at least my headshot's pretty

My blog had a pretty controversial start back at Northwestern when I reviewed the Junior Musical Theatre "Showcase". 

I say "Showcase" because I really want to drive home the controversy. Use your imagination and run with it.

This past week, my sense of time was f*cked as I attended the now SENIOR Musical Theatre (and "Acting") Showcase.

WHOW WAIT. Almost an entire year has passed since I was up on that stage performing for the who's-who of the NYC "industry".

I say "industry" because I was sitting amongst them. I can only imagine there were countless other "industry professionals" who had just as much business holding a ballot as I did.

So here's your first lesson of "the BIZ" Northwestern Musical Theatre Showcase Seniors...

Not everyone who seems important really is.

Don't get me wrong, I'm INCREDIBLY important...but there's no reason to get upset because I didn't ask for your picture and resume and only wanted to call in one of you for a meeting. I probably called that person in for a meeting because I thought they were cute, or they made me laugh once amidst some cacophony.

(Calm down...I didn't really fill out a ballot...but BOY IF I HAD...)

The reality is, you have EVERYTHING to be proud of. Maybe you signed with an agent and you'll be on Broadway tomorrow...and by tomorrow I mean NOT BEFORE ME OR THE DOG GETS IT.

If anything, you just had your first HUGE flop on a New York stage...and if you can bounce back from that, then you are in the right profession. If you cried because Telsey Rubin (or whatever their name is) didn't call you in to play Elphaba next week, choose your summer internship NOW. Make it in fashion or marketing because God knows those industries are WAY less judgmental.

When I was thrown back to Northwestern from the scarring experience of my Northwestern Musical Theatre (and "Acting") Showcase, I promised myself that for those last 3 months of college, performing didn't matter. I had 3 months to suck up as much life and fun as I could before I  crawled back to beg forgiveness from New York Shitty and I was going to LIVE.

and those were the best 3 months of my life.

So GO WILDCAT GO! Go be bitter and refuse to buy a ticket to Waa-Mu because you didn't get cast. Do Chicago Showcase in the vain hope that your "belting" will sound any better than it did in New York. But at the end of the day remember...

You'll get your Equity card before all those little shits.

So much iced coffee in my veins,

TJB: Making It