Hi! It's Makalah here back with another blog post, but this one is a little different than the others. I have been doing a bit of reflecting over the past few weeks. Time is going by incredibly fast and in 6 weeks I would have completed my undergraduate degree at Nazareth College. Scary right? With time comes change and new experiences. Although I'm very excited for what the future has in store for me, I'm equally as anxious and nervous. Being someone whose constantly busy, always on the go, I've decided to slow down these past few weeks. Really enjoy the last 6 weeks I have as a college student before I truly become an 'Adult'.

At the beginning of the semester, I did not get into any of the shows I auditioned for. I was upset, but thought that it meant I was going to have a quiet and boring semester. I was wrong. My advisor asked me if I wanted to stage manage a show for her. This was something that I had never done or ever thought I would do, but I took a chance and I'm so glad I did. Here are some tips that I learned as a first-time stage manager.

How can we create a safe environment for everyone on and off stage? The first step is quite clear: creating boundaries that allow you to feel comfortable. From there, everything can feel much more difficult. I want to help with that. Here is my plan for creating an accountable boundary system at work and in my future theatrical endeavors.

Before I began my studies at NYU, I went to an accepted students day on campus, and at that accepted students day I went to a study abroad information session, where I learned about the ITW program and decided that I needed to go. Even back then, it sounded like a dream program, and I recently found out I got in!

As actors, we're usually pretty busy day in and day out, but every so often we get just enough time to relax and curl up with a nice book. A fictional novel never fails as the best form of escape- we're not reading it to search for monologues or scenes to work. Rather, it's a chance for us to lose ourselves in a story while also resting our actor's brains for a bit. We're not responsible for telling the story when we have a book to read; we're simply letting the story come to us. Yet, despite the love we have for a good work of fiction in which we can dissolve ourselves, we do still search for something we can connect to and learn from within the fictional writing. These criteria point to one particular book that all actors should read, a 2019 novel titled The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis. This is a story of friendship, betrayal, feminism, freedom, and of course, theatre that provides a level of relatability along with its ability to satisfy anyone's craving for a beautiful piece of fiction.

A Student's perspective being a college understudy in college

I was cast as 'Dorothy' in Plaza Theatricals' production of The Wizard of Oz in December for four performances. Fast forward to now, the run was successful and we are now touring the show throughout NY.

Golden Age musicals are loved for good reason, but many of them become problematic when we analyze them critically. I think it is important they maintain a place in our repertoire, so long as they are handled appropriately.

Going on two years in this pandemic when we all thought it was only going to last a few weeks has absolutely changed how I look at the future. Watching this musical prompted me to further think about how we as a society can confront the challenge of uncertainty while also adapting to whatever comes our way and how to not live in fear when we are faced with difficult obstacles.

Life isn’t a simple thing, but realizing that feeling happy and sad simultaneously is normal, may help out a little bit.

Given the current events affecting our world, it is understandable that many of us seek an escape through theater and film. Due to the pandemic, the worlds of theater and film have begun to merge with Broadway artists and creators participating in their first major films, such as tick, tick… Boom and West Side Story. This past Sunday many of these films and artists received gratifying recognition at the Oscars Ceremony at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. Thus, with the Oscars Ceremony coincidentally occurring on World Theatre Day, it only makes sense that Broadway won big at the Oscars.

Musical theater was introduced to me when I saw my oldest sister Jenna in her high school production of Meet Me in St. Louis during her freshman year when I was in third grade. I never watched something so intensely and I thought to myself “I want to be on that stage.”

COVID-19 covered the world in an oppressive shadow, forcing us inside and alone but these strifes would lead to even greater creations: virtual performances via Zoom, Facetime karaoke nights, and front-row seats to Broadway’s finest from our living room couch. And, I'm proud to announce that this week my school will be performing Mamma Mia!, our first musical since the world shut down. C'mon, Saguaro High School, let's bring down the house!

I was first involved in a devising process my senior year of high school. I'm not sure how accurate a devising experience it was because none of us had any idea what we were doing.

It’s been not a long time since I became a theater fan, even though I’ve learnt many things with my experience as part of the audience and with my perspective as a student of a career that involves art, I’ve got to reflect about theater in my city: Mexico City.

2022 marks the 10th Anniversary of the Academy’s founding. Exceptional Minds hopes to double their enrollment in the next five years. They need help from me, you—all of us—to continue providing evermore rewarding, creative and good paying job opportunities for young adults with autism.

I was stunningly aware of how each muscle in my finger moved, how precisely my elbow moved to allow for this motion. When I turned around and stared off into the space, it was strangely like playing a first-person point of view VR game; the mask was my headset and my hand in front of me was poised to press X to interact with the world around me.

It all started in November of 2021 when one of my friends was visiting New York City for the first time. Being the theatre fan I am, I insisted that we saw a Broadway show together. He suggested a show called David Byrne’s American Utopia. “Sounds good to me,” I responded, “but quick question - Who’s David Byrne?”

After going to New York for my winter break, my mom and I decided to return to see more musicals during my Spring Break. We once again did not have much of a plan for what to do while we were there but knew that we wanted to see Hadestown once again. Besides seeing Hadestown again, I also got to see Come from Away, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

Will there probably always be issues with people looking down on dramaturgs? Yes. But, do I feel better now about where I stand in the industry and with my peers? Also yes. The confidence that I've gained in my work has allowed me to find my place in this community and know that I deserve it just as much as every other person in the room. 

Picture a somewhat-windy Sunday afternoon in South St. Louis County. Can't do it? Well, I'll help you out there.

Hamilton is a GREAT musical, the lyrics, the songs, the quotes, all of it is a master piece.

Before I ever developed a distinct taste in art, a favor for certain aesthetics or genres or even method of delivery, I was still deeply and inextinguishably drawn to it.

I had no idea what I was getting into with becoming a dramaturg. But I’m enjoying the ride, and can’t wait to answer any more questions the cast might come up with. 

A letter to Theatre “With you in my life, I get to speak up, I get to share my stories, I get to channel my emotions through you. You never once criticize me or censor me, instead, you supported me. And I am thankful for that.”