Student Blogger: MJ Kirsche

Pocatello was indefinitely the hardest piece I’ve ever worked on, spending a near four months taking a slow Meisner focused process, dropping myself into the lonely world of a small town in Idaho during the 2010s. Our genius director, Andrew Gallant– founder of Green Shirt Studio in Chicago, spent generous amounts of time working a slow paced, piece-by-piece rehearsal process with our cast that centered around not only evoking the emotional life of the characters, but finding the real feeling of the piece in ourselves, which allowed me to find a truth and honesty to performance I have yet to find prior to this show. 

These past few months, I’ve been working harder than I have before on improving my mindset and personal self care regimen. And honestly, it’s been great! I’m feeling happier and healthier than I have before… with only one down side. I’m currently cast in a play at my school, and while I’m very grateful and excited to be, it is very weighted.

With finals week around the corner and a week of auditions ahead of me, earlier this month just when I was starting to reach the most important crunch time of my semester… I tested positive for COVID-19.

Going to school or college for theatre is something meant to prepare performers for the realities of a career in the arts. Unfortunately, one of those realities is not getting cast in every show you audition for. Even in an educational theatre setting, you likely won’t be cast in every show or project you submit for– and that’s totally fine! We’ve all been there. However, just because you may not be cast in this semester's big play or musical doesn’t mean you’re out of performing for the season! Here are some ways you can keep your performance shoes on regardless of your casting status.

Lots of my friends and peers have come to me interested about how I make connections and opportunities for myself, and how they can do the same– this entry is my answer! I’m going to talk about some doors that have recently opened for me and how to kickstart opening them yourself!

Second week into classes, the back-to-school season is up and running! I’m really happy to be back at school doing what I love with the people I love for my second year as a musical theatre major. Being a sophomore, I feel like I definitely have a better hold on navigating things around campus, but there’s also a lot of new additions to my school's performing arts program this year, which is keeping everything (as always) a learning experience!

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

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

I recently just finished up my run as the icon of female independence, Donna Sheridan, in a Summer production of Mamma Mia!, and my heart has never been so full. This role was one I found so much comfort and healing in, as I hadn’t realized how many parallels between Donna and myself I would find.

This past month, I’ve embarked on a couple different adventures– working with children, being a camp counselor, and helping get a show up on its feet. The rough part about this… I was doing them all at the same time. For the first time. Me and two other women had ten days to get 15 seven year-olds to put on a 20 minute musical, which was quite the show in itself.

With grad season upon us, I find myself having finished my freshman year as a musical theatre major. This year has been one of adventures, stresses, new loves, and new lows– but through all of it I’ve been able to learn so much about myself and the field I hold so dearly. While I miss my life at school and can’t wait to continue it in the Fall, as most of us are, I am home for the summer, and asking myself– what comes next? What happens now that I’m home?

The concept of academic honesty and integrity have shifted a lot over the years – our parents' teachers had to worry about them looking at other students' papers, while ours are up against Google, SparkNotes, and ChatGPT. With the access to answers and media we have nowadays, it can be hard to stay honest when it comes to academics– especially with the common fear of failing a class. However, there are lots of reasons and ways to stay in the clear when it comes to academic integrity and submitting honest, authentic work! 

Imposter syndrome: it’s inevitable. In a field where the “dime-a-dozen” mentality is constantly pushed on us, it can be hard not to compare and doubt yourself. It’s not uncommon to have feelings that you don’t deserve the opportunities you’ve been given, that you’re not good enough, and that you don’t belong. But never fear! Imposter syndrome is something experienced by actors, singers, and dancers everywhere.

In the midst of finals week, I am experiencing (as most students do) burnout. No matter what grade or major you are, it is almost impossible to avoid burnout, between assignments, classes, and finals. For theatre students especially, it can be tough when lots of our work caters towards emotionally charged and physically exerting work, which can affect our energy not only mentally, but also emotionally and physically. While this is a lot to balance, there are ways to manage burnout while also getting your tasks done!

Yesterday I closed my first show of college. Our show, Pippin, meant so much to me, I’m not sure how to begin. 

We’ve all heard it: the claims from friends and relatives of how easy we must have it “just singing and dancing” for schoolwork. But, as any performance, tech, or dance major will tell you– it’s not as simple as it sounds. There’s a lot that goes into being a theatre arts student that people often miss while not walking in our shoes– tap, jazz, or character.

A common thing performers will say when asked about why they love theatre is that it's a 'great outlet' for them. But what does that mean? What is an outlet and how do we find it in art?

'How did you do it?' I kept asking myself before returning for my second semester of college. 'How did you set all the right alarms, wake up on time, know where to go, remember all the rehearsals, and manage all your school work all at once?' And the truth is, I don't know. But I made it through the first, and we're back for the second! ... And there sure is a lot to do.