Imposter syndrome: it’s inevitable. In a field where the “dime-a-dozen” mentality is constantly pushed on us, it can be hard not to compare and doubt yourself. It’s not uncommon to have feelings that you don’t deserve the opportunities you’ve been given, that you’re not good enough, and that you don’t belong. But never fear! Imposter syndrome is something experienced by actors, singers, and dancers everywhere.
Next time you find yourself required to work on a backstage crew, I encourage you to view the experience as a valuable opportunity to become a more well-rounded practitioner of the arts and a more well-rounded person.
This March the University of Colorado Boulder staged a production of Stephen Sondheim's Company in the Charlotte York Irey Theatre in the University Theatre building. For this production I was asked to be Wardrobe Head. I was put in charge of a little crew of three other kickass wardrobe technicians and we were in charge of all things costumes.
Local director Nancy Eppert has been in the world of directing for 30 years, and I had the great pleasure of asking her a few questions about her craft.
Last summer and this winter, I visited Broadway with the intention of exploring the series of cultures related to Broadway, rather than just watching the shows. In particular, I wanted to find out what the differences were between the theaters in the United States and Korea, having watched various performances in Korea and working as an usher in a Korean musical theater.
I have always loved writing and used to want to pursue a career as an author. As I grew up and became more busy, I lost more and more time practicing writing and only practiced writing in the form of poetry every now and then. Upon starting the playwriting class last semester, my inspiration was relit and I began writing more than I had in months.
To be 100% honest, I’m feeling the effects of burnout. There are days where I just want everything to slow down and I just want one day with nothing going on. But I love everything that I’m doing and I don’t want to stop.
In the midst of finals week, I am experiencing (as most students do) burnout. No matter what grade or major you are, it is almost impossible to avoid burnout, between assignments, classes, and finals. For theatre students especially, it can be tough when lots of our work caters towards emotionally charged and physically exerting work, which can affect our energy not only mentally, but also emotionally and physically. While this is a lot to balance, there are ways to manage burnout while also getting your tasks done!
Needless to say, even though there are only two weeks left of the semester (one week of classes and then finals week, crazy!!) student life is still going strong and is as bustling and lively as ever! The end of the semester is also always a particularly exciting and busy time for students involved in one particular area: the performing arts.
Though it may currently feel like you’re drowning in work and you have no will to continue, don’t let the stress of the moment let you lose sight of why you came to college in the first place, and how proud you will be when you finish.
We make mistakes and get burnt out and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s okay to feel negative emotions, towards the things you love, towards yourself, or otherwise. It will pass and it will get better.
If you want to be a writer, you need to be writing. If you want to be a filmmaker, you need to be making films. You should be reading the classics, you should be watching the classics. These are all pieces of 'advice' that I've had thrown at me. Things I need to add to my to-do list. Yet, the advice-givers forget that there are only 24 hours in a day.
We all have the power to push through and persevere through trying and busy times in our lives. With just a little effort and motivation, we can do more than we thought was possible.
I don’t know much about the process of creating a new musical, but I imagine the fundamentals are similar to writing a book (only with music). The creator/author writes a draft, edits the draft, edits more, and then goes in search of someone who can help bring their words/music to life.
Last semester as part of Lab, I was the assistant stage manager (as well as the assistant script coordinator) for Ibsen's A Doll's House. But this semester, I took on an even bigger challenge: the task of assistant directing Ahrens and Flaherty's Lucky Stiff.
Burnout: every student’s inevitable nightmare. Somewhere around the middle of the semester where your feelings start to shift. Work starts piling up to heights taller than Mount Everest, the sleep you get never seems to be enough, and just going to class feels like an impossible task. Believe me, we have all been there.
Things have gotten pretty busy in my world recently. In the past month I’ve had midterms for school, tough classes, and on top of those things and homework, I also have a job that takes up time and effort as well. All these tasks can seem overwhelming without using the proper tools.
Humans need other humans. There is no way around it. We need people to share our victories with and grovel in our sadness with. Life is made up of so many different experiences, and all of those experiences are made better when someone you love is by your side.
Though we may have different preferences when it comes to the live content we consume, we are all deeply connected by the human desire to gather, engage with, and be a part of something greater, whether that takes place in a theatre or a stadium, in the wings offstage or the service level beneath the court.
Life is a balancing act - how can we avoid falling off one side or another? This is one of my tools for staying on track and avoiding a collapse in my life as an actor.
'This news makes me both uncontrollably excited and nervous all at once', come read about some of the exciting new ventures I am undertaking with zero experience but a lot of charisma.
I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you, readers, about the show I am performing in this semester. I play Moses, Mollie, Minimus, Pilkington, and others in Animal Farm, adapted by Ian Wooldridge, based on the book by George Orwell, and directed by Rebecca Conaway ’23! This dramatization remains faithful to the book’s plot and intent and retains both its affection for the animals and the insightfulness of its message.