Recklessness

I spent the last week in Baltimore, Maryland.

We also traveled to New Jersey, New York, and Delaware.

Here are the highlights from my trip. 

1. Warped Tour

It was over one hundred degrees. I missed Charleston’s salty ocean breeze more than ever. We managed to finagle our way into the amphitheater early, so we met a few bands before the gates opened. From the dozens of bands that played throughout the day, we saw Of Mice and Men, The Word Alive, A Day To Remember, Blood On the Dancefloor, Every Avenue, and A Skylit Drive. We also stopped by PETA’s tent and I forced myself away from their adorable t-shirts. “Test Tubes, Not Bunnies” and “I Am Not a Nugget” were my favorites. I was able to talk to other vegetarian nerds. By the end of the day, we were exhausted. We headed home with Chinese take-out and tired smiles. 

2. New York City

Jay-Z says it all.

3. Ocean Is Theory

They stayed at the house with us after the show. We rented “Insidious” and had a little movie night. Clay screamed like a pre-pubescent girl and refused to sleep alone.

4. We the Kings and Hot Chelle Ray

“You’re an angel. Grab your halo.”

We never stopped. I feel like I haven’t slept in days. My hair is unruly, my makeup is smeared, and I still feel queasy from the flight. I’d say I had a good time. 

I’m looking forward to these.

1. Road Trips

2. Weekends in the City

3. Friends

4. Alabama Ballet Theatre Classes

5. The Summit

6. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens

7. Concerts in Atlanta

8. Cold Winters

9. Restaurants

10. The Dollar Movie Theatre

I’m not looking forward to these.

1. 8:00 Music Theory

2. Scorching Summers

3. Hills

4. The Nine Hour Drive

5. Exams

I met my roommate today. She’s awesome.

We had lunch in a local sandwich shop in Greenville, South Carolina. Then, we picked up a few things for our dorm room (rug, curtains, etc.). It was interesting to hear her journey from high school to college, and I started thinking.

What made me choose Samford?

I have no idea. No particular instance or person compelled me to choose one school over the other. I simply remember signing a scholarship offer from Samford’s School of the Arts, and it felt right. I knew I would flourish there. The school offered the degree I wanted. Its foundations were those of faith. 

I’ll restate the question. What made me choose Samford?

God led me there. He picked me up, turned me around, and placed me on Samford’s campus. 

The musical theatre degree at Samford is only offered as a B.F.A (Bachelor of Fine Arts). Therefore, entrance to the program is by audition only. That being said, I’d like to share my audition story.

On the morning of Thursday, February 3rd, my mother and I packed up the car, stopped by a local pizza joint for lunch, and hit the road. We made a playlist for the drive, filled with songs by The Maine, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Karen O and the Kids. 

The drive was long but easy. We took I-26 to I-20, so we never left the interstate. Eight and a half hours later, we saw a Mellow Mushroom sign from the road. We took the exit. 

We did have pizza earlier, but it was so familiar, we had to. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, it was raining. We didn’t bring rain gear, but I happened to have a small umbrella in my trunk. We could share. Over dinner, we talked about the songs and monologues I had chosen for the audition, the pros and cons of the other colleges on my list, and what we expected the audition to entail. 

We left Mellow Mushroom and arrived in Birmingham an hour later. We found the hotel easily, but decided to explore the town and grab some coffee. As we drove along, we noticed cars going under 10 mph on ramps. There was ice on the roads. We’re from Charleston. We have no idea how to drive in ice. We’ve only seen it in our freezers. 

The first college shock sets in. 

The next afternoon, I was purely excited. We drove to the campus and walked into the Performing Arts Center.

The second college shock sets in.

It was beautiful. White columns lined the walls and a grand piano sat in the middle of a polished stage. My high school’s stage was in the gym, so we rehearsed for musicals while the varsity basketball team practiced. I was overwhelmed by the elegance of this building that was available to theatre geeks like me. 

We were given a briefing about the upcoming weekend, wished good luck, and sent to the dining hall. We had dinner with music, theatre, and dance professors. 

The night ended with a performance by current musical theatre majors. It was a revue that consisted of pieces from opposite ends of the spectrum. I really enjoyed it.

My mother and I left feeling at ease. I felt like I could truly prosper there. 

I woke the next morning with a touch of nervousness. I played my recordings in the car and warmed up my voice. I could do this. I was prepared. 

The audition consisted of three parts. A dance audition was first, followed by an acting audition, followed by a vocal audition. As I waited to be called for my dance audition, I noticed an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach. It wasn’t nerves. I was hungry.

“I brought you some peanut butter crackers. You need energy for the audition.”

My mother is always so prepared. The audition started at ten, and it was around 9:45. I started shoving crackers down my throat, and a man strolled across the room and introduced himself.

“I’m Joseph Hopkins. It’s nice to have you on campus.”

“I’m Anna. I’m excited to be here,” I said with my mouth full of crackers and with crumbs falling into my lap.

As he moved to the boy with the cello a few benches down, I flipped open my audition folder. A faculty list was slipped into the front cover. I started to read it.

Joseph Hopkins, Dean of the School of the Arts

“Mom, what did he say his name was?” 

“Joe…Hop-something, I think.”

The third college shock set in.

The first impression I made to the Dean of the School of the Arts consisted of an introduction mumbled through a cracker filled, peanut butter smeared mouth. I was beyond embarrassed. 

The dance audition consisted of a warm-up and choreography to “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”. I smiled like I couldn’t get enough of that repulsive song. 

The acting audition went fabulously. My monologues were great, the professor even wanted to experiment with one, and I took his directions and applied them effortlessly. I nailed it.

I walked into the vocal audition with confidence from the last. That confidence was shattered when I listened to the girl before me. 

She didn’t sing in English. The good ones usually don’t. Here I was, singing a show tune from You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. She was singing some beautiful classic and hitting the notes so well I expected applause to erupt when she finished. 

My turn came and I handed the accompanist my music. I sang the songs, not as well as I had hoped, but not badly. 

“We’re going to do some tonal memory exercises,” the professor said.

What? What in the world is tonal memory?

I stepped up to the piano. The professor played a series of notes. She looked to me, so I repeated them. She played another set, and looked to me again. I started to sing the notes, but she abruptly held up her hand.

“I wasn’t finished.”

“Oh, sorry.”

I was so embarrassed. The remainder of the audition was a blur. I was mortified. The professor had snapped at me and I had botched this “tonal memory exercise”. I was bound to be rejected.

I turned to leave.

“We’re going to have a short interview,” one of the members of the firing squad said.

I turned to face them. There were a total of five professors there for the audition. I hadn’t noticed that before. My eyes were glued to the piano, the accompanist, the carpet. 

“What do you plan to do after graduation?”

“Ummm, I think I want to teach. I just love children. I would really love to make a difference in a child’s life, helping them to understand this wonderful art,” I said, my eyes darting from face to face. 

I don’t remember the remaining questions, due to the fact that I had just lied to five professors.

The fourth college shock sets in.

I lied. I hate children. I have no earthly idea what I’ll do with this degree. I didn’t even like my high school theatre class, why would I want to teach one? 

I rushed out of the room after that interview. I grabbed my bags and headed for the nearest door. 

“How did it go?” my mother asked, following closely behind. 

I burst into tears.

“The lady yelled at me because I screwed up the tonal memory things! And I lied to the professors!”

“What did you lie about?”

“They asked me what I wanted to do with my degree and I said I wanted to teach children.”

“Anna, you hate children.”

“I know! I lied! I don’t want to teach children!”

That was the conclusion of my audition weekend. I cried the entire way to the hotel. I was mortified. My vocal audition went horribly. I lied to the professors. It was a disaster. 

A few weeks later, I received an acceptance letter in the mail. 

The doorbell rang this morning.

After that initial sound traveled throughout the house, I found that I was unable to fall back asleep. However, that glorious ringing announced the arrival of my new MacBook Pro!

So, I sit at the dining room table, surrounded by items for my dorm room, blogging. 

Here’s how my schedule looks for the coming semester. 

Monday:

8:00 - Music Theory

10:30 - Cultural Perspectives

1:00 - University Chorale 

Tuesday:

8:00 - Ballet

12:00 - Diction for Singers

1:00 - Sound

Wednesday:

8:00 - Music Theory

10:30 - Cultural Perspectives

11:45 - Introduction to Theatre

1:00 - University Chorale

Thursday

8:00 - Ballet

12:00 - Diction for Singers

1:00 - Sound

Friday

8:00 - Music Theory

10:30 - Cultural Perspectives

11:45 - Freshman Acting Workshop

1:00 - University Chorale 

The madness begins on August 26, 2011. 

Dear Dorm Room,

I have been preparing for you. I’ve carefully selected the perfect duvet, towels, and sheets. I have been to Kinko’s numerous times to print pictures, and they now hang in their sleek, black frames. I memorized your dimensions, the size of your windows, the length of your bed.

I will wake up one morning and find peace in my new space. Then I’ll step lazily out of bed and stroll across the lush green quad to my music theory class.

I simply cannot wait to decorate you.

Sincerely,

Anna