This is Real Life

Sometimes things happen to you that seem way too good to be true.  But they are true.

THIS IS REAL LIFE.

On the first Sunday of spring break (March 6th), I auditioned for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.  They have two campuses, one in New York City and one in LA.  The audition was at the Sheraton Hotel in Station Square.  So convenient.  Everything went swimmingly, the warm-up, the audition itself, the interview... I really could not have asked for a better audition experience.  I loved working with the AMDA people.  And I felt that I had something to offer them.

The next Tuesday (the 15th) I got a call during HCC rehearsal.  Don't worry, my phone was on silent, but it vibrated in my pocket when the unknown number left a voicemail.  I checked it right after choir.  "Hi, this is Nathan from AMDA concerning an admissions decision. Please give me a call back..." I didn't even listen to the rest because I started hyperventilating and pushing all the buttons on my phone at once to try to hang up with voicemail and call the number back.  Nathan was busy.  The admissions secretary put me on hold.  I paced the sidewalk frantically.  "Hi, Jane?"  "Yes????"  "Nathan's still on the phone with someone else.  You've been accepted to AMDA New York."  !!!!!! *gasping* *herculean efforts to control the squealing* "Thhhhank you?!!!"  "Yea, congratulations.  So, look here's all this information you need to know, info in the mail, etc. etc. etc.  Do you have any questions?"  "Um, yea, when do I find out about my financial aid package?"  "Hold on, I can transfer you to the financial aid department right now."  "Thanks so much."  On hold again.  At this moment most of my friends from HCC came around the corner on their way to Lulus.  I pranced around wordlessly for a bit before I managed to eep out "I just got into AMDA!!!"  There was much rejoicing, and my dear composer/piano player friend gives me what is quite possibly the best hug of my life thus far.  The crowd continued to Lulus, but composer/piano player friend offers to make celebratory pancakes.  I readily agree, and he rides the wave of my euphoria all the way to his house, discussing how famous I'm going to be and how I'm going to make him famous, too, and many other crazy things which I'm not sure I completely remember...  But the pancakes were delicious, of course.  Afterward, I headed over to Lothrop to visit another friend of mine and rehearse for the benefit concert on Saturday.  He served me green tea, as usual, and I promptly spilled it all over myself in excitement.  I think he actually had to take my mug away until I calmed down.  We sang a lot, watched Chapter 5 of Inglourious Basterds, and laughed at several episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway.

I find it quite fitting that these two young men were the two with whom I celebrated my triumph, for these very same men were there the night I broke down and freaked out about where my life was going, etc.  They have now seen me at my lowest and my highest points.  Congrats, you two.  Although I never mention names on my blog, I'm sure you know who you are.  I really don't think I could have chosen two better people to share the evening with.

AMDA is a conservatory in New York City.  Well, actually there are two AMDA campuses, one in NYC and one in LA.  The NYC campus offers 2-year conservatory programs (which culminate in a professional certificate) in Musical Theater, Acting, and Dance Theater.  The LA campus offers those programs in addition to a 4-year B.F.A. program in  Musical Theater, Acting, Dance Theater, and Performing Arts, which is a fancy way of saying create-your-own-program.  Only the LA campus offers bachelors degrees, but students finishing the conservatory programs in NY have the option of transferring to LA to finish their degree.  This is the option that I will most likely be completing.  Since I have so many credits under my belt from my time here at Pitt, I will probably only have to spend a semester or so in LA, which is fine by me.  I want to get acquainted with the performing arts scene on that end of the country, too!  Also: the professors there are mostly working professionals, so, potentially, one of my teachers could have just walked off the set of a TV show.  How cool is that???

So, classes start in October.  That gives me about 6 months to pull my life together and prepare to take full advantage of the opportunity of a lifetime.  Earlier in this post, I said that things are too good to be true.  And part of me still feels that way. (It's taken me about 2 weeks to get this thing published haha)  But I also realize that, as they say, "no school is going to give you a career," especially in the performing arts.  Sure, I'll be in the right city and getting the right kind of training, but ultimately this is only going to be as wonderful as I am willing to put forth the effort to make it so.  So wish me luck and keep me in your prayers!  ADHD is no easy beast to tame, and I want to be the "best version of myself" as Matthew Kelly would say, before I leave for the Big Apple!!