Student Blog: Back In the Studio!

Welcome to the first blog of 2024! It’ll be a short one but I’ll tell you everything that I’ve been up to since we last left things off. Halfway through second year and I’ve got so many fun plans so, let’s go!

After Christmas, it was right back to work at university. We had to come back earlier than most courses for an intensive before classes begin. We’re already halfway through January and it’s been a very busy month. I have been balancing between rehearsals, little bits and bops outside of performing, and it has been a blast. My update for now is that I have two shows coming up in February, one for my course, hence the intensive and the other for our performing arts society which I’ll bring you through briefly!

For the society, we’ve been in rehearsals for 9 to 5 since November. 3 rehearsals a week, most of which take place after class so days got pretty long when I had rehearsals for my swing project as well on other days. At one point I had to balance in between two studios because of the schedule collision but it was fun, nevertheless! We’re coming close to show dates so we have been working on solidifying the last few details with our songs and choreography and this week we will be working with costumes! I know for a fact that I will have a lot of catching up to do with how some of the rehearsals clash with extra class times, but I’m lucky that I have few classmates in the production to work with and catch up together.

Now, for my course, the new musical we’re working on is called You’re A Catch! Why Are You Single? By the incredible Sarah Wynen. It’s actually a song cycle but brilliant all the same through and through. It’s insane because we were told on the first day that we’re the UK debut cast, so this is massive to us! This musical will get a blog of its own later in the month because I have far too much to write about our process and pictures to share too! It’s amazing how much we’ve accomplished throughout the 2-week intensive, and now it’s just polishing things up to perfection before the show. When I thought swing was the most fun, workshopping a new musical with a full-scale production and fun costumes is a winner.

There was a lot to review over the Christmas break, but I had fun getting to learn my song at my own pace and getting to enjoy the soundtrack before we returned to the studio. I actually love being busy sometimes especially with coursework. It beats the doom scroll of social media any time but I've been occupying myself with books and films as well since I have a lot to catch up on in my list. A lot of my creative process relies on feeding off other creative mediums so, safe to say, I managed to do quite a bit then.

Other than all the work I’m doing, I’ve got other little things planned too for the year. Outside of uni work, in February, I’m going to be seeing my one true love, Hadestown, in London!! It’s one of the most unbelievable things ever. I never thought I’d be as lucky as I was seeing that announcement while I’m still studying here. Of course I have to see it and even though I have not seen it yet, I have plans to see it again and again.

While writing this, I just realized that everything I’m writing about here is happening in February so it’s going to be crazy busy for me before everything simmers down for our spring break in April. Hopefully I have a few more crazy things to do before the summer, and honestly, I have no doubt I will.

Anyway, I’ll see you in the next one where I will chat more about You’re A Catch!