[Perform-Talk] Question about musical theater and performing arts college

Cierra Theriot cierratheriot at icloud.com
Wed Jan 1 19:37:58 UTC 2020


Thank you all so much for your responses. Yeah I hope that they wouldPay attention to my potential and not my blindness. hope you all have a great new year as well.


Cierra Theriot

> On Dec 31, 2019, at 7:56 PM, Sandra Gayer via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello Cierra,
> I'd like to second what Cristina said to you. I couldn't have put it
> better myself. I'm a Soprano Singer, Radio Broadcast Presenter and
> Actor. I use Braille and a long cane. Directors seem to be very aware
> of disability in general, much more so than years ago. They appear to
> be making a lot of effort to find actors with genuine disabilities for
> these types of roles even though it is difficult to get work in the
> performing arts as a blind performer. You're aware of the struggle
> and, if you're determined and work hard to achieve what you want to
> do, I expect you'll do it and do well.
> 
> Very best wishes and happy New Year to everyone on this list.
> Sandra.
> 
>> On 1/1/20, Cristina Jones via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hia, Cierra,
>> You can absolutely follow your dream and passion in majoring in what you'd
>> like to major in.
>> As far as practicality goes, honestly, you never know. I think it's fair to
>> say that a lot of us have had negative or less than satisfactory experiences
>> with directors, etc. when it comes to performance. But we're also moving
>> toward and forging ahead into the next decade with more of a realistic and
>> positive outlook on ability in general, but in the arts in particular.
>> Knowing that you might not end up performing solidly on stage consistently
>> for a living is true. But it doesn't mean you won't be performing in other
>> ways.
>> I initially went to college thinking I wanted to be a music education major.
>> I changed that when I was bitten by the opera bug, and I decided I wanted to
>> be an opera singer, damn the success rates and what the naysayers still say.
>> I graduated from Cal State Fullerton with my BM in vocal performance, and I
>> decided to go to the Royal Academy of Music for my graduate studies in
>> performance. I graduated in 2015, and I'll be honest in saying I was so lost
>> and confused about everything when I moved back to the States. I didn't know
>> what to do, where to go, who I could reach out to, and it made me feel
>> really hopeless for a bit. I lacked direction. I started teaching at the
>> Academy of Music for the Blind on Saturdays, and I still do that. I continue
>> to audition and perform for things. That said, I'm very selective with what
>> I choose to spend my time auditioning for since a lot of the companies don't
>> pay much for the amount of work you end up doing, especially as a blind
>> person running around town on public transport.
>> That said, that doesn't mean I'm unhappy. I'm actually feeling quite happy
>> and fulfilled, thank you, even though ow'm not performing as much as I'd
>> like to. I'm doing other things, though, in the music and acting world. I've
>> opened myself up to film opportunities, as well as studio recording
>> opportunities. A lot of it is building yourself a group of supportive
>> people, working hard on your artistry and craft, and surrounding yourself
>> with, not just forward-thinking, sound-minded people, but creative people
>> who are positive and are going to encourage you and maybe give you ideas
>> when you run out, both in your craft, as well as in the advocacy and
>> accessibility aspect of your desired work.
>> As far as selecting a program for yourself, that really depends on where you
>> want to end up, for one, but also what you want to do, what you value in a
>> program, and what you personally need and are comfortable with.
>> Musical theater's leading program in the States right now is
>> Carnegie-Mellon. University. I have no idea how forward-thinking their MT
>> program is, but it's worth looking at the program and speaking with Katelyn
>> Macentire about it as she went to CMU for her graduate studies as a vocal
>> performance major, I believe.
>> That said, MT programs are and are not similar to vocal performance. There
>> are a lot of similar concepts etc., but MT people, I per sopersonally find,
>> tend to be more progressive and forward-thinking. I mean, look at Ali
>> Stroker's major win for the disabled community as a whole! There's a guy who
>> is blind who has been on broadway quite successfully, but ow'm not
>> remembering his name right now. So it's doable.
>> Surround yourself with positive people who will remind you how amazing you
>> are when you're not as confident in yourself. Surround yourself with people
>> who might be able to give you opportunities to explore and find your own
>> strengths and comfort level on stage. Make it a lifestyle and commitment if
>> this is what you want. Work on your physical gestures, facial expressions,
>> dance, etc., as those are usually going to be the bits that sighted
>> directors and such will be the most concerned about. That way, you have the
>> power and the choice to use your body the way you want to.
>> You're in a great group of people here who are empowering themselves and
>> barging up to the table and making room for themselves in the conversation.
>> Be part of it, and learn where you're comfortable backing off, and learn
>> when and how you're willing to assert yourself. Remember, too, that being
>> assertive comes in multiple forms. It's not always immediately aggressive.
>> You'll capture more flies with honey than with vinegar. And if you need to
>> pull out the vinegar, you'll know when and how to do it and walk away
>> eventually feeling more powerful.
>> NYU is where Ali Stroker went, and they have a good reputation, and Ali
>> Stroker spoke very highly of the program, but I'm sure she, too, had her
>> issues in figuring out how to do things.
>> Remember that no matter where you end up, they're going to accept you based
>> on your potential. Then they will either tell you what they think you're
>> able to do as a blind person, or they won't know how to deal with your
>> blindness or what to do with you. So this is where you'll have to get
>> creative and figure out how you're comfortable and build on that. Having
>> plenty of transparent conversations with those professors is a learning
>> experience for everyone, but mainly you. And it's always okay to say that
>> you're not sure how you'll be doing one thing or another, but that you'll do
>> some thinking and reaching out to others.
>> There are so many programs and so many things to talk about with those. Feel
>> free to reach out to me off list or carry on this conversation on list if
>> others might find that more useful.
>> Future work will be mix, and you might have to take a job outside of your
>> field altogether to make ends meet and whatnot, and that's okay, too. It's
>> actually good for you. That said, try taking on other jobs now, either
>> during summer or during school. Either online jobs or whatever to get work
>> experience. Remember that work experience is life experience and will only
>> make you a more rounded human being, which will make you a more rounded
>> performer. There's nothing wrong at all with taking jobs outside of your
>> field to live Most sighted people end up having to do that as well. It's the
>> great equalizer in that sense.
>> Free yourself up to explore and make mistakes now. The right program will
>> eventually make itself known to you, even if it's not your first choice.
>> Good luck with everything, and keep us posted! I'm looking forward to
>> hearing more from you in the next decade! :)
>> ^
>> Best:
>> Cristina Jones
>> +1(562) 308-7591
>> www.theblindsoprano.com
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Dec 28, 2019, at 6:51 PM, Cierra Theriot via Perform-Talk
>>> <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hello all.
>>> as I am currently in training getting my independence trying to decide
>>> what I want to do in my life, I am also researching different colleges
>>> that have good musical theater programs. there are so many to choose from
>>> I’m just having a hard time trying to narrow down the choices and
>>> sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming because it’s like I don’t know what
>>> to look for. I just love performing and I assume like ini of you I feel
>>> like this is my only calling. I just can’t picture myself doing anything
>>> else because this is something I’m just so passionate about and I just
>>> really want to do it. I love making people happy through the performing
>>> arts. I love how getting up on a stage just wipes away my anxieties that
>>> may have happened previously the date of the performance. I love how the
>>> music just swept me off my toes as I dance. I love how the words just come
>>> out so clearly as I sing out with my tiny voice. and all of the hard work
>>> that I’ve put into a performance no matter what it is just shines through
>>> when the audience cheer at the end of the performance. as I know it is
>>> hard to get into this field especially for those of us with disabilities,
>>> I would really like it for them to understand that we have a passion just
>>> as anyone else. That we may need accommodations with certain things but we
>>> can make it work. So my question to you is, what colleges do you
>>> recommend? And I was wondering what’s the best state? Where the teachers
>>> excepting of you getting in to the college? Did you have to reassure them
>>> that you should be treated just like the other kids and if you have any
>>> accommodations that you will speak to them about? Thank you all for
>>> reading and I hope I made sense to you all.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Cierra Theriot
>>> 
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>> 
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> 
> 
> -- 
> Sandra Gayer DipABRSM, LRSM.
> 
> Soprano Singer
> www.sandragayer.com
> 
> Broadcast Presenter
> www.rnibconnectradio.org.uk/music-box.html
> 
> Actor
> www.visablepeople.com
> 
> Voiceover Artist
> www.archangelvoices.co.uk/content/sandra-gayer
> 
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