Is it Spring Break, yet?

No. Its not spring break yet, but it is rapidly coming up. So far, the only plans I have is to visit with friends here in Wichita and also in St. Louis. While in St. Louis, I will be auditioning for a theatre company down there. And before spring break starts, rehearsals begin for the spring musical Urinetown. If you don't know much about this show, check out the videos that I have posted on my blog. Everyone should make an effort to come see the show. It is April 15-18 at WSU. It will be a chance to see WSU musical theatre majors in action. Hope to see you there! But until then, we have to wait for Spring Break to come!! TATA!

Scene Study

I'm in a class called Musical Theatre Scene Study. What this class basically entails is selecting four different scenes from four different genres of musical theatre and then presenting them to the class by acting them out. All scenes must have dialogue and song, and one scene has to have a dance break number. For all the scenes, we are required to do both a text analysis and a character analysis of the dialouge from the show. We just finished our first round of scenes on Wednesday, so this Friday, we have to pick new scenes. The reason why I am blogging about this particular class is because it makes me realize how much I love my major. Its a chance to cast yourself into scenes and pretend to be a working actor, working on roles that you could potentially play in the real world. Everyday, WSU makes me realize that I am a part of the performing business. And I am glad that they are making me realize that.

Auditions

I have four auditions coming up next weekend for music theatre summer stock companies. I am very excited to audition and finally feel prepared. When I was younger and didn't have any technique under my belt, I had no idea what I was doing when it came to performing. But, with the help of my WSU professors, I am finally finding myself again through performing and able to confidently feel prepared when I walk into an audition. My voice teacher, as you may remember, is a fabulous instructor. Her knowledge of how to sing is remarkable! And I can now sing better than ever before. I will keep you posted on how the auditons go! Wish me luck! Especially you, Cassie Keefer.

The Inner Game of Tennis

My voice teacher at WSU is the most kind, caring, and considerate woman I have ever met. And she is a fantastic voice teacher. I have never sung so well in my life than I have on Wednesdays in her studio. It is such a treat to go into her classroom and work one on one with someone who truly cares about advancing you and making you become a solid performer and singer. Today, in our voice lesson, we had another one of our heart-to-heart chats. It basically was about how I need to set aside personal baggage and let go of the inner me in order to express the outer me when performing. She later 'prescribed' me a good book as a pick me up in self-confidence, an issue I have been struggling with and an issue that most performers and anyone struggles with. The book is called The Inner Game of Tennis. It uses the game of tennis and relates to your inner well-being and how it can affect your game of tennis and your game in life. I look forward to reading the book later on this evening. I have read the first chapter and already feel more centered and stable in life. The reason why I wanted to blog about this particular subject is that I am not quite sure you would recieve this kind of treatment from a professor at another university. This is truly a remarkable woman and someone who takes the time to help you and look out for you, always keeping in mind your best interests. She is definitely another hidden gem at WSU and someone I will truly never forget.

Let's Go Shox!

I went to the Shocker basketball game last night and we won! With this win, we are ranked 2nd in the Missouri Valley! Hopefully we can win the Missouri Valley Conference. Now, I don't know too much about sports, but I do know when I see a good team and a great head coach. Both of these exist on our campus! Greg Marshall does a fantastic job leading the our Men's Basketball team by getting them exicted to play well and work hard. His enthusiasm also generates out into the stands where the Shocker fans sit in support of his endeavors. Hope some of you can make it out to a Shocker basteball game sometime. The excitement in Charles Koch Arena will surely electrify your Shocker Spirit! Let's Go Shox!

Homecoming Parade: Too Legit to Quit!

This year, the Alumni Association brought Homecoming back after a disappearance for 20 years at Wichita State. And what a fun time it was! The Homecoming festivities included an hour long parade of floats from various campus orginizations, a bonfire, cookout, pep rally, and a special appearance by M.C. Hammer himself. It was appropriate that he 'M.C.'-ed the event for the theme was Too Legit to Quit, a title of one of Hammer's late 90s songs. Overall, it was a fun event that had a definite traditional atmosphere. The final festivities will take place tomorrow at the WSU men's basketball game in which the Homecoming King and Queen will be announced. Keep your fingers crossed for the two people who I voted for. : P

Valentine's Day Weekend

This weekend is Valentine's Day weekend and what better way to spend it with that special 'something'--HOMEWORK. Oh yes, the life of a college student can be somewhat of a drag, especially when you have a lot of homework to do. However, in the grand scheme of things, I probably don't need an extra relationship on my shoulders, although at times, it would be nice. No, for now, I need to focus on school and get through it and graduate. I think that is most important right now--SCHOOL. So, this weekend, I will have homework to keep me company. Despite my studies bogging me down, I will still have fun this evening. Tonight, will be my Valentine's date as I spend it with several SAS members watching a movie at the Marcus Welcome Center on campus. We will hang out and relax tonight, before reality sets in that we have a lot of homework to do this weekend. School. So good to me and an awesome, special 'something.' I am glad we are having dinner together on Saturday.

Fine Arts Luncheon

Today, we had the scholarship luncheon for students who had been awarded a Liberal Arts and Sciences Scholarship, including the School of Performing Arts. It was a fabulous luncheon, with greater attendance than last year's. The whole banquet hall was filled with Fine Arts faculty, students and donors to the colleges. At my table, I was surrounded by several musical theatre majors as well as my own Professor, Linda Starkey, and Mickey Armstrong, a donor who has graciously awarded me a scholarship in her name. The room was energized by the artists and it was just a wonderful, nice luncheon to be reconginized for the hard work that we do and the support from wonderful donors who have made it possible for us to study our art. But most of all, it was nice to be surrounded by people who knew the potential that Wichita State has to offer students. Today, made me realize even more how proud I am to be a Shocker.

Wal-Mart

I went to Wal-Mart today and it was an absolute mess. The parking lot was dangerous trying to find a parking place, while people darted in and out, like the Frogger game. Parents were not holding onto their children's hands while crossing the street. Inside, the shoppers frantically walked up and down the aisles and grabbed products that most probably didn't even need. At the checkout, the attendants took forever checking people out of the store which added even more of a delay to my schedule for running errands. And several shoppers were loud, cranky, and unfriendly. So, attention Wal-Mart shoppers, what is the deal? Have we become such an instant gratification society that we have thrown the morals of self-discipline and politeness out the window? Sounds like we need a clean-up on Aisle Attitude! That was my sociological thought for the day. : )

Catch Up Weekend

Hi gang! This weekend I have a lot to do in the way of homework, but still, I will be doing other social activites as a break from catching up on school work. Tonight, I am going to my cousin's music concert at Friend's University. It will a great chance for me to hear him play for the first time while secretly comparing WSU's music school to theirs. : P I will also have to read a chapter in my stagecraft textbook and in my acting textbook. Despite contrary beliefs, fine arts students still have to read like other majors. Finally, I have to get my audition material together for auditions next month. I am planning on auditioning for four different theatre companies. Two in Oklahoma, one in Wichita, and one in Missouri. Hopefully, I will get at least one. What I will need to do to prepare for these auditions is select and copy music appropriate for the shows, put together an apporpriate outfit, and also plan travel routes and living situations while visiting the cities. As you can tell, it wil be a very busy weekend, on top of running errands and all that other life stuff.

Time will Tell

I think life is so funny to me. Some days you feel you are headed the right direction. Other days you feel like you are not. I know of some adults to this day, graduated from college and did nothing with their degree. They went a completely alternate route or just decided to be stay at home parents. But do those who decided to stay at home with their kids feel useful to the world? Do they leave their legacy everyday keeping house? Throughout this journey that we called life, is it ever truly possible to figure out where we belong in the existence of mankind. Will we always be in pursuit of a career where we absolutely feel one hundred percent useful, where everything that we do is all self-inflicted. I am unsure.....Only time will tell for my degree. I have asked around some of my friends, and they too question their field of choice. I guess, one can only know for sure after graduation or really never for sure. Oh well, time WILL tell. That is my philosophy lesson for the day.