What's going on?

Hello! My name is Miranda Webster. I'm beginning this blog as a second semester senior at VCU's School of the Arts for Theatre Performance. I'm preparing for a showcase in New York City, Actor's Connection in Los Angeles, and a serious of auditions around the country. After four years of studying at this country's leading public arts school, it's finally time for me to purse the dream.

As a young actor, the most frequent question I face is, "What will you do when you graduate?" I think that's pretty common, what ever your major. No matter how I plan my answer, or formulate my thoughts, or write out and memorize my own little life monologue, I am frequently met with questioning nods, and I start to feel like a deer in headlights.

I finally realized, oh hey. I can't just plan out my answer; I need to plan out my future.

Now, here's the nitty gritty bit of it. I decided I need a blog to help me do this. I can't easily express my thoughts, and all I'm going through, so I thought a blog would be the best place to throw around my own ideas. I know my friends are always able to help my formulate thoughts and plans, so why not send those ideas out into the universe? It's not perfect, it's definitely not set in stone, and it'll probably change, oh, tonight, but this is the plan. This is the blueprint.

After Graduation

After I graduate, I plan to be moving to a city where I will be housed, fed, paid, and given EMC points by the theatre where I work. I am going to graduate in May, and I plan on moving by July! I want to live near to my collaborators, my best friends, and my community. I want to work in Shakespeare, and audition for films. I want to dance with a movement theatre, where we get together and devise on Friday nights over a couple of beers. I want to measure my success by how happy I am.

By August, I'll be starting with my agent or company, so I'll probably have to say goodbye to my roommates and friends. I'll be housed (but the housing will allow cats so Oscar can come) in a small, two-bedroom flat with one of those 50's style kitchens, but it will be clean and our whole apartment will be a deep burgundy or maroon, with cream accent walls--or vice versa, I'm no fashion statement! I'll eat microwave dinners at least four times a week, because I won't have enough time to cook in between work and all my rehearsals or auditions. In the midst of this, I'll still be developing and devising my solo show.

I want to be an EMC by the following May. I'll have worked a few SAG/AFTRA gigs, and some voice overs, but I'll be holding off on the union or equity until I finish up my contract with the theatre. This theatre will have offered me another year-long contract, and maybe even entrance into their company, so I will be making the big decision to stay, or move. I'll consult my agent, my college professors, and the teacher of the local class I take. I'll be making yet another huge change in my life, preparing to move onto the next thing. It won't be easy, but it'll sure as hell be an adventure.