As the last couple weeks of high school finish up, I have found myself doing all of the rites of passage that I have seen my friends before me do: commitment day, prom, grad night, awards ceremonies, senior beach day and more. But for the theatre kids, more important than prom and grad night, the main event is the Drama Club’s end of the year banquet.

As a college student studying both in theater and education, I am worried about the future of arts production and integrity as we rely further and further on generative AI. While there are absolutely some practical and innovative uses of artificial intelligence, it genuinely is scary to see this tool being abused so heavily and immediately by people across all fields. So, where does artificial intelligence fall within the realm of artistic integrity and our creative industries?

In my first post about myself since January, I had a lot of thoughts about my first student teaching assignment at a high school near me. Most of them uneasy. Stick around to find out!

We live in a world, especially in the arts, where “becoming” has almost become a brand. We post our breakthroughs, our quiet healing moments, our sunlit mornings with coffee and a journal, but only when they look poetic. We talk about progress, but we often polish even our vulnerability until it shines. Like sunsets, we capture the golden hour, the soft light, the aesthetic peace, but we rarely show what comes before or after.

Happy Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to everyone from these cultures, especially to those who are rocking the “status quo” and making room for themselves and others in their fields and in the world, like Teegan SinClair is.

As my semester abroad in Paris wraps up, I thought I would conquer something I felt helped me grow the most: solo traveling. Doing anything alone is intimidating. People will often mention a fear of being judged or being pitied, I am here to tell you that doing things alone and feeling comfortable in it is such a freeing thing!

There is no doubt that we live in an AI world. Especially at the end of the year, when senioritis hits, it would be so much easier to just use ChatGPT to finish your homework. I get it - it would save you a lot of time and stress. But let’s think about it for a second: the consequences of relying too much on AI definitely outweigh the little bit of time you save.

Upon completing my miniseries with the current five MFA playwrights at UC San Diego, I thought it would be super valuable to hear the perspective of an alum whose work is currently up and running. So without further ado, it is my immense honor to introduce you all to nationwide superstar playwright and 2022 UCSD alum Keiko Green!!

I’ve been a student for basically my entire life. I have not always known what lay ahead for me but I always had classes and homework to keep me busy and keep me grounded. Now, however, having just graduated with my master’s degree, I took my proverbial final bow for this era of my life. In this second act, I’ll keep being a student. My show will and must go on… because it's only too late if we tell ourselves it is.

But we will get through this. And there will be no regrets. Everything I do these remaining days I want to do with my full chest.

As a student at the University of Central Florida who is from New York, getting to go back to Long Island is a treat. I recently went back and took a trip into New York City. I got the pleasure of seeing The Great Gatsby on Broadway. 

After a lengthy and action-packed semester, there’s nothing I’m looking forward to more than embracing my summer freedom. I have plenty of time to spend on myself and my creative interests. This is my last summer break before I graduate college, so I’m committing myself to unadulterated leisure and enjoyment! Here are some ways I’m letting loose this summer.

Semester is almost over! Everybody cheer! In all seriousness though, this has been a great semester. I transferred at the beginning of the semester, so a lot has changed within the past few months for me. I am super lucky to be able to say that I love my school and I have adjusted great. But despite my love for my school, I have dealt with some burnout. 

Just as authors experience writer’s block, actors experience….acting block? Blocking block? Whatever you want to call it, the experience of encountering a lack of motivation, increases in stress, and a dread for the thing you’re supposed to love is something I’m sure most theatre students can relate to.

I love Canva because it is easy to use and has all I need to create everything from Instagram posts to flyers. Canva is my go-to tool for designing social media content as a Social Media Manager for the Autistic Theatermakers Alliance and completing design tasks for other projects. Recently, I helped to design the 2025 Theatre Week Guide as a Community Engagement Fellow for Theatre Philadelphia.

I am presently an Intern for Philadelphia Young Playwrights and a freelance Teaching Artist. Last year, I submitted a play to their Annual Playwriting Festival and ended up being one of the playwrights whose work was featured in their annual New Voices Festival at Temple University.

He stuck his hand out in the classic, dramatic theater kid way, and there it was. His hand was shaking. I couldn’t believe it. Professional Broadway actors still have their hands shaking out of nerves?!

Although Art is meant to be shared and seen, there's something intimidating about actually sharing it, especially when your art always says something about you.

1776 is a hilarious musical that's both entertaining and historically accurate! Here's an actors perspective of the show he's in right now. Tickets available at algonquinarts.org

Stressed out? Burned out? Hanging by a string? Here are some insight from a freshman acting major on dealing with burnout, even when it seems like it's impossible to move forward.

My younger brother Josh and I have always had a strong bond over our mutual passion: we are both theatre kids. While I am preparing to graduate high school, Josh is an incoming freshman, and him and his friends are about to join the crazy and loving Agoura High School theatre community that I am leaving. We both wanted to think of some way to bridge the gap between my high school theatre family and Josh’s 8th-grade theatre friends, all who would be together next year. After much brainstorming, the Broadway Bound Party was born.

It's no fun when you are blocked creatively, but it's also not fun when the block is removed when you want nothing more than just sleep. But when the call is sounded, you have to answer it.

The performing arts demand a unique form of vulnerability. Artists, whether on stage or behind the scenes, share their deepest emotions with audiences, often at the expense of their own mental and emotional well-being. In an industry where perfectionism and emotional intensity are paramount, the distinction between the artist and their work becomes blurred, leading to mental health challenges that are often overlooked. 

I get it can be hard to be by yourself, especially if you have a laundry list of things to do, but I promise you, if you take time for yourself, even if it’s only for an hour, the quality of your work will be a million times better. Also, listen to your body, it knows what it needs.

I have not been in the theatre world, for a long time. I have never even been a theater student. I actually just auditioned for my first show this past week. I did not get a part but it was still exhilarating. I am proud of myself for even showing up. I think that is a big deal. It must get tiring to put oneself in such a vulnerable position to not see the result you want BUT that does not take away what you learn about yourself, your strength, and the craft with every step of training.