Chesney Mitchell (she/her/hers)
BFA Musical Theatre
Class of 2022
Email: chesneymitchell@yahoo.com
IG: @chesneymitchell
Facebook: Chesney Dare Mitchell
TikTok: @heckyesches
What is your FAVORITE thing about your program?
My favorite thing about CCM is the ability to do student work. Some of my most favorite projects to be a part of or see at school were either directed or written by other students.
What would you change about your program? Why?
If I could change something about my program, I would like for there to be more members on the faculty or teachers in general. There were only 5 faculty members when I was attending CCM and they taught almost every class that we took. I felt as though they were out numbered by the students, and sometimes students could get lost in the crowd.
How would you describe the overall vibe of your program? Competitive? Supportive? A bit of both? Something else?!
I think my school’s vibe has changed a lot over the years. I would definitely say my beginning years in the program were a little competitive and overwhelming. However, by the time I graduated, I felt the school had become far more supportive than when we started. (So much so, that I did not want to leave).
What was the biggest surprise about your program that you didn’t anticipate as an incoming freshman?
Truly the biggest surprise was the amount of talent I was surrounded by. I grew up in Jackson, MS and I did not know many kids that were involved in theatre. Coming to a school like CCM, I was blown away by how amazing the students were and it definitely made me jump into gear.
What makes your program unique?
What I think makes our program unique is the bond between the alumni and the students. Especially upon graduating I have found that the alumni of CCM will always have my back and are looking out for their fellow bearcats!
Real talk: How do the audition & casting processes function at your program?
The audition and casting process definitely gets easier as you get older in the program. It can be a little scary at first, but it’s really just a standard audition. We are typically put into random groups of 10 and we prepare two contrasting songs for each show in the season. Once we do this, there is a dance call and then you wait for callbacks. The callbacks usually depend on the director. Sometimes, we just read scenes and sometimes it’s an open session. You aren’t guaranteed to be cast each semester, but you will definitely be cast in at least 2-4 shows (to fulfill your Rehearsal & Production credits).
What’s it like outside of performance classes? Is it possible to participate in extracurriculars? Greek life? Double majors? Minors?
Since CCM is a conservatory, there is not a lot of room for extra curricular activities. Greek life was definitely not a huge possibility for anyone, BUT I do have some friends that minored in other subjects.
Does your school help you pursue professional working opportunities during the year, over the summer, and/or post-graduation? How so?
Pre-covid, CCM would bring certain summerstocks to campus for us to audition for - which was amazing. I assume this will begin again one day, but since things are mostly online now, I’m not sure when. We take lots of masterclasses with industry professionals throughout our four years - especially during Senior year. We also have a showcase in NYC our Senior year, and we have a class to prepare for this that meets every Monday and Wednesday.
Are there any opportunities and/or resources that you feel are lacking in your program?
I do feel that in my senior year, I would’ve liked to have been provided with more resources on what it would actually be like moving to the city, as well as more information on what meeting with agents and managers would be like. We don’t have a designated class for this, so I’d say our best resource was communicating with CCM alumni.
What’s the dynamic like between students and faculty?
The dynamic between the student and the faculty was the biggest change of my time at school. Freshman year the faculty seemed very untouchable and truthfully at times; cold. I felt much closer and more comfortable to my faculty members sophomore year on. (This probably had to do with changing the head of our program.)
What types of structures are in place for students to receive feedback inside and outside of the classroom? How about for students to give feedback?
We typically do mid-semester check in’s for our dance classes, as well doing singing/acting boards at the end of each year in order for the faculty to give adjustments on what they feel you should be focusing on to improve. Student giving other students critiques does not often happen. Maybe others would like this incorporated into the program, but I felt better that this was not in place.
What steps has your school taken/is your school currently taking to promote greater representation for minority communities and to ensure greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the educational environment?
In the past 2 years, our program has incorporated annual forums and racism trainings throughout the year for the students. As well as the faculty members being required to take an anti-racism and anti-discrimination courses of their own. I believe there are more plans in store for the years to come.
What types of resources does your school encourage/make available for students in regards to mental, physical, and emotional health?
In all honesty, there were not many resources available regarding mental health. There is an on campus therapist that you can speak to, but only the first session is free. I found it important to take time for myself and listen to my body when I needed rest. Make sure to be open with your teachers too. They will be understanding.
What were you most worried about as an incoming freshman that you TOTALLY didn’t need to be worried about?
I was most nervous that I was not going to be able to keep up at the same pace as my classmates. Luckily, I went to a conservatory so I didn’t have to spend much time focusing on academics and I was also lucky enough to be surrounded by friends who were all in the interest of helping each other succeed.
How did you know that this was the right place for you?
I knew that CCM was going to be the right school for me after visiting for Accepted Students Weekend. For two days, I was able to meet all of the other students I would be going to school with for the next 4 years and sit in on some of the classes I’d be taking. I felt so at home at my first visit - I knew it was going to be the right place for me.