Author Topic: When Life Gives You Lemons  (Read 3232 times)

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JanetteB12

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When Life Gives You Lemons
« on: Jul 03, 2018, 03:09 am »
Hello everybody!

My name is Janette. It's nice to virtually meet y'all! I'm in my early 20s & just so happen to be a semi self-taught stage manager. I say semi self-taught because I have learned & am still learning a lot from mentors I find along the way, yet I also have not completed my degree.

Due to America's post secondary education costing an arm & a leg, I'm not sure if I ever will be able to recieve my BA. I haven't let this from stopping me from pursuing stage management, but I'm also not disillusioned. I know it'll be extremely difficult for me to branch out into professional stage managing without a degree behind me. That's ok. I'm willing to fight tooth & nail to do what I love!

I've been stage managing with a local company (read: community theatre). I worked on their last two productions, I am currently working on their third, and will be working on their fourth in the spring of 2019. I began as their ASM for a production of The Little Mermaid where the SM quit halfway through rehearsals. Instead of brining in a new SM, they gave me a chance to rise to the occasion & take over. It was extremely overwhelming (it was my first time calling a show), yet gratifying (my team & I nailed some tricky technical sequences).

Life gave me lemons, & I made lemonade!

I wanted to join this network to be able to be surrounded by likeminded people. We all have different experiences, and though I sometimes let the fact that I'm not a college graduate get me down, it doesn't mean that I don't have knowledge to contribute, or a skillset in need of being watered.

I'm honestly just so excited to be here! This feels like a major step in my continuing to learn & grow as a stage manager. I can't wait to get to know y'all.

With warm regards,
Janette

VSM

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Re: When Life Gives You Lemons
« Reply #1 on: Jul 03, 2018, 09:56 am »
Way to go, Janette! I came thru the "school of hard knocks" as well and don't have a degree.
I have been earning my living, and feeling blessed every single day, for 20 years now...
Go for your dreams!
Ordo ab chao

Maribeth

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Re: When Life Gives You Lemons
« Reply #2 on: Jul 04, 2018, 09:09 pm »
Welcome aboard! Looking forward to your contributions to the forum.