Conclusion.......

I can honestly say that I deeply regret not giving this class the attention it deserved during the semester. These past few months have been pretty rocky and hectic for me, and it was hard to focus my attention on much of my studies. The work that I did during the semester I really enjoyed, and I have actually enjoyed the many hours I spent catching up this week- I may have been frustrated with myself at times, but I enjoyed the work. Looking back on all of the varied assignments we've tackled, it's hard to believe that we packed all of that material into one short semester. This class has been a great source of discovery for me. I learned much more about the vast world of theatre than I had ever imagined that I would before its beginning. I feel so much more confident about my place in the world of theatre than I ever did before this class because of all of the information I learned here. I have been exposed to more theatre professionals, more artists, more forms of theatre, more aspects of theatre, and more ways that theatre relates to life than I have ever been exposed to before. I feel much more knowledgeable about the industry and how it works, and just what it takes to get a show to the big stages in New York. I feel like I can speak more intelligently and in a more informed manner about productions that I see and the analytical side of the plays and works that I read. The analytical and critical thinking skills worked on in this class will benefit me for the rest of my life. From now on, I will not simply read a script once and take what I can from those initial impressions. I will go further from there; I will open it, devour it, dissect it, and live in it until I have the best possible understanding of the ins and outs of the story and characters. This level of deep understanding will bring my art and my performances to a new level of authenticity. Because of the understanding we gained of how each theatre professional works within the theatre world has given me a deeper appreciation of the people who perform these jobs in my life. Because I now know just how much responsibility and professionalism is involved in each job related to the theatre, I can now fully appreciate their importance and how vital each member of the team truly is to the success of a production. I also learned how important it is that each member of the team have a full understanding of the script. In my work before, I honestly considered analytical work to be work for the actors and director to do. I now realize that in order for the designs to be really the truest they could possibly be to the script, the designers must have this deep understanding as well. In addition, in order for the technicians like the tech director and the stage manager to understand the workings of the show, they should do analysis of the script as well. If everyone involved understands the script fully, there will be a more unified vision. This class has helped me grow into a fuller, better, and more well rounded theatre artist. It has also given me the opportunity to hone skills that will be extremely beneficial to me in the future. The ability to analyze a text will be of utmost importance in my future in psychology. I have also realized from this class just how much theatre truly relates to life as we live it every day. Each piece of theatre, from the very realistic to the very abstract, offers us lessons for life and shows us how the world around us works through unique and individual artistic lenses. These unique perspectives offer insight to and comment on just what it is to be human. I have gained, during this class, a much deeper appreciation for the stories that all types of theatre have to offer us. I feel that I will come away from this class having grown as an artist, as an individual who has a better understanding of what it is to live fully and truthfully, and as an individual who can use her art to convey that understanding to others. While giving me more information and knowledge than I expected, the class also gave me a healthy desire to keep learning. I am no longer content to sit on the knowledge that I already have; now I am ready to build upon the "foundation" (heh. heh.) that I have built in this class and continue to grow as a student of the theatre for the rest of my life.

& , Nikki