Student Blog: Casting a Wide Net-Chasing Summer Opportunities

You would think the new year is a time to relax and reflect, getting everything in order for the upcoming year. But coming into the new year is not easy for performers. The new year marks the start of audition season. Theaters around the country, and honestly, the entire world, are auditioning for their summer and year-round seasons. You can send in self-tapes, audition in person at the theaters, or attend consortium-style auditions in cities like New York, Chicago, and DC. Just like college auditions, you need to cast a very wide net to get just a few yeses for summer stock auditions. And if being cast as the lead in Otterbein’s spring musical, working as a waitress, and taking an overload of classes wasn't enough, I decided that this summer I wanted to cast an even wider net than just summer stock theaters. That is why, on top of auditioning for summer stock, I am also applying for internships and summer study abroad programs.

Summer Stock: 

While I do want to explore many options this summer, I still thought I should audition for some summer stock theaters. I decided to go to the Southeastern Theater Conference’s Summer and Outdoor Theater auditions in mid-January. It took place in Greensboro, North Carolina, about 6 hours away from where I go to school, so a few of my friends and I loaded into the car and took an insanely fun road trip filled with lots of snacks and Broadway soundtracks being blasted. It was a very calm and educational experience for someone who has never done any form of professional auditions. I really enjoyed putting my name out there professionally for the first time and felt I did very well. I spent my morning doing my initial audition and was asked to stay for the dance call and three additional callbacks. No matter the outcome, I am glad I did it, and I am excited for next summer because I can go in better prepared and with more knowledge of how summer stock auditions work. 

An Internship:

Internships are another thing I am looking into for this summer. While I am very lucky right now to be in Otterbein’s spring musical, Cinderella, I spent the entire first semester of this school year discovering new things I loved, such as delving deeper into my journalism and media communications minor (the reason I started this blog!). Despite being in a show right now, I want to continue exploring other passions throughout my career. There are a few theaters near where I live, outside of Washington DC, that offer social media/marketing internships for the summer, and I am applying to them as well. I would love to really understand the business side of the industry and add that to the skills I bring to the professional world when I graduate. I also hope to manage social media as one of my future side jobs, in addition to auditioning. While I am running social media for a few of the Otterbein clubs, I want to gain experience at a more professional level.

Summer Study Abroad:

The final thing I am doing is applying to study abroad summer programs. When I was a junior in high school, I served as a U.S. Youth Ambassador to Ecuador and studied abroad for 2 weeks. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Going into college, I knew I wanted to study abroad, but unfortunately, a BFA program doesn’t give you much time to do so because of the number of classes we need to take every semester to graduate on time. Last summer, I lived in Hawaii for a month to perform in “A Little Night Music” with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. It was another incredible opportunity that really solidified my love for studying abroad and traveling around the world. I am currently looking into applying to a few Shakespeare-focused programs in London and a music festival in the Italian Alps. 

As I look forward to the new year, I am excited to explore all of my passions, not just those that directly tie to my BFA in musical theatre. I need to be a well-rounded person to live a happy and fulfilled life, and I am doing just that. So while it is only early January and I am currently watching it snow outside of my window, I am thinking ahead and planning for all the possibilities that this summer can hold.