In sociology, the third place is an environment in which we find comfort and familiarity that is separate from home (our first place) or work (our second place). Sociologist Ray Oldenburg defines the third place as “an anchor of community life that facilitates and fosters broader and more creative interaction.” Upon hearing that definition, it’s easy for us theatre artists to think of the theatre, despite the fact that it likely is our second place as well. But let’s step back for a second and look at this from an audience member’s perspective.

When we think of college we often associate it with long, excessive papers, horrific midterms/finals, long nights, and tons of Starbucks/Dunkin Donut trips to help us get through it all. However, if you were to ask me how I can manage my school, theatre, and work responsibilities I would tell you “scheduling!”

Who Doesn’t love a timeless Christmas musical? Here are 5 musicals that are fun, heartwarming, funny, and full of Christmas cheer to enjoy this holiday season!

In addition to our Department of Theatre & Dance productions each quarter, a big aspect of the UC San Diego theatre scene is Muir Musical. Since 1991, this completely student-run musical theatre organization has been dedicated to providing all UCSD undergraduates with the opportunity to participate in a fully produced, large-scale musical during Spring Quarter of each year. From Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2013) to Hair (2005) to American Idiot (2022), this theatre company has been a consistent place where students can create, experiment and of course, have fun. 

As the Fall semester draws to a close, it is common for us, as college students, to feel overwhelmed when classes conclude and final papers and exams arise. For some of you, the semester has already ended, but you may want to learn how to limit your stress for next semester. College life has the potential to be stressful in a variety of ways from academic to social to personal to financial. While there are many aspects out of our control, my tips will mainly focus on how to handle academic stress. No matter which category you may fall into, some tips and habits I have found helpful and continue to remind myself to follow are listed below.

This fall I was cast in my first college production, a play titled The Oregon Trail by Bekah Brunstetter. This was a highly educational and beneficial show process for me and a great start to my college theatre career. As this was the first play I had been a part of since my senior year of high school, I noticed many differences between the rehearsal processes in high school vs. college. 

I am still in denial that I am about to finish and graduate college. Granted, I am getting my master’s so I’m not fully done. As finals week approaches, I am getting my schedule ready so I can be as prepared as possible. Let me know what some of your tips for exam week are!

While I have managed to push through and conquer the start of my Sophomore year, I have faced many challenges regarding my workload and responsibilities along the way. Each semester I always find it difficult to create a routine that perfectly balances my school work, job, and social life and just when I think I’ve fallen into the perfect rhythm, something interferes that completely throws it off track.

As students, sometimes we feel like we have lots of things to do and writing them on our phones it’s not always the best option. So this time I’ll share with you why I still love agendas.

This semester I was lucky enough to be Wardrobe Supervisor for the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Theatre and Dance production of The Importance of Being Earnest which played November 11-20, 2022 in the Old Main Chapel, a cute little theatre space in the oldest building on campus.

As the end of the semester draws near, I am tired. It is so hard to jump back into school work for the two weeks in between Thanksgiving and Winter Break. As we are all trying to get back in the swing of things, here are some things I do to help stay focused for these last couple weeks of the semester.

“You are enough. You are so enough. It is unbelievable how enough you are.”- Sierra Boggess

Turning eighteen is a milestone in any teenager’s life. It brings a newfound sense of freedom to the world, allows young people to try new things, and helps us get a grip on adult life. However, as a college student and performer in a large city, this otherwise small milestone is much more important. I graduated a year early in high school, and went straight to college at seventeen to pursue musical theatre and comedy. For the most part, my age wasn’t a problem and I could live college life to its fullest. However, as soon as I began to audition for productions in my area, I ran into a tough issue.

December 4th will mark the completion of my first tech assignment! This experience was definitely outside of my comfort zone, completely foreign to me, and admittedly, intimidating.

I’m only three months into my freshman year as a double major in musical theatre and comedy writing, and I’m already the busiest I’ve ever been in the entirety of my life. Being able to balance full-time school, auditions, my professional comedy group, and seasonal work while also attempting to leave myself some time to relax is difficult, to say the least. However, given all of these commitments, it’s been a fantastic opportunity to improve my knowledge and skills in commitment, time management, and self-care.

We are nearing the end of the semester and I have to say I’m ending it on a pretty good note! However, I couldn’t have done it without a few helpful tools I found along the way!

Surviving college means finding the tools to help stay afloat as the waves of responsibility wash ashore, which is just a dramatic way of saying you must find and accept the help you need. Every person has different needs. I found that the best way to manage college life is to follow the three Rs: rest, relax, and recharge.

Finding different “tools” to survive college can seem difficult, but when you find them, it will hopefully help you through your college career and beyond!

Usually, when I think about fall, I think of crunchy leaves that make a mess of our deck and bitterly cold temperatures whenever the sun's not out. This year, though, that changed, if only a little bit.

With trying to balance school, extra curricular, family, and a rehearsal schedule, things can get pretty hectic. Personally, I get stressed super easily if I don't manage my time correctly or slip up.

I hope this is helpful! I know that I’m pretty stubborn sometimes and don’t always listen to my parents, so having a peer tell me to go do things and get out of my room is helpful. It’s a crazy world out there, but don’t let life pass you by! Go get the most out of your college experience!

My first show for the 2022-2023 school year at UC San Diego was serving as the choreographer and assistant director for Dance Nation by Clare Barron. This show is also something I personally resonate with since I grew up as a dancer in that competitive and disciplined environment. So, working on this show was an extremely cathartic and nostalgic experience for me.

My first day in the Costume Shop was a frustrating one. A required course for all Theatre Arts minors, Theatrical Production is a class in which students are tasked with working in a specific division of the Mainstage production process behind the scenes.

When I feel that things are getting too busy or out of control, I find it necessary to do what everyone thinks you shouldn't: I take a break.

This semester I began classes as a theatre major at the University of Georgia. For my gen ed requirements, I am enrolled in Anthropology, a weekly seminar at the law school, and a weekly seminar that is an introduction to the honors college, but I have been very fortunate to be able to jump into many classes for my major as well.