I can’t control my employers, honestly can I even control myself at this point?..... All jokes aside, as long as this summer I have my health, and my friends, I think I’ll be okay.

That is one reason I love new work so much is I love getting to help create something from scratch and be there right at the beginning of it and grow with it.

I am so blessed and privileged to get to do all that I do and I’m excited to see what the semester brings!

My first show of 2025 is Gone Missing by The Civilians and Michael Friedman. Aysan Celik, an original Civilians member and the wonderful director of this production, brought me aboard for this thrilling project as the assistant music director to musical superhuman Dr. Kyle Blair. At our first rehearsal, Kyle discussed his thoughts about why it is we sing in theater, connecting back to the principles of opera and the overflow of emotion that exceeds what dialogue can hold. I thought I would talk a little more about it. 

Are you single? Or taken? Do you yearn for the greatest night (or afternoon) of your life? Look no further than your local theatre. Thank me later.

Academic integrity is something I strive to maintain across my studies. With the rise of generative AI ominously impending upon us, I can’t help but wonder what the future of education will look like. 

Student blogger Piper Greisl looks back on the first four weeks of the 2025 Spring semester.

Student blogger Piper Greisl reflects on the connection between academic integrity and artistic integrity.

If I had to summarize my winter break in one word, I would say “relaxing.” While it was also unproductive for the most part, I finally had time to simply sit around and do nothing, which I consider a treat.

Having academic integrity to me doesn’t just mean doing your work or not using Chat GPT to write a paper. If you choose theatre for higher education, that means it is something you are passionate about and want to excel in. There would be many negative repercussions if I cut a corner in a class.

After 3 months in New Hampshire and 4 months in Austria, I’m finally back on my college campus in North Carolina! Immediately, I jumped back into the theatre department, full steam ahead. This semester, my goal was to be involved in as many shows as possible (without overextending myself), and stretch myself to try new positions! Here’s what my semester looks like:

In continuing my goal to have one new experience every day, I decided to get tickets to Théâtre du Lido 2's production of 'Hello Dolly!'.  It was such a blast of a night and it was so much fun to see a musical performed in Paris!

Rushing Broadway shows is just another activity for theatre lovers, except it also comes with the chance to see a Broadway show for affordable prices!

It’s easy to get caught up in the bubble of one’s college ecosystem: especially in a tight-knit theatre department like the one I’m a part of at the University of Michigan. Engaging in this regional conference opened up my mindset, introducing me to other artists and aspiring theatre practitioners with approaches of their own.

As is the first month of the new year, January 2025 is the perfect time to start up those positive changes, new projects, and artistic resolutions! Right now I’m on an aforementioned gap year, and one of the things I told myself I would do is make sure to make time for art and projects even while I’m out of school. Here are some of the things I’m committing myself to to keep my artist sharp in the new year! 

You can be a million things at once and still be a singular unique unit of a human on this planet. You are not Actor. Dancer. Theater Kid. You are you who contains all those things alongside an epic myriad of others unlike any other person on this earth.

Preserving the integrity of our training and professional opportunities is of the utmost importance in the arts. What’s the point of pursuing higher education in a field you’re passionate about if you aren’t willing to put in the work?

Finals week at the University of Connecticut has come and gone. My experience was still stressful, as it usually is, but more manageable than the semesters prior because of my lighter workload.

I start rehearsals for Pride and Prejudice this week and am swinging two tracks, each track consisting of two characters. I have been able to understudy before but have never been a swing. It’s a bit overwhelming but I am going to try to list some of the things that have already been extremely helpful to me.

Most people I have met have urged me to study abroad. I always thought it was a good idea, but to actually be here and experiencing it is an incredibly surreal experience. I arrived in Paris on January 14 and have been running around since!

I hate generative AI. I will shout it from the mountaintops, I will shout it from my apartment window, I will shout it into your ear right now. With zero reservations, I think less of people who use sites like ChatGPT to accomplish tasks for them, especially in academic environments. To me, it is utterly shameful and morally disqualifying. 

How do I define Academic Integrity as a theatre student? You can't really cheat on a test when your final is a scene, but you can cheat on your artistic self.

In todays blog, we discuss how even when times can get busy as a teenager in high school, we need to understand why it's important to maintain our academic integrity.

I've taken it upon myself to go into the trenches and gather intel for actors like you and me. This article will focus on auditions and callbacks, from an Asst. Director's POV. What are directors and casting teams looking for? What is the key to a successful audition?

The New Year is right around the corner and as per usual, I have absolutely zero idea what this year will have in store for me. Nevertheless, what I do know is that 2025 will be a year of major decisions and changes. Let’s dive in!