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

Thu Jan 2 21:27:01 UTC 2020

Hi Cierra,

This is such a great discussion!

You're in for a lot of research in the near future.  Finding the the
musical theater training you want may take some dedicated searching.
Think about where you want to live first.  Do you want to stay close
to family?  Do you want to live somewhere where you know friends in
the area?  Do you want to live in a certain location?  You will also
have to think about cost.  Some cities are more expensive than others,
as are some universities.  You can research lists of the top schools
for receiving a musical theater degree.  Look at those lists; read
articles on the internet; then consider for yourself what you read and
keep researching if you're not satisfied.  I think you're still in
training, so this might be a good research project for your tech
class.

Narrow down the list to a handful of schools that look promising, and
then begin reaching out.  Write a list of questions to ask.  You can
bring up your blindness then or wait until you've been corresponding
for a while.  I would recommend asking about the success rate of each
university's student body.  I would also recommend asking how they
work with students on finding employment while they're auditioning.

I'll give you a little bit of background about how I came into my
career because I want you to understand that it's very important to
think about what you'll be doing after college.  When I was in high
school, I wanted to be a musical theater major.  I could imagine
nothing better than being the next Sutton Foster.  I was serious too,
but I had no dance skills.  Seriously, I'm a bit of a nightmare on any
dance floor.  I would have had to be dancing for years to correct the
awkwardness I bring to any dance.  So I decided that I would work on a
vocal performance major instead.  I loved singing and could imagine
doing nothing else but singing.  But I didn't understand that studying
music would be worlds different from having a career in it.  After I
received my undergraduate degree, I went to grad school because I
wanted to prove to myself that I could get a career in music.  And I
loved grad school.  I got all the opportunities that had been lacking
for me in undergrad.  But I also took a career development class for
musicians, and I began to learn what it would take for me to be a
performer.  I couldn't just be a performer.  I needed to teach, direct
choirs, or something else.  I could also choose to pursue work outside
of music entirely.

Like Christina, I graduated in 2015 with a Master's degree and very
little direction.  I had two jobs when I graduated that soon turned
into three, but none of those jobs were similar to music school.

I then went to training, as you are doing now, and I stopped singing
for a while.  Before my training, I quit my voice teaching job and
left my home because I just didn't want to work in music anymore.  I
found teaching to be too slow to keep my passion alive, and I began to
resent music for being the only thing I could do well.

I am just now truly getting back my love of music and singing.  Even
when I took music jobs after training, out of necessity, I did not
feel that passion for it.

I will never ever tell anyone to do something more practical than
music, and I don't say all this because I'm afraid you'll lose your
passion for it like I did.  I say all this so that you understand the
truth that they try to hide from you in music school, until it's too
late.  Having a career in the arts is hard.  You may work a few jobs
at a time.  You may audition a hundred times over until you catch a
break.  You may find yourself warn down by discrimination and having
to prove yourself over and over again.  You may find yourself needing
to branch out into film or other genres of entertainment you never
imagined pursuing.  You may have to work a job you hate just because
it pays the bills while you can practice for that next performance.
All of this is totally worth it if you prepare for it and if you have
an excellent support system.  I also recommend finding strengths
outside of the performance world.  Training is a great place to do
this.  The skills you gain in training will undoubtedly help keep you
afloat when you're a struggling performer.

So as you research colleges, you should also take time to investigate
yourself.  What are your strengths?  Which of those strengths could
earn you money while you're in college or after?  I discovered after
training that I could cater meals if I wanted.  I'm fairly good with
technology, so I've always had tech jobs too.  It might also be a good
time to help with some teaching at the center to see if teaching dance
or music is something you might enjoy doing as well.

I hope this was helpful.  Please know that I am totally rooting for
you.  The road to being a performer is tough, but it's certainly worth
traveling with a lot of hard work and intentionality.

Julie

On 1/1/20, Cierra Theriot via Perform-Talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 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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-- 
Julie A. McGinnity
MM Vocal Performance, 2015; President, National Federation of the
Blind Performing Arts Division