Dear Stephen Foster Drama Association,
I can't even begin to thank this company for all the valuable lessons it has taught me. Every single person at The Stephen Foster Story has made my summer truly unforgettable. Thank you to my director, Johnny Warren, for seeing something special in my audition and gracing me with the best experience possible for my first professional acting job. I have learned and grown as a performer more than I thought possible in just two-and-a-half short months.
I grew up with a lot of classical music: piano recitals, chorus, band, voice recitals, the list goes on and on. Classical music has and always will hold a special place in my heart. In the theatre/musical theatre world, I don't have the opportunity to work with classical music often. This summer, I had the privilege of singing gorgeous arrangements of Stephen Foster's music for 63 performances. Singing in a full choir with eight-part harmonies and some a cappella singing in an outdoor venue has been a beautiful learning experience.
Thank you for solidifying my choice to pursue acting as a career. Someone told me before this summer that if I still wanted to pursue a career in performance after my first summer stock gig, acting truly is the career path for me. I spent a lot of my summer sweating on an outdoor stage, having full days of rehearsals into performances at night, not getting enough sleep, etc. But even after some minute difficulties, I have no doubt in my mind that performing is my career path and it will make me incredibly happy.
In addition to solidifying my career path, my summer at The Stephen Foster Story gave me boatloads of much-needed confidence in my performance abilities. My experience showed me many performance skills I need to work on improving in my next four years of school. I worked with incredibly talented people from all walks of life this summer. I learned something new every day by watching my fellow actors work on stage. To my fellow actors at SFS: I appreciate your dedication to your craft and feel grateful to have had the privilege to work with each and every single one of you this summer. I have learned immensely from watching you perform and work every day on stage and off.
Thank you for giving me my first apartment and my first time far away from home. Apartment 206 became home to myself and my three wonderful roommates. We shared a small kitchen and one bathroom between four girls. Many nights were spent staying up in our living room, dancing around and giggling at each other. I didn't go too far from home for college, so this summer was my first time being away from home for a long period of time, and the longest I have spent outside of Virginia. My amazing roommates and other cast mates made being away from home not even a remote challenge, but an exciting adventure.
Finally, thank you for the experience of a lifetime with my favorite cast ever. The cast is full of so much love shared between members of all ages. Going to work every night felt like a treat, not a chore. Knowing that I had the privilege to perform 71 shows with some of the most talented, good-hearted people I've met made my job feel like a constant celebration, not work. Bardstown, Kentucky and The Stephen Foster story will always hold a special place in my heart and I truly hope I have the privilege of someday coming back.
