Unbelievable

The theme for our next show at STI is entitled Unbelievable. Our homework assignment was to create a short two person scene about what we thought was unbelievable. The show will premiere the 3rd of June and is a show that is completely student written. As I sat in my room with a blank piece of paper, I tried to think of what was unbelievable. Then I wandered on to facebook as my procrastinator self usually does, and saw on the Joplin, Mo Tornado Recovery page that the death toll had reached up to 116. This post finally gave me the inspiration for my scene. Think of all the catastrophes that have happened in our lifetime. Where were you when all these things happened. and to me it is unbelievable that I can be standing in my house while someone elses is being ripped to shreds. The feeling of through tragedy we realize what we have and that although we are fortunate it is our jobs as human beings and friends that we help the victims. In Joplin people need our help you can help by Call 573-443-4523, go online to http://uwheartmo.org/, or text JOPLIN to 864833 to make a $10 donation. A Missouri family has offered to match up 50,000 dollars when handled through this website and number. 


Because this can't just disappear over night. So lets  help!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."-Ghandi

Love Always,

DW

one mocha coconut frappaccino and a few flashbacks please

So this fine sunday afternoon is being spent at Starbucks with Leslie, Carolyn, and Dylan. All three have laptops open and are hard at work and I am just sitting here observing. As the barista called out "one mocha coconut frappacinno.."I retrieved my drink returned to my table and felt old. It pretty much sums up how I have been feeling since the beginning of STI. But I'm looking at these three lovely ladies and wonder where did the time go. As I sip on my sugar drink it reminds me of a samoas cookie, and all I can see is me going door to door selling girl scout cookies. The years of making sure I sold 75 boxes just to get the little silver figurine. The minor sense of accomplishment of adding another figurine to my collection has faded over the years as did my need to sell the delicious cookies. Now I see these little girls walk around selling with their little sheets with the same look in their eye. The look that says if I can sell cookies and can sell anything. As the visuals of cookies from the past finally faded I began to pull myself back into the table conversation. "Those boys at the dance recital last night were some of the best I have seen," Dylan said. Last night Dylan,Carolyn, Lora, Robyne, Meghan, and I attended the dance recital put on by the ladies who are teaching us dance every morning. As we watched girls perform to sparkling diamonds, which is the routine we are being taught for our showcase, Dylan and I began to secretly wish we were dancers. As the tappers in their sparkly costumes exited the stage they we shortly replaced by toddlers in tutus. As Dylan and I had a minor freak out moment by the amount of cuteness that had filled the stage all I could think of was being a groovy chicken. When I was in kindergarten and living in Yuma, Arizona I took dance classes and my first recital was a performance of the glass slipper, and as Cinderella came out to feed the animals there was a groovy chicken number, me and my fellow kindergartens in bright yellow feather costumes entered on stage. As Cinderella counted her chickens she noticed that one was not on stage. As she pulled me away from my place back stage into the lights of the stage it was the first time I had ever stepped foot on stage.

As I sat in jesse auditorium watching as these little girls danced I couldn't help but smile knowing that only 13 years ago that was me. I had to text my parents at intermission to thank them for taking me to dance classes. But what makes me feel really old is that exactly one week from today my baby sister will be graduating from high school. 17 years ago I became an older sister to two beautiful girls. I have had the best job in the whole world, watching them grow up. I've seen first steps first stumbles. First ER trip to fix up a cut on amandas head that I might or might not have caused. I was the lucky one to see every first school day, every good or bad grade. As the years have passed I got to watch as these little infants have changed into poised, confident, talented, intelligent young ladies. Next sunday Amanda will walk across the gym floor and accept her diploma, and although I will not be attending I hope she realizes that I am so proud of her. She is incredible and she has the power of making me feel really old. I miss her and love her so much. Congrats baby doll.

As I finish my stabucks drink and my friends have gone to accomplish other things I look at how one simple drink can take me back so far. I am a very lucky person, I have bEen able to fill my 19 years of life with memories and moments that make these flashbacks enjoyable. And although I may be old now I know if my future can be as exciting as my past has I am doing pretty darn good.

Thanks for reading a new video should be up soon
Love always
DW

So far at STI

If you have been following my youtube videos on my facebook you can pretty much tell that STI is absolutely amazing. The main thing we do more than anything is laugh, it is pretty much what keeps us going through our 14 hour days. This past week has just flown by and it is crazy to believe that in just four weeks and 3 days it will be all over. But let us just focus on the present. If you haven't already heard, STI's first show is this Friday at 7:30 in the Warehouse Theatre here at Stephens College. The show is a collection of short childrens shows. So if you can gather some kids and get to the show. The best part about the show besides me :), haha, is the fact that it is FOR FREE!! Free is my favorite number and I know it is some of y'all's too. So come and see the show.

Well now it is close to one in the morning and I am going to head off to bed but you all should check out the latest youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCbI71J0evo. Its an UBER fun one.

Thanks everyone for following!!

FIRST DAY OF STI

So I can't tell if I am really tired or just dumb because I have been fighting to get my video posted for like 2 hours. UGH so here is a link if you want  it. COMPUTER I WILL CONQUER YOU SOMEDAY!!!First video blog for me!!

"I forgot I packed this.." and other tales of packing adventures

So here at Stephens we have a VERY intense theatre program. Instead of graduating in 2014 like a normal member of the class 2010, I will be graduating in 2013 (that is if the mayans don't destroy the world, just kidding). This earlier graduation is due to that the BFA program here is 3 years and 2 summers. So I have just finished up my first year which means it is time to start my first summer program STI!!! or the Summer Theatre Institute. 4 shows in 7 weeks = CRAZY!!. I will be taking dance classes, stage combat, acting, musical theatre classes, working in the shop, and somehow finding time to eat and sleep.

The first problem I face is the matter of the dorm. I am currently living in 214 Roblee Hall. All STI members must live on 3rd floor Tower Hall, which lucky enough is right across the quad. But as I began to pack up my things I realized, "Holy Monkey Fingers Batman" I have A LOT of stuff. Lucky for my I have an awesome person by the name of Kirstin, who graciously let me store stuff in her apartment.

Now I am all packed to move and as I began to take my pictures and things I had collected over the course of the year off my wall it was like looking through a photo album. Upon one corner of my room I had hanging my # from when I walked in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and it was raining so hard my clothes weren't dry for the next week, or the red/green coaster for Fogo de Chauo in Washington DC that my dad and I went to over Thanksgiving break, a pic of Brooke and I from when we went to her bro's football game, family pics from when had portraits done at Christmas, but what hung the largest out of all these things was the characture I had done on my 2nd day of being here at Stephens.

This was SOO long ago and I think of how far one year has taken me. When I was in high school I was ready for college the moment I watched my brother walk across the gym floor and get his diploma when I was a freshman (p.s. HE JUST GRADUATED COLLEGE, YAY!!). I had always known what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go. I thought I was so ready. Then all of a sudden it August 22nd, and my mom is hugging me goodbye in the LRW parking lot in Columbia Missouri. As I watched the white suburban drive away, I realized I wasn't as ready as I thought. I was 1500 miles away from everything I knew and I was know in the center of the country not knowing a single soul. I was not ready, and wanted nothing more than for my mommy to turn around and come get me and take me home. As I slowly got to know everyone and everyone got to know me I finally got that this was the only fit for me. There is no other school I could go to, and no other place that would make me quite as happy as I am here. THIS IS THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH. :) So after taking down my wall and putting it safely in a folder to be posted next year. I couldn't help but chuckle at all the memories one year has brought, and now 7 weeks of nothing but theatre and theatre students, I think I might be able to add a whole new section to my wall next year. 

Also CONGRATS TO THE STEPHENS COLLEGE CLASS OF 2011!!! SO PROUD OF ALL YOU GIRLS!! ALSO PROUD OF MY BIG BROTHER NICK FOR GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA!!! YOU ROCK AND I LOVE YOU!!!!!