Hello Loves,

Once again, I've failed to give due attention to this blog. It appears the work world has swept me up and stolen me away from this place. But my return is a committed one. Let's start with the most recent, exciting event that I've been working on since January. Here is a blog that I wrote for Hennepin Theatre Trust...

SpotLight Students Share Their Message: Don’t Stop Believing!

This year’s SpotLight Showcase was truly exceptional, and the energy in the Orpheum was electrifying. More than eight hundred SpotLight students from across Minnesota came together to create an evening of musical theatre for the sold-out audience. And above all, it packed a powerful message: Whether or not these young people go on to a career in the business, the lessons they have learned as a participating SpotLight student are invaluable and life-long.

The passion that the students poured out on stage was undeniable. So much, in fact, that the lovely SpotLight Showcase hostess, Greta Grosch, opened the show by rallying the audience and calling for “fierce advocates for high school musical theatre.”

Why are we doing this? So that all of you sitting here tonight with a mix of pride and anxiety- pride for what these young people have accomplished as a part of high school musical theatre, and simultaneously scared to death that this crazy passion of theirs might not go away- can be assured that being involved in theatre is a good thing. We are going to share with you our experiences so you know that it’s going to be alright.

And there it was. The elephant in the room was ushered out, and the audience roared in resounding commitment to lifting up the students, their respective high school musical theatre programs, and the SpotLight Musical Theatre Program.

High schools that received awards for Outstanding Overall Production took the stage to showcase a medley from their winning musical production. Minnetonka High School was at the top of the bill, giving us a Broadway bubblegum taste of Legally Blonde. Later in the program, Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists gave us goose-bumps with their medley of Caroline, or Change. Southwest High School capped the list with a medley of Hairspray that absolutely brought down the house! The Showcase was also laced with medleys from Hennepin Theatre Trust’s upcoming Broadway season, including Book of Mormon, Flashdance, Beauty and the Beast, Mary Poppins, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.

Throughout the evening, presenters talked of the SpotLight Parent Network, Alumni Network, ways to financially support SpotLight, and of course, they shared personal experiences that attested to the importance of musical theatre. Former high school stage manager, Sheila Smith, transformed her organizational skills into her career at Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Stacey Marmalejo spoke to the value of collaboration by mentioning School of Rock’s upcoming partnership with the SpotLight Cabaret Camp this summer. And then there were those that were never involved in musical theatre, but, like SpotLight sponsor Terri Sim, were touched by their very talented children. It was clear that everyone at the Showcase was there to support and inspire.  (If you would like to know more about SpotLight’s many opportunities to get involved, the links are located at the end of this blog).

 Toward the end of the evening, the success of the Showcase was unstoppable. Our Showcase hashtag on twitter [#SpotLight] was trending locally, and we were on the cusp of announcing the Triple Threat Award winners. Everyone (even those following our live tweets from home) was buckled in for a stellar finale.

Tom Hoch, President and CEO of Hennepin Theatre Trust, and Melissa Koch, Director of Education and Community Engagement, took the podium to announce the winners: one boy and one girl to represent Minnesota at the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York City. But to everyone’s surprise, there would be a third award given out: the SpotLight Triple Threat Breakout Performance Award. We were all so moved by John Jamison, a young artist new to high school musical theatre as a senior, that we felt we simply had to recognize him in a significant way. Thanks to a generous donor, we were able to create an experience that we feel will be of great benefit to John. Along with a parent, John will be flown out to New York for a three-day intensive trip that will include Broadway shows, professional coaching, a visit to Telsey and Company, and meetings with other theatre industry professionals. Truly, John is a stand-out participant, both on and off the stage. If you saw him perform as Seaweed during the Hairspray medley on Monday night, you know exactly how excited we are to sweep him off to New York and nurture his future as a performer.

Happily, the excitement didn’t stop with John’s award. Spokesperson, Linda Eder, shared the podium to give Emily Nies (White Bear Lake Area High School) and Dan Peiring (Wayzata High School) the Triple Threat Actress and Actor Awards. We are so thrilled to have these talented young adults represent our state in NYC. Keep an eye out for our next blog, dedicated to the stories of Emily and Dan!

In true SpotLight Showcase fashion, songs had been sung, stories had been shared, and the stage and house had connected in mutual delight over the talent and spirit of the evening. The Showcase closed with every single student belting out the finale number, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing,” while the audience joined in for a spectacular sing-a-long. The show ended, and the Orpheum grew emptier, spilling over 2,000 smiling faces onto Hennepin Avenue. The Showcase is over, but the message remains: Fierce Advocates of High School Musical Theatre, DON’T STOP BELIEVING.

Talk It Out

Today's will be a short post, but something worth thinking about.

How much can we do to help those close to us solve their problems? Heal their relationships? Look at life differently?

It's a tricky thing, being happy. It makes you feel like you know what you're doing. It makes you feel like you have advice to offer, counsel to give. But I believe my happiness is the culmination of many things, but the result of just one thing: openness. This past year, I've been open to failure, to my flaws, and to rejection. I've been open to learning, to teaching, and to success. And most of all, I've been open to talking. Talking, candidly and honestly, with a fair heart and a mind grounded in reason, has led me to so many constructive, healing conversations. Conversations where I could make my point, but practice empathy and consideration. Communication, like happiness, is a very tricky thing, indeed.

So where does my ability communicate stop? I can heal my broken friendship, but can I mend the struggling relationship between my two friends? I can urge them to talk. I can coach them on how to approach each other. But I can't make them do it, and I certainly can't do it for them. I can cope with my own personal struggles with anxiety, but can I help another do the same? I can give them resources. I can suggest getting help. But I can't make them do it, and I certainly can't do it for them. 

For now, I've surmised that the best I can do is to continue to love, listen, and talk to these people. Perhaps talking with me will demonstrate [what I feel] would be helpful if they did the same with others.

The Weirdness of Internet Anonymity

(Candid Opening: I've been negligent with this blog. I've started a Tumblr, which is what I call my "quick blog." Totally for people with attention span issues and time-poor audiences. However, all is not lost. I still have thoughts that are certainly blog-worthy).

So the internet is this super connected place where we can learn anything and talk to anyone all the time in real time (whoa...I know). It's a busy, vast, sometimes inconceivable beast that has completely changed our world- for better or for worse. And before anyone gets any ideas about this post inspiring some manifesto I'm going to write about the internet, let me be clear- I'm no techie. I can barely rifle my way through WordPress. However, I have studied some of the social outcomes of the internet's existence, and this post is dedicated to my most recent observation: the anonymity of it all makes people WEIRD.

Okay, not all people. And not the whole internet.

Let's talk Facebook. People who generally don't use pet names/don't say "I love you"/haven't talked to you in years/don't make eye contact/can't read/eat chalk/etc... are all of a sudden liberated to internet hug you whenever they see your name on a newsfeed. There are a few things at play with this: 1) usually, the receiving individual is far, far away. No messy responses. No tears, no follow up questions. It's one-and-done. 2) You don't have to say it out loud! Typing makes this pleasant little click noise, and before you know it, you're sending love through the airwaves. ("No one heard you, right?"). 3) You can delete it. Sometimes it gets to the recipient before you have the chance (darn internet...), but it sure beats saying the words and never being able to change your mind! 

Alright, so I'm sassy today. Truly, I have no problem with throwing some fruity love on the interwebs. But if you don't (or can't) say it in person, it doesn't translate on the screen. Even worse, because I can't hear that person saying it, boy does it sound sugary. And by sugary, I mean insincere and - you guessed it- weird.

But hey, don't let me tell you what to write on your Faceplaces. Do what's in your heart. But if it's in your heart to be sweet, make sure you double that love that say it in person as well. It's worth it.

"Start With The Pitch"

Formality. I get it. In the business world, we have to be professional. Granted, depending on the company, the meaning of "professional" may loosen. But if you consider the least common denominator, you at least put pants on and spell out full words. 

So this varying degree of formality/professionalism, I've found, creates a smattering of awkward moments in the workplace that I always find myself asking...myself..."Why the hell is she saying 'moving right along' at this meeting?" [Yes. We had an agenda, and she said, "Moving right along"]. But it's other things too, like, "I'd like to take a minute to talk about..." or, "Perhaps we could address..." and so on and so forth (<-- that's another one). I suppose I just don't understand why the "grey matter" gets tossed into a meeting or conversation once we flip the light on in our cubicle. Aren't we all just talking anyway? Don't we have important things to say? 

I once read, "Don't start with the wind up. Start with the pitch." In other words, no one cares about your crappy lead-in. Start with the good stuff! And hell, be excited about it! Show some character. Smile when you talk. Look at people. And for crying out loud, get to the point. If you say "etc", then we assume there is more. Tell us about it. If you say "things of that nature", tell us what nature you mean. If I say, "It's like football, wrestling, UFC, and other things of that nature" I could mean contact sports, male-dominated sports, or the inherent source of hypermasculinty in the United States which directly supports shitty TV like Jersey Shore. 

See?

All I'm saying is, in school, you get knocked for this kind of work. If you put it in a paper, it gets cut out. If you say it in a speech, you're unnatural and underprepared. If your professor teaches like some people run meetings, they're evaluated as vague and not engaging. Of course, I know school is different than the work force. Not all of it is directly translatable. But some of it is. Like grammar. (Don't even get me started...)

Do I have a bone to pick today? Yep. Can you tell? Probably. But I figure being transparent probably won't hurt anyone. All I call for is some balance between embracing professionalism and "starting with the [interesting] pitch." 


AND ANOTHER THING! Jokes. I'm done. Off my high horse. Gonna go make a friend or something...

It takes courage...

As of this week, both of my internships are in full-swing. [Education and Community Engagement at Hennepin Theatre Trust, & Marketing at The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts]. 

I just wanted to land a quick note about how my recent career decisions have affirmed exactly where I want to be. Deciding to work 40 hours/week for free wasn't easy, and it's only the first month. I expect it may only get more difficult. But in my book, hearing ballet classes (live piano!) in the background, and getting insider access to amazing Broadway productions (The Lion King!) are very validating factors. I have given myself to the performing arts my entire life. Why change gears now? Ask some, and they'll tell you nonprofits don't pay. Ask me, and I'll tell you it's where I'm happy. I know this industry, and if I work as hard as I plan, I'll be bringing in the entertainment for Minneapolis for a long while. 

I'm doing everything I know how to do; everything I want to do. I'm in charge of Hennepin Theatre's historic tours, I'm involved in giving underserved communities access to theatre tickets through donations, I will be tag-teaming an adult, theatre networking session each month, I've archived a year's worth of magazine/newspaper clippings (arts&crafts, anyone? :) and I get to construct an entire social media campaign. This is the work that my peers are doing as well, but I am just so lucky to have my work centered in live theatre. It's going to be a wonderful spring, everyone. 

General Update: Reporting for Duty!

Since it has been close to an eternity since I've given any love to this blog, I surmise that a general update is in order. The starting place feels much longer ago than a mere three weeks- so much has happened! On December 22, I turned in my final paper (Ethics on "How to Live a Good Life"-- what a topic, eh?) and I moved out of my campus apartment. Not surprisingly, it was a pretty emotional week. While I had (have) so much to celebrate, I told Jared it was St. Ben's was "breaking up with me." My internal dialogue echoed something along the lines of, 

"Olivia, it's been a great four years together, but I feel that it's time to go our separate ways. It's not you, it's me. This is best for the both of us." 

"St. Ben's, no! We can make it work!" Yep. I love that place that much. I really look forward to articulating exactly what The College of Saint Benedict was for me - especially when my reflections are so fresh. 

So as a graduate in December, I would certainly note an element of awkwardness in the aftermath. Most of your peers are dying to leave, while you're silently holding on to every moment on the friggin Link. However, the holidays were a real stabilizer. When you're thrust out into the "real world" to find yourself directly in the company of family, food, and merriment, well- it is a tangible reminder that life just gets better and better. Life doesn't slow down, and it surely doesn't stop. So when you feel like you are not in control of your timeline (like I felt as I walked off campus) go back to home base. Thanks to many, I regrouped. 

Christmas was short, but wonderful. We made the trip up north, and I can't remember the last time we all had so much fun together. Of course, whenever we are all together, it's always the time we feel our losses the most. The remedy? Be together as much as possible. It's quite hilarious actually. Stacy brought over an ugly Christmas sweater for everyone, which we wore straight through dinner. They even survivded the hilarious white elephant exchange, where popular gifts included the meatloaf pan, pajama jeans, and the Make A Deal ZONK box of matches. But soon, due to a four-hour stint of Running Charades, we were down to long underwear and rosy cheeks. After our brains started short-circuiting from the over stimuli of charade gestures, we literally moved every piece of furniture into the living room. We watched movies until all eyelids were too heavy to keep open. It wasn't traditional, but traditional doesn't really fit us anymore. It was our quirky little Christmas. 

When I count my blessings, I always feel so grateful for my second family: The Sherlocks. Jared's family has taken me as their own since the day I met them (truly, even before then. Our beginnings as a couple are set to be a second future blog, and apparently, they had me pegged ;). I no more than unpacked my bag from Christmas before I was excitedly repacking for my stay in the Sherlock Happy Place for an extended week of snowboarding, Dexter (season 4- WHOA), beautiful dinners, visits from Jared's best friend, New Years Eve fireworks on the mountain, and so much more. Like I said, these people are my family, and it was so comforting to be with them after moving on from school. 

PHEW! And that's three weeks for you, folks! In other news, I'm waiting to hear back on an apartment I applied for in Roseville- just outside of Minneapolis. Fingers crossed, I will be moving in toward the end of January. I am currently interning at both Hennepin Teatre Trust and The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts. As I see it I am pursuing arts administration at full speed! It's funny, because at every twist and turn of the application process I found myself narrowing in on the Minneapolis theatre scene. It wasn't a clear goal, but as I've gotten both offers, I think I definitely need to tune-in to what my parents, peers, and previous employers have always told me: You'll always work in theatre. Never a shortage of things to celebrate and look forward to. January has been very kind, and I'm very thankful to be loving my life like I do-- let's be real. My internship with HTT just let me sit in during the broadway touring production of The Lion King's final dress rehearsal. I can die happy now.

Move.

I once read that it is a very sad thing for a woman to live her life without knowing the strength of her own body. Remember, slenderness does not equal strength. Do your best to love your body today; but not the kind of love where you have resigned acceptance of the way you are. Love your body by fueling it, by conditioning it. 

 There will come a time when you won't be able to work out. Today is not that day.