BWW Blog: Hannah Seewald - Marla Louissaint: A Bright Future for Broadway and Beyond

Last year, New Yorker Marla Louissaint competed in the National High School Musical Awards, also known as the "Jimmy" Awards, and received the title of Best Actress. She is now a rising sophomore at Fordham University pursuing a career in computer science, but continues to demonstrate her theatrical talents. So who is this young starlet and how does she survive the busy life of having more than one career?

Singing Elsa Davis's "Blank Canvas" at the Off-Center Jamboree and performing in God Bless You Mr. Rosewater are a few of her recent endeavors, and are even some of the turning points of her theatrical career. After having the opportunity to see her perform at the jamboree, I was eager to find out more about Marla, including what the most important part of her career has been thus far.

"The most important would definitely be my time working on Rosewater at City Center. I have learned so much being in the ensemble with a star studded cast - plus, I get to say I worked with the legendary James Earl Jones (who is probably the cutest human being alive). The most memorable moment would be during rehearsal for the Off-Center Jamboree. While working on the song I performed, Groffsauce and Sutton Foster were wrapping up their rehearsal so they heard me singing and stayed a while. After they heard me, they had the kindest words to say to me from that point forward. Gosh, it meant so much to know that these two stars, who have been slaying in theatre and TV/film industries, believed I had a future on the stage. I daydream about those special moments we shared in rehearsal, backstage and onstage pretty often," she said.

With all of these important accomplishments, life can become very busy and an organizational challenge. One of the most important parts of success includes being healthy by keeping the right mindset and by staying stress free. Marla stays organized and focused by using a physical planner in which she writes notes and uses colorful stickers for reminders.

"I find myself being happier and more productive when I have more on my plate, so being busy is exactly how I stay calm," she said.

However, especially as a college student, her life can't always be stress free. When feeling overwhelmed, she looks to some important role models to get her through the stress.

"When finals week comes around, what keeps me sane is getting hugs from my mom. If I'm ever feeling overwhelmed, her words and her cuddles are the best pick me up - in conjunction to listening to interviews Viola Davis and Uzo Aduba have done because they are women I look up to for their strength, talent, and elegance. Hearing their experiences fuels my determination to work through juggling school, auditions, performances, family life and whatever else I do everyday. If they can do it, I sure can too!" Marla said.

Originally, she attended Fordham University with the intention of studying electrical engineering, and since she and her family are Haitian, she planned to use her knowledge to find ways to provide more access to electricity throughout Haiti.

As Marla began taking many different classes at Fordham, she found that she enjoyed her computer science class immensely. So, she decided to to switch her major to focus on computer science, but does not want to stray from her original plan to help Haiti.

"I hope to find a way to still contribute to making Haiti more sustainable and improve their living conditions in this new field," she said.

Being a leader is about being an empathetic problem solver with goals, and Marla has demonstrated these traits through her thoughtful career choice. It definitely is not easy to pursue two careers, but with the help of digitally accessible resources and a strong drive like Marla has, you too can pursue more than one passion.

"A balancing act isn't for everyone. But I find comfort in knowing that I have two disciplines under my belt that I can continuously work on because if one doesn't work out, I always have the other. For example, once I graduate I plan on having a job as a Network Engineer because of the possibility of working remotely. This would be ideal if I booked a show. I'm not sure which will happen first - booking or working - but I'm excited to just keep bettering my skills in both disciplines," said Marla.

During half of her "balancing act"-performances or rehearsals, she maintains a daily routine to get her through the singing day.

"I make sure to have a cup of tea with honey - if I've been in rehearsal all day and my voice is a little hoarse, I add a splash of apple cider vinegar," she explained, "When I wake up in the morning, I have the groggiest and unattractive voice. So to help wake it up, I hum around the house and steer clear from being directly in front of cold air which used to be a habit because I absolutely ABHOR sweating and being hot."

However, with such a busy schedule, it can be hard to fit workouts into her daily routine as well.

"I'm not sure I'm ever physically fit because I love to eat SO much. But if I want to have an oblique line for approximately an hour, I do Tiffany Rothe workouts on YouTube which help a lot," she said, "However, if I'm consciously making an effort to look better, small portions and tons of fruit paired with YouTube workouts at home are my best friend."

Teens like myself can look up to the intelligence, compassion, and drive that Marla has in addition to her exceptional talent. She has determination and the will to succeed, and has already proven that she is a force to be reckoned with in more than one field. I can't wait to see what she does next!

The Fast Five Facts:

Fun fact about yourself:
I feel unsafe without lip moisturizer in my pockets, bags, hidden in my hair (sometimes). So I have an alarming amount of vaseline, blistex, burts bees, you name it everywhere.

Favorite healthy snack:
Baby carrots all the way!!

Favorite unhealthy snack:
CHURROS and/or cheesecake

Favorite musical or play:
Passing Strange for sure

Favorite way to unwind:
Listening to India.Arie in my blanket burrito.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!