Tri School Theatre Personal Statement

After taking an acting and theater class in my current college, I found a new passion for the theater arts. This led me to taking more classes at my school and performing in plays, and as an extra in television shows. I was recommended the USC School of Dramatic Arts by a teacher, because of how good I was in the craft and my excitement to be a part in the creation of theater. The School has a history of great performers, and directors that I want to follow in their footsteps. This includes my personal hero George Lucas, who has changed my life for the better in so many ways. His creation of Star Wars, Red Tails, and Indiana Jones affected how I saw the world and my aspirations. I want to learn about theater and become an actor and create the same fun and excitement that I enjoy everyday, and touch the hearts and lives of other people.

Storytelling has been changing rapidly in recent years. Stories have been told orally, through books, and most recently movies. These stories provide an escape from reality for children and adults alike. Many fairy tales were originally thought to be enchanting and were meant to please a child’s endless imaginations and presents different teachings and morals (Moore 175). In the society seen today, many aspects of life are changing and fairytales have not been adapting consistently to these changes. The biggest contributor to fairy tales today, is Disney. Disney utilizes their popularity by shaping and dominating the world and creating notions of happiness and utopia (Zipes 17). While children find joy in these tales, Disney inserts their

The past four years, I have breathed, slept, eaten, thought and immersed myself in all thing pertaining to theatre. This is where I discovered to truly work in a team, where I could be without fear of being something I am not, and where I have found peace in the maddening swirl of day to day life, ironic in the fact that theatre is a hectic world. This world is where I have made my best friends and found people I know I can count on and that I insist can depend on me. If I have learned one thing from my experiences in theatre, it is to strive and achieve

Before I even entered high school, I obtained a love of theater and the performing arts. I have been singing and acting since I was nine, as well as on and off dancing since three. Taking classes at a local theater really introduced me to this interest of mine. When I entered high school, an injury kept me from doing shows. But now I graduate with nine high school shows under my belt, as well as being in multiple community theater productions. Being a part of these shows made me feel a strong sense of belonging, and whether I was an ensemble or lead

As a shy, reserved student, I found myself blossoming through the stage. I fell in love with the stage and auditioned for the middle school's play, A Christmas Carol. Fortunately, I was casted in the performance. I loved the experience so much that I auditioned for the next year's play and musical and got a part in those as well. The more time I spent on stage, the more confident I became. I felt like the stage was where I belonged. I had a passion for theater that began to distinguish like a flame when I entered high school.

From an early age, I loved to perform. Being the youngest girl with three older brothers, I could never get enough attention; This meant singing, dancing and being extremely outgoing to get everyone’s eyes on me. I still hear stories about my younger self dancing in front of mirrors, babbling about my dream of being a “star”. It wasn’t until much later, however, that I found I could put my love of performing to use.

As I sat enveloped in her story of overcoming conclusions, she taught my heart to embrace each quirky part of myself. I identified with Elle Woods’ need to prove herself. This idea of accepting individuality provided me with the courage to audition for my first show, the Arvada Center’s production of Footloose. Since that first nerve-racking, nail-biting experience, I have come to find myself through each move I dance onstage. Getting my first big role, the Dragon in a production of Shrek, I poured my heart out, knowing the people ready to judge and mock were watching. After the show, the peers who judged my intelligence approached me, saying things like, “I never knew you could sing like that.” Through performing I found myself again. I shifted back to the girl I was, the girl who cared about her morals. I want to perform, hoping to provide audience members with the ability to connect with characters who can offer them a point of realization, as Elle Woods did for me.

When I was three years old, I could be found standing on fountains at the local mall and putting on concerts for passers by. Now, at 18 years old, the same joy I felt singing in the middle of a mall is what I feel crafting stories on stage and pursuing a character’s truth. Throughout the years, theatre has been an immensely important creative outlet for me, and the confidence I have found on stage has translated in my real life, making me a stronger person. As I pursue higher education in this field, I am excited at the prospect of continuing my studies at the University of Michigan, and being able to take advantage of all the opportunities I am so passionate about.

"I’m so nervous,” I complained to my mom as we walked into the Waukesha Civic Theatre. “What if I’m not good enough. I haven’t even prepared that much!” It was a crisp September day and some leaves had already started changing color. On the way home from school my mom told me about a play that the theater puts on near us every year and thought I would be good for it. Since I had only heard about the audition that day, it gave me a few hours to pick my song and be prepared for whatever part they wanted me to read. The next song that came on the radio was the song “Edge of Glory” by Lady GaGa and because it was in my vocal range I thought it would be good for me. Little did I know that this audition would change my view of theater.

It was the winter of 2014 when my mother forced me to go to The Corner Health Center Theatre Troupe. I was livid, and acting at the time was something that I was terrified of. I felt as if I was a bird being pushed from the nest too early. I knew there was no possible way that I could be able to: one,talk to strangers, two, learn a script,

Returning to college has been a prodigious challenge. One in which I determined I would meet head on with resolution. As a fine arts student I was fortunate to find a mentor in the Paradise Valley Community College Theater Director, Andrea Robertson. Andrea perceived potential in me and encouraged pursuit my goals as a writer/director. I took the initiative to approach Andrea with the idea to write and direct my own play in the Advanced Directing course. This past fall that idea came into fruition. As a director I oversaw numerous different areas in the production of my play. These were roles filled by fellow students, allowing the opportunity to provide guidance and leadership to peers. I worked with actors, stage management, set design, prop

As the show captivated my senses, it captured my heart, and turned from what I thought would be a trite show like the soap operas my mother enjoyed into a breathtaking experience. The dancers leaping and flipping across the stage were astonishing, and filled me with a sense of wonder. I was not consciously aware of it at the time, yet in some way, I aspired to emulate them in my own life. Now I in no way wanted to be a broadway star; however, I wished to gain even just an ounce of the talent they possessed. Exiting the theatre, I had a different attitude than when I had first gone through the doors. I had finally found something that I did not just enjoy, but that I was fervent

Fourteen years after that fateful day, when I saw that first musical, my love has grown. I have changed a great deal, but my love has not. Despite what other people say and believe, musical theatre is what I am destined to do. So I will keep pushing myself to become better. Because, no matter what, I'm determined to keep dancing and Singing in the

Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I have searched and searched for a talent that would give me a unique identity to make me stand out from my peers. When I was five years old, I was given the chance to be in a musical in our city's community theatre, PMT. This musical was "The Wizard of Oz", and I played the role of a munchkin in the Lollipop Guild. This initially sparked a great interest in theatre, and I fell in love with acting. I had an amazing mentor for my youth acting career, the late Jack Ewing. He played Harold Hill in PMT's production of "The Music Man", while I had the opportunity to play the role of Winthrop, the young boy that helps Harold Hill become a better person. (Jack later died a year before I had the chance to play the role of Harold Hill in my high school's production of "The Music Man Jr.") When I was about nine, PMT dissolved as an organization and therefore there was no community theatre around me for years, which put a setback in my interest and talent for theatre.

In the fall of my junior year I began working with my Dean to form an accelerated Independent Study dedicated to the study of acting and the practice of performance techniques. I continued this Independent Study in my senior year. Since I am pursuing a career in acting, I wanted to devote myself to in depth character analysis, monologue study, and acting methods. I benefited greatly from the one-on-one interaction with my Dean as my director. Not only has she taught acting at MICDS, but she is a working actress. This unique experience allowed me to receive immediate feedback regarding my acting skills, performances, and practice the necessary skill of taking direction. I have not only grown as an actress, but have grown as an individual. I