Open Mic Nights are the perfect way to gain some live performance experience without too much pressure. To participate in the fun, I try to do a few songs in every set, but it takes a few steps. Here are a few ways I try to combat stage fright at an open mic.

Not to sound too much like a poster girl for Greek Life, but if you’re debating rushing a sorority, try it out and keep an open mind. It may surprise you just like it did me.

The musical Hamilton has captured the hearts of thousands worldwide, and I must admit it's captured mine as well.

Intermission is over! My second semester at NYU Tisch as a musical theater student has just begun, and I’m busier than ever. I immediately dove right back into my packed schedule and I’m ready to devour the second half of my freshman year.

I mentioned in my last blog post that I'm a writer, one who loves all things theatre. And that story, or rather, this story, is about how I wrote my first full length musical: Sincerely Yours.

After having nearly a month off from school, the taste of summer felt oh so near- not just because I spent my winter break soaking up Australia's summer- but especially since I was able to enjoy quality time with my family and catch up with some high school friends. To be at ease and have a clear mind, unclouded by what is behind and ahead of me felt so refreshing. However, this taste of summer was short-lived and semester two came faster than anticipated.

After almost a month off of school, I’m so excited to be back on campus. As much as I loved being home and seeing my family, I missed my college friends, the stunning Los Angeles sunsets, and—ok, I’ll admit it—a small part of me even missed the dorms and the dining hall.

Hello, BroadwayWorld readers! My name is Alyssa Meadows and I am honored and excited to be a student blogger for this season! I am a first year theatre performance major at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana! I am originally from Louisville, Kentucky, where I grew up with my mom, dad, younger brother, and pet rabbit named Tootsie Roll! I have been involved in theatre since the seventh grade, particularly musical theatre! I am thrilled to share pieces of my life with the BWW community this season!

This quarter, I am enrolled in a Shakespeare literature class focused on his plays from the Jacobean period. For each play, we dissect the essential themes of the play and then look at specific passages that reveal specific aspects of character motives and plot points. While this class is not in the theatre department, I’ve noticed a lot of dramaturgical approaches to analyzing Shakespeare in this class.

A 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist, Gloria is the second production in Rollins College Second Stage series this year. Directed by Michael McNamara ‘23, it focuses on a group of assistants from a prominent New York magazine, all angling for their big break. But when “another day at the office” becomes an event that turns their realities upside down, it begs the question, “who deserves to tell the story?”

“White. A blank page or canvas. His favorite. So many possibilities.”  George, Sunday in the Park with George Like a blank page (or canvas), a new semester brings so many possibilities: new classes, new friends, new challenges, and a whole new season of shows. The life of a student director is nothing if not busy.

Back to school! Could there be a phrase more exciting and scary? Some students can hardly wait to get back into their various classes and resume learning. For other students like myself, going back to school means more stress, less leisure time, and of course homework.

When you were in middle or high school, I am certain that at least one educator had claimed that the most pointless lesson they taught was certainly the most important lesson in the whole universe. It was also emphasized that the lesson will also help you get through college. I vividly remember internally telling myself 'There is no way that a mathematical formula will help me conquer all my college adversities.'

Your worth as an actor is not defined by how many projects you submit for, and it certainly isn’t based on how many projects you get called back for. This is a tough business, and we are all living through a global pandemic. Forgive yourself first and foremost.

We are real life people with dreams and aspirations, not just clay that other creatives get to mold into whatever they please. We are allowed to be fun, creative, spiritual, and whatever else we wish! Showing this is not a crime, and switching to a personality driven mindset has really changed the way I view the business.

After four and a half years studying non-stop, three diplomas, two years of a pandemic and more than one year being a blogger, I finally graduated college. So here’s my last blog as a student blogger.

Joshua Piper is no stranger to the stage, whether it be performing or writing, the Junior at Wagner can give a piece or two of advice. Read in on my chat with him on advice for writers ranging from those waiting to get started and those anxious to get produced!

Auditioning can be one of the most brutal parts of an actor’s career. You can go in so prepared and confident and still not book the show. I’d like to share some of my audition wins and losses from this spring audition season at my university, what I’ve learned, and how I’ve celebrated.

I was never nervous about auditions until I got into high school. I didn’t really have a sense of stakes, I wasn’t in any theaters that cut actors in the audition process, and I was consistently getting leading roles. However, once I entered the world of competition and professionalism as a teenager, my anxiety kicked in incredibly quickly. I figured the only way I could move away from this anxiety was being authentically myself.

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of academic integrity? For me it tends to be not cheating on exams or plagiarizing essays. But academic integrity covers so much more than just that. A big component of academic integrity is being responsible and reliable when it comes to getting your work done. 

I’ve always been an extremely moral person academically. I’ve never cheated on a test, plagiarized a paper, or broken a rule of academic integrity. However, now that I’m a major in comedic writing, the line between original works and stealing an idea gets unexpectedly thin.

What is the big deal about a BA and a BFA? Is the a significant difference?

Navigating my college years through online school was not the easiest, but it definitely was manageable.

You go to college to pursue your goals and dreams. My experience is that in college, your value is reflected in your passion, excitement, and eagerness to learn. Academic integrity is the level to which you honestly and passionately apply yourself to your studies. Most likely, you are in college to prepare for your career so that means being proactive, seeking new knowledge, and acting with integrity. College should not be a burden, it should be a privilege. You just have to find the path that makes you excited to come to class every day.

Academic integrity seems even more important in college than it did in grade school. This is definitely a feeling that can be felt by every college student as the punishment for plagiarism is reiterated with every paper I get assigned.