Sunday, October 07, 2007
Boston Conservatory senior Stephanie Umoh is intent on paying her dues, and debts
The Boston Globe: "She's good enough to get cast in professional roles. But Boston Conservatory musical-theater major Stephanie Umoh still has a lot to learn."
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4 comments:
That quote they use to describe the odds of landing roles on broadway really hits home in my opinion. Even at a place like carnegie mellon, where the opportunities for graduates is almost unbeatable, it's interesting to think that some performers will end up with nothing, regardless of their theatrical talent. I honestly believe that the smartest steps in planning a career is considering its consequences.
It is incredibly scary (at least for me) to know that job uncertainty is nearly a sure thing in this industry. That on top of the fact that someone going to this school could end up roughly $200,000 in debt is enough to make anyone else reconsider going to a conservatory for theater. But then again, going to a good school heightens job security and increases a good alumni network. And if you love what you do, then there's no better place.
The beginning of this article made me think a lot about CMU. In an environment where you are overworked and pushed passed a standard human "duty cycle" it's almost impossible to do your best. You get sick, you compromise your goals, and you redefine what's "acceptable." That aside, the article is a very good comment on how the success of graduates is incredibly varible in the entertainment industry. All I can hope to do is get myself the steadiest footing I can while I am in the educational setting and hope that gets me where I need to be.
it's a rough world we live in, and if you're a theatre artists, not only is that world rough, but it's incredibly unforgiving and merciless. we have it tough guys, make no mistake about it. i understand "being tough" on students to prep them for the "toughness" that the real world brings, but there comes a point when it doesn't become about the work, but about the person themselves. There is such thing as working a person too hard. And unfortunately, there are enough examples in the CMU SOD. When you're paying as much as we are to get the training we do, does it really make sense to push them beyond acceptable levels (lack of sleep, making rash decisions to simply get things done), what does that accomplish? nothing but devalue the education we are getting, because who can act, sing, dance, design, etc when they're not at their best, in a profession when you must always be at your best. we're hear to learn, not get run into the ground. this Umoh girl will be just fine, if she learns how to take all the criticism with a grain of salt. THAT's what our education should be. Learning how to listen to yourself at the end of the day, and not lose faith in your own abilities.
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