"We are living in unprecedented times." How often have we all heard this over the last 12 weeks? It's because it's true. If you had told me last year, that I would have 12 weeks off work and that all the theatres would be shut, I would have thought you were joking. What's more, I still can't quite believe that I don't actually know when or if I will ever get back to working at my local theatre...
As much as I am aware that this has been a horrible time for a lot people with illness and job loss, I have tried my hardest to remain positive, if only for my own mental health. One of the ways I have done this, is by heading back to virtual drama school. A few weeks before lockdown, I had a conversation with a friend and mentioned that I missed learning. I believe I said "I wish I could be a perpetual student." In particular a perpetual musical theatre student. I missed the days of singing lessons, dance classes and acting technique. Then I was put on furlough by my job and suddenly I have been presented with the chance to do just that.
There are so many great people putting out brilliant content right now for those who want to learn more about being a performer. I have joined a choir who meet on Zoom once a week, I join in with a daily vocal warm up on Facebook Live, I've sweated through a Hamilton dance class, participated in a Q&A with a Broadway musical composer and am in the middle of a 10 week course on Vocal Technique. Some of these are costing me money and some are completely free and overall it's certainly much less than my Masters in Musical Theatre cost my parents! However, I feel like the level of training is right up there. I certainly feel like I am learning and developing as a performer and a teacher.
If there are other people like me, who want to go back to drama school, or those who haven't been, but would love to, here are a couple of links below to the wonderful companies I've been working with. And of course, for those wanting some one-to-one tuition in acting or singing, you can book a trial with me here.
Let's hope some of this online activity will continue, even as we steadily return to being able to mingle in public again.
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