Day 1

Welcome to my Spring @ Sage Blog!

For the next two weeks, I will be focusing in on the work I do for the Arts & Learning Conservatory. I decided to start off my blog and my first day of Spring at Sage by explaining what Arts & Learning is, how it is a part of the community, and my involvement with it.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/arts-610472-learning-theater.html
Arts & Learning was founded ten years ago by Debora Wondercheck on the Vanguard University campus. It started as an instrumental music conservatory that featured summer camps and other programs on the campus. Arts & Learning has grown phenomenally since it's inception and now has it's own office and rehearsal space located in Santa Ana, a full theatre program that includes four full length shows a year, and dozens of classes in music and various art forms.

In addition to that growth, Arts & Learning has also developed a program that has experienced teaching artists travel to various public schools to teach and put on the school's play or musical. This year, Arts & Learning put on shows in five districts and over twenty schools. In most cases parents or associations pay for the cost of the show, allowing the school to have a full scale play or musical free of charge. This service is incredibly beneficial because of school budget cuts, and Arts & Learning is helping to make sure there will always be arts in schools.

I began working with the Arts & Learning Conservatory in the fall of 2013, after hearing about it from my voice teacher. I was urged to audition for their musical, Into the Woods, which was featuring a cast of high school students and adults. I was cast in a leading role, Cinderella, and got to be a part of the production. Though I have been in countless shows, this one was life changing. I began working closely with the director, Colleen Brown, and forming a relationship with her which I had never before had with a director. She was inspiring and changed the way I looked at theatre. I call her "my fairy godmother". After being apart of Into the Woods, I decided to stay with the conservatory and do their next teen/adult show, Kiss Me, Kate. I was cast as the lead, Lilli Vanessi/Kate, and had the most amazing experience putting it on. Kiss Me, Kate was said to be the best show Arts & Learning has ever put on, and was featured in publications like the OC Register. My relationship with the conservatory and the people who are a part of it grew even stronger, and I knew that I had found an amazing place.


http://www.ocregister.com/articles/arts-610472-learning-theater.html (OC Register article)

After Kiss Me, Kate, I started working as a music directing and directing assistant/intern on shows at elementary schools around the county. I just finished Grease at Harbor View Elementary School in Corona del Mar, a full length production that featured 56 fourth to sixth grade students, and am now working on a revue-type show called "Frozen + Friends" at Deerfield Elementary in Irvine.

I'm so excited to be working with A&L for my Spring at Sage independent project and I hope you all enjoy reading about my work.