what you’re doing with your life, right? At least, that’s what everyone wants to know.

I will admit, I knew I wanted to be a freelancing journalist, but I didn’t know what exactly I wanted to write about yet. That was until I started a class in the spring called, “Arts & Media Report and Criticism”. In this class, we wrote multiple media reviews, covering music, television and film. We also wrote a final piece about anything of our choice, which I am extremely proud of and hope to be published someday!

The world and job market waiting for me when I graduate in 2027 is absolutely petrifying. It’s hard to think about what I could be entering when I get my degree. Everything is also so uncertain with my school at the moment, as we are currently in the process of merging with Northeastern University, which should be finalized this summer, right before my senior year begins. Not knowing what classes I am taking in the fall and when I’m supposed to be back at school is taking a toll on me, so I am trying not to dwell on it until registration.

I know that I will most likely not have a steady job when I graduate. I am well aware and expecting to be working a retail or food service job while pursuing writing on the side, pitching my work to magazines online and praying for a shot somewhere. While that uncertainty hurts the Type A side of me, the fear is motivating, and I find it to be extremely helpful to be somewhat on the side of the unknown.

Going into my senior year, I have some goals for myself. I would love to get outside more and do things that I wouldn’t normally say yes to. There were a few moments this semester where I pushed myself and made plans with people I hadn’t hung out with before, and I ended up having an awesome time! I am very much a homebody, but going out in New York City during senior year seems right to me.

I also hope to gain more traction with my work online. I want to perfect my pitch letter and choose pieces that matter to me. My voice is strong and I want to be heard, regardless of who will give me that platform

Student Blog: 54 Below

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:44:04 PST

The semester ended, and I hopped on a train to New York City. With sheet music in my hands and showtunes in my earbuds, I was ready for my 54 Below debut.

54 Below is a renowned Broadway-themed music venue in Midtown Manhattan, specializing in cabaret-style shows. I had dreamed of performing at the venue, having watched countless YouTube videos of my idols singing there. I could only imagine the elegant grand piano, the wine-colored walls, and the golden 54 Below plaque. I immediately said yes when my roommate asked me to be a part of the show she was producing.

My roomate and I

The title of her show was Plot Drivers: Villains Across Musical Theatre. We asked the question, "Are these famous villains really as bad as they seem?" Songs ranged from “Feed Me Seymore” to “No One Mourns the Wicked.” I sang “You Could Drive a Person Crazy” from Company, and “Joanna Quartet” from Sweeney Todd. Learning these particular Sondheim pieces was definitely a challenge, especially in the midst of finals week. Thankfully, the curriculum at my school has given me the tools to put a piece on its feet, even with little rehearsal time.

Rehearsing at a studio in NYC the day before the show was the first time I saw the full cast and band together in one place. Was it nerve-racking? Maybe a little, but we made it work. The band, being from Berklee, was full of talented musicians, and us singers knew exactly how to blend with each other. Hearing everyone else’s solos, duets, and trios was both inspiring and reassuring. We had a show!

The next day was our sound check. At 1 pm, I stepped foot into the venue for the first time. I fell in love with it. I felt like I was transported to a cozy jazz supper club from the 1920s. My castmates’ smiling faces lit up the room. As we sang through our first number, “Bells of Notre Dame,” the acoustics gave us all goosebumps. My adrenaline in anticipation of the show was already pumping.

At the venue!

After rehearsal, it was time for some adventures in New York! First, I rushed to my friend’s apartment to film a self tape. Then, I walked around Central Park with other friends who are also in the 54 Below show, randomly running into a few people we knew. We bought matching jellycats before heading to dinner in the West Village. Having just finished finals week. I had little to no time to actually relax and enjoy time with friends, so this was a much-needed chance to unwind and recharge.

Matching Jellycats!

Finally, it was time to prepare for the night show. I took a steamy hot shower. I warmed up my voice again. I got my playlist running to hype myself up. Then, I headed over to the venue for our 8 p.m. call time.

In the buzzing green room, I ran through my pieces quietly. For “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” the other two girls had just learned the song, so we gathered in a trio, hurriedly singing through the beast of a song and quizzing each other on the lyrics. We were determined to get our harmonies tight and align with each other perfectly. Another cast member mentioned that we looked like we were witches summoning a spirit.

Next came taking pictures in front of the iconic 54 Below media wall. As the house opened, whispers of a sold out show flooded the dressing rooms. Soon enough, it was 9:30 p.m., and time to start the show. I was delightfully surprised to see the venue filled with a fashionable audience eager to watch us. I stepped onstage, felt the lights on my face, and let the excitement from the performance carry me through the night. The show flew by in a blur of music, laughter, and applause.

Afterwards, my castmates and I were on a post-performance high. Audience members congratulated us, and the staff even told our music director that it was one of their favorite shows they had seen there! It was an unforgettable night.