SUMMER UPDATE/END OF SCHOOL
As my contract ends for my work at The Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL) as an electrician, I figured it would be a good time to blog an update!
On the school side of things, I ended the year with a 3.95 GPA, damn the one A- I made! As some of you may know, I am minoring in Business so I decided to jumpstart the courses for that since I have completed all the required academic courses for my major (THANK YOU AP EXAMS!). This semester I decided to take Introduction to Financial Accounting. Taking a non-Conservatory class was a change because, though the professor understood conflicts, it wasn’t the same as an athletic conflict; in addition, it is an academic, math based course, not an arts course. I will say juggling the balance between that course work and the course work for my Conservatory classes was not as difficult as I had anticipated. Thanks to taking Bingham’s class and just the general pace of HSPVA, I was able to whip through all the readings and didn’t have much trouble balancing the material and rigor of the course with the challenges and rigor of the Conservatory. I will admit, it was nice to take a course that was outside of my major. Sometimes taking a step back from theatre and into a “normal” class is refreshing and I am glad I am doing that. I missed taking STEM and English courses; it keeps me on my toes. People think I’m crazy for doing and wanting that, since I am majoring in the arts, but I think that for me at least it is important to keep a balance and foot in both – you never know where life will put you.
For the theatre side of things, I began working at OTSL as an electrician and spot-operator on their productions of Regina and Orfeo and Euridice. I am very thankful for this opportunity as it gave me the training for not only working in and knowing the Loretto-Hilton Center (LHC), but also working for a large company with union workers producing four shows at once with a quick turnaround/changeover between each show almost every night. I was used to turn-arounds, as I did them at HSPVA and Wildfish, but with a larger plot it was much different – there were cross plugs, color changes, focus notes, repairs/troubleshooting. I believe my time working for OTSL also brought me closer to my peers and reinforced the idea of teamwork that seemed to have been lost nearing the end of the year. It turns out this year was one of the best in regards to crews. There were no complaints and, at least for the electrics crew, things went smoother than usual.
Staying in St. Louis for an additional two months also allowed me to explore the city! I took trips to Belleville which was quite a drive. Visited Anheuser-Busch Brewery with my dad. I found one of my favorite coffee shops, Foundation Grounds. I went to Wild Country which is a country bar/club and was quite an experience. I went on a float trip for the first time down the Muramec River and got a great tan and Chaco tan. Tried some new food places like Corner 17 and Mission Taco (found in The Loop), Strange Donuts. Found a cool farmer’s market, Tower Grove Farmers Market, and produce stand, Rodger’s Produce. And with my Mom and sisters will see Singin’ In the Rain featuring Corbin Bleu at The Muny, visit the St. Louis Zoo, and may go to a Carnival! It will also be fun to show them around St. Louis.
Once my contract is over with OTSL, I plan on coming back to Texas and working as a freelance Lighting Designer, personal assistant, and just hanging out and catching up with some friends that I have missed. I also plan on eating all the food that they do not have in St. Louis – gosh I miss Torchey’s, Khun Khay Thai, and Fat Bao, don’t get me started on TexMex. I can’t wait to be home and catch up with my friends – it’ll be nice to come back to my roots and get grounded again.
