Opportunities

I always forget to write on this thing. I actually got a role in a production this year. I was cast in the Nerdfighter's (student group) live version of Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog as Penny, the lead female character. It was the most amazing experience I've had here with theatre and I am so proud of myself that I got the role. It was a musical so I had to sing which was awesome and I had a blast being up there on stage. We had three performances in a small black box type theatre and we sold out every night with some people standing in the back. My family came from Lansing as did a few friends and since the space was so small I could see everyone who was there. My boyfriend showed up on opening night as a surprise because I would have been so nervous knowing he was there. It was nice to see him afterward though and he told me he was really proud of me (that means so much). Acting is such a thrill for me, but designing is a whole lot stressful in the end.

In other news: I have just been asked to be the costume designer for the P.S. Series here at GVSU. I will be handling two one act plays with about 3 or 4 actors each. It is the first mainstage show I will be in charge of and I am really excited about it. It's going to be a great thing to put on my resume for graduate schools.

Speaking of grad school. I have been working on finding a school with a master's degree in costume design and I think I found one in Illinois. The University of Illinois has a MFA in costume design at their Urbana-Champaign campus. It's about 2 hours south of Chicago. My advisor here at GVSU says that it is one of the best programs in the country so I am starting to prepare everything I need to so that I can get in. I still have about a semester before I really need to worry about it but graduation is a year away and it fill fly by. I'm hoping to do an internship next summer or fall for more experience. I really hope everything goes as I plan.

My Blue Lake Summer

So I am nearing the end of my summer job at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. I have been a counselor in the Left Bank unit in Wells cabin. I take care of 11 girls for two weeks and my group switches every two weeks. The first two sessions I had girls going into 11th grade and the last two sessions will be girls going into 9th grade.

I have really enjoyed my time at Blue Lake. I've made so many new friends among the counselors and am staying in contact through snail mail with some of my campers. This is seriously one of the best jobs I could ever have. I get to be in the woods surrounded by nature with music all around me. There are some stresses and some tough days but I make it through because of my awesome counselor friends.

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp

So I applied to Blue Lake to work as a camp counselor and I was hired!!

I will be working there from June 21-August 22 with middle school and high school girls as well as the theatre classes and other activities with all of the campers. I am really looking forward to this experience and know that it will look good on a resume some day.

I went to Blue Lake when I was younger for band in 8th grade and then for choir before my junior year of high school and I had a blast there. I always hoped that I would be able to be a counselor and this summer seemed the best for it. I was really apprehensive about getting the job but everything went so smoothly and I got it! I couldn't believe it. When I got the email that I was hired I had to tell everyone and called and sent texts to everyone that I could.

To me this is one of the best jobs I could ever have, besides a sewing related job. I hope that I have some time to working on designing but I especially hope to be heavily involved in any theatre performances they may decide to put on. I also bought a Wicked karaoke track CD so that hopefully I can perform a song or two while I'm there, if there is the possibility. If not, then I hope to just sing in the cabin with my campers and show them the amazing-ness that is Wicked.

Super excited for Blue Lake! Wish me luck! :)

Things Change As Time Passes

So it's been a really long time since I last wrote and a lot has changed.

As a theatre major I basically have to take classes in every area (directing, stagecraft, acting, costume design, and theatre history). When I switched to being a theatre major my full intent was to be an actress and perform on Broadway. I still hope to do this but within the past few months I have discovered that I much more enjoy working in the costume shop and spending my time behind the scenes and backstage helping the actors get ready.

A friend in my acting class helped me get into the GVSU mainstage show Rhinoceros and I was able to help with the costumes during tech week and the performances. My main job was to paint one of the actors green and gray before his scene and then during his scene add more paint to his hands and face as well as put on horns that would get bigger and bigger. I had a blast helping this actor as well as many of the other actors in the show. I also got to sew a few things for the show (like tablecloths and torn clothes) and get to know the head costume ladies and their shop. I will hopefully get to work in the costume shop next year for pay which will be the best job ever. To sew and get paid for it is the best job I can think of.

It is that latter sentence that makes me feel like I belong in costume design/construction. Acting was a desire and I'd still like to be on Broadway some day but sewing is my passion. Sewing is one of those things that de-stresses me and if I could sew every day of my life, I think that would be amazing.

Slow Going

So things have been pretty uneventful since my last post.
I auditioned for quite a few shows here on the GVSU campus including RENT and Into the Woods. For RENT I was called back for the ensemble but to be a part of the production meant quitting my job and losing $200 every two weeks. It just wasn't the right thing to do at this time in my life. I need the money. Into the Woods was auditioning but since it was based in the Opera theatre I was a little bit out of my league and didn't get called back. During both of these audtions, RENT and Into the Woods, I was struggling with the sore throat troubles I mention below.
I have also auditioned for a Shakespeare Company based in Grand Rapids, as they were casting for Pericles. Even though I was not cast, I have been asked to audition again for their production of Hamlet next year and be a part of their small company that performs at small random venues like Barnes and Noble.

Life has been rather frustrating for me lately. I have been very sick with some type of sinus or nasal illness and can't seem to get it to go away. It has caused a lot of trouble for my voice. There are days where singing is almost impossible. There are other days where I am surprised by the clarity of my voice. I am taking a class this semester called voice for Non-music majors. Many of our assignments require singing and we even perform in class. I can't say how many times I've had to ask for a few days off for vocal rest, too afraid to sing with my voice in the condition it is in that day. I'm afraid to sing. That's really depressing me. I am even more depressed when I try singing and the sound that comes out is unfamiliar and not good.

So basically the last few months have been slow and depressing. If my voice doesn't clear up soon I'll be searching desperately to find every possible solution besides the doctor, since she didn't help any when I saw her in September. I'll just have to be really careful, take things slowly, and hope that I can get my voice back to tip-top health. My career depends on it.

Now a Theatre Major

So I decided to switch my major to Theatre. After my acting class last semester and the small one act play that I was in, I officially have stage fever. I just want to be on stage all of the time and be performing. I've been singing as much as possible lately, focusing on having my own style to songs but keeping it true to the original especially with the Wicked songs. I want to keep true to Elphaba's character but I don't want people to think I am copying Idina.
I signed up for all of my classes for next year and got into Acting II as well as many of the other now required courses. Thankfully I was able to salvage my English courses into an english minor and if I plan it all right I may be able to graduate a semester earlier than I had planned with maybe one summer of classes.
Mom isn't too happy about my switch to theatre. She's afraid that I won't find a job in acting and struggle to make ends meet. I know its going to be difficult but I'm willing to try at least. If I can't find a job then I'll figure something out then. I wish I could give her a reassuring response but I don't really know if I will be successful in the highly competitive acting arena... I just really hope I am.
I am also really excited because Grand Valley plans to perform RENT this next Fall. Auditions are in September and I can't wait. I'm new to the theatre arena at GVSU but I hope that I can get a good part.
Super excited about this next school year. I can't wait to see what it brings.

Idina is Pregnant!

The other day I was on a cleaning spree when I got a text message from my boyfriend. It read "Idina is pregnant" and that was that. My heart skipped a beat but I insisted on searching for it on the internet. I found so many sites exclaiming that Idina and Taye are expecting their first child. AHHHHH!!! I squealed so loud, startling my roommates and friends who were in the room.
This is just so great! Ever since I started looking up to Idina I had always hoped that Taye and Idina would be able to have a family and such. I knew that they both had busy careers but I held out hope. Now its for real. They're having a baby and its so exciting! I'm so happy for them and I'm hoping that every thing goes well for her. I'll be thinking about her, Taye, and their baby every day. :)