When I was in high school I remember the musical theatre program being a very big deal. I was a grade 11 Integrated Arts visual arts student and was experimenting in the world of theatre. Signing up for the course took a tremendous amount of courage at the time, but it ended up being one of the best decisions I have ever made. In 2012 I was taught by Steve Russell and Sherry Latchford and the production was Little Shop of Horrors. Rachel Smith (front right in black), with some of the cast of Little Shop of Horrors. All photos in this post courtesy of Steve Russell. I had taken drama classes previously but I was still extremely nervous about the new dynamics musical theatre would bring. Our company was together all the time, rehearsing, singing - you name it. We became a community and we were always there for one another. We each had our own production position and mine was stage management. I had never stage managed before in my life but the organization and responsibility required for the job was something I enjoyed. Working with my friends and being a support system for them when they were actors was also something I absolutely adored. Most importantly, creating this production gave me an astounding amount of confidence. I consider this moment of my high school career a blossoming point to where I am today. I worked with many wonderful individuals and learned many things about myself throughout this process. I was able to utilize my love for visual arts, designing a poster and spending countless night’s chalk-lining and painting our set. I was also able to learn many new skills such as singing and supervising rehearsals while leading large groups of people. Most importantly, creating this production gave me an astounding amount of confidence. I consider this moment of my high school career a blossoming point to where I am today. The arts have always been a huge part of my life and the musical theatre program was unknowingly the start of something very special for me. I am now a second year BFA Theatre Production and Design Student at York University, minoring in Studio Art. I have went on to stage manage many other productions and am currently exploring the world of lighting and scenic paint for the stage. ...embrace every challenge. Advice I have for future students who decide to embark on this journey of musical theatre at TAS would be to embrace every challenge. Make the most of this grand opportunity by stepping outside of your comfort zone and learning as many new skills as you possibly can. Be kind to one another and come to class with a smile on your face. No matter how tired or frustrated you can sometimes become, the reward is always worth it when that curtain finally goes up. I would have never known my passion for theatre if I hadn't tried something new in my senior years of high school and I am so happy I did. I am truly thankful for my time spent in this class and I wish all the best to those involved in future musical productions on the TAS stage. Guest Writer and Former TAS Musical Theatre Student, Rachel Smith
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AuthorOur blog and website is managed by T.A.S. Musical Theatre staff and students. Guest writers are also welcome - contact us if you'd like to contribute. Archives
January 2018
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