Into the Woods!

GUESS WHAT READERS OF THIS FABULOUS BLOG: This girl landed herself a role in her school's musical!

I am one of Cinderella's stepsisters! Now, to some of you this might not seem like a role large enough to get all excited about, but I would have to disagree. It's not that the stepsisters have a lot of lines or play a major part in the show, but it is the first time that I will have lines in a high school production. I also believe that the stepsisters each have some minimal solos (like one line of a song), which is also very exciting. A lot of people at our school go to the musicals to support their friends in the shows and this role will finally allow me to show people that I have talent, which is always nice for an ego boost. (People need those every now and then.)

Anyway, I am really looking forward to the start of rehearsals, which I believe start sometime next week!

I have to say, before I got called-back to read for three different roles, I didn't think I was ever going to get cast as a character with actual lines. The main reason that would have upset me is because there's a sort of path that you have to follow (of course there are always exceptions) to make your way to a lead role in a musical.

1. Get a part in the chorus your freshman or sophomore year.

2. If you were in the chorus freshman year, then you at least need a chorus part with a line your sophomore year.

3. Junior year you get a smaller part with some lines and some solos.\

4. Senior year! If you've managed to follow the rest of the "plan" then you should be on your way to one of the leads this year.

Of course, this plan doesn't apply to everyone and it won't always ensure you a lead your senior year, but most of the time if you've made it to some sort of actual role your Junior year you'll have a decent role your when you're a senior.

It also helps your odds of getting a lead when you're a senior if there are only like four or five senior girls auditioning. Of course, leads roles can go to the junior girls, but they tend to go to the seniors since it's their last musical at the school. I'm not trying to imply that I am without a doubt going to get a lead role next year; I'm just saying that my odds are much better considering the progress I've made thus far.

Sorry, if you're not really all that interested in musical theatre or anything. I just really needed to express my joy to the world (or at least to my small group of dedicated readers).

Oh, and I don't know this for sure, but I will probably get to wear a really gorgeous dress for my role because they're going to the "festival" (basically the ball) and will, of course, need beautiful ball gowns to wear. I hope I feel like a Princess in it.

My Future is Unlimited

What do you want to do with your life?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Have you thought about colleges yet?

These are all questions that I've been bombarded with ever since my years in high school have started to zoom past.

As a junior, you really have to start worrying about getting into a good college and figuring out what kind of things you're interested in studying. Thankfully, I have basically known my major since the freshman year and last year I finalized my plans for college.

Dream Plan:

1. Go to Oxford.

2. Major in Musical Education.

3. Minor in Musical Theatre.

4. Fall in love with a British guy.

Okay, so that plan is obviously just a fantasy...

"Practical" Plan:

1. Go to UNT.

2. Major in Musical Education.

3. Minor in Musical Theatre.

So it's not much different, but it is more reasonable, and I can actually control all of those factors. Well, sort of.

If you hadn't already figured this out- I really want to teach. It's something I've wanted to do for awhile. I just didn't know what I wanted to teach. I couldn't pick between English, Theatre, and Choir. Then freshman year I realized that singing is my passion and if it wasn't for my middle school choir teacher I wouldn't have been where I am today in the chorale program. I thought about how I wanted to someday be able to give kids the same oppurtunities that she had given me, so I am going to be a choir teacher.
I haven't quite decided what grade I plan on teaching, I was leaning towards high school at least for a few years, but I am going to get my PhD and I want to eventually teach at the college level because let's face it- the pay is better and I'd get to pick when I teach.

So, I told all of this to my grandparents awhile ago because we got onto the subject of college and careers and whatnot. Anywho, she told me that I shouldn't be a teacher and should be a lawyer instead.
When I asked her why I shouldn't be a teacher she explained how teachers don't make any money, but lawyers make boatloads. I then pointed out that lawyers, while having a lot of cash, don't have time to really have a family and settle down. I also said that I didn't want to be a lawyer (brings back too many repressed, middle school history memories), and that I loved kids and wanted to teach.

She didn't really understand that line of thinking because she never attended a university, but that's okay; I don't have to take career advice from anyone if I don't want to. And in this case, I don't because I've already got my future planned (Hopfully that plan works fine for me!), and the people investing in my education, my parental units, fully support my decision to teach.

Maybe you've noticed that I haven't mentioned what I plan to do with a Minor in Musical Theatre yet. Well, dear reader, It's always been a dream of mine to perform on Broadway, so I intend to use that Minor for when I audition.
In case you were curious, these are some roles I would love to play (in order of conception):

1. Elphaba in "Wicked".

2. Maria in "The Sound of Music".

3. Belle in "Beauty and the Beast".

4. Ariel in "The Little Mermaid".

I really do hope you're seeing a theme. I want to be a star.
Of course, I realize this may never happen, but I will never stop hoping, dreaming, and praying that it will.

Until next time,
Future Choir Teacher/Broadway Star