I greatly underestimated how much work four classes, a for-credit internship, and gearing up to graduate would take, and blogging fell by the wayside this semester. But summer is here and I'm back, baby! Hopefully with a more regular posting schedule. Here's a few of the big things I was so busy doing that I forgot to blog about it.
We'll start with the big one - I'm a college grad! On May 17th, I walked across the stage at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall to accept my diploma from Marymount Manhattan College, where I completed my Batchelor of Arts in Theatre: Producing and Management and my minor in Business Management. My parents, aunt and uncle, and a couple of close family friends all came into town to celebrate the occasion. As the first female college grad on either side of my family, this was a pretty huge celebration. I'm thankful the sun came out to celebrate the weekend with us!
And I'm not the only one celebrating! I took two big trips right before graduation - one long weekend out to Nashville, TN to celebrate my high school best friend's graduation from Vanderbilt on May 10th, and one three-day trip out to Westport, CT to celebrate the opening night of Lin Manuel Miranda's "In the Heights" at Westport Country Playhouse staring my NYC-BFF, Rodolfo Soto, in one of his dream roles - Usnavi De La Vega! My parents even got to come out to Westport with me for closing night of "In the Heights" while they were in town for my graduation, where they were even more blown away by Rodolfo's talent than I was. We even got to meet Lin's parents at the after party! Being able to celebrate not only my own accomplishments, but the accomplishments of two people who mean the world to me as well this month has been an embarrassment of riches.
Before either of those trips, I went on a solo adventure of my own! My last Spring Break called for pulling out all the stops, so I spent the best week ever in Walt Disney World! A close friend of mine who graduated from MMC last year is currently wrapping up her second semester in the Disney College Program, so I selflessly flew down to check in with her and see how she was doing (and let her get me into the parks, while I was there). From Disney Springs to poolside at the Polynesian Resort to Cinderella's Royal Table to drinking around the world at Epcot, I did it all! Be on the lookout for my first-timer's solo guide to WDW! In other Disney news - my next trip is just about on the books! A high school friend went and got themself engaged a couple weeks ago and has invited me to what will surely be the bachelorette event of the decade -we're going to Disneyland! Schedules allowing, we should be celebrating in style at the Fall Dapper Day event - a first for all of us going! A look book and party planning post are surely coming your way soon.
For my last travel update, we're going international! At the end of next month, I'll be packing my bags again and headed off once more to Greece with MMC! Classes have started and I am already having the time of my life with my favorite professors. I can't wait to be back in the place that has set the trajectory for the past two years of my life with two professors who have guided me more than any others!
Last, but certainly not least, you know I did some theatre while I was away! After "Starlight Express!" wrapped, it was right into the swing of things at Honest Accomplice Theatre for their production of "Engineers Not Found". ENF was a learning experience unlike any other that let me combine my passion for shows with a social justice angle, the devised theatre education I received at Queen Mary, and my Fundraising and Marketing/Producing education from Marymount into one, big, real-life project working with other people who were as excited about the project as I was. I am thankful and impossibly lucky to say that I have really found an artistic home at HAT, and that they are keeping me on in a Fundraising/Marketing/Development capacity as well as giving me support and freedom to play on the more artistic side of their productions - I couldn't have hoped for a better arrangement. I've already made great connections through HAT and look forward to pursuing freelance work that comes my way as a result of those connections, all with blessings of the company that brought us together - starting with a Stage Management gig I will be picking up for a festival show this August! All this to say - I'm staying in NYC post-grad, surrounded by people who want to help me grow as both a facilitator of art as well as an artist in my own right.
I couldn't be happier with how my last semester of college turned out or where it's lead me. Hopefully now that I'm in the swing of things post-grad there won't be any more 4-month hiatus's between posts!
Thank you to everyone who has made this last semester one to remember!