Sarah Gordon-Macey (she/they)
BFA Musical Theatre
Class of 2024
Email: sarahgm.567@gmail.com
IG: @sarahgordonmacey
Facebook: Sarah Gordon-Macey
TikTok: @sarah.jee.em
What is your FAVORITE thing about your program?
I love that my program challenges me to be the best artist I can be and celebrates my individuality. I don’t feel like I’m boxed into anything and I can explore all facets of my artform.
What would you change about your program? Why?
I wish that we had a required music theory class! Knowing music theory, at least the basics, can be imperative to a musical theatre artist's personal interpretations of a song. I’m lucky that I have had outside music theory training, and I’ve noticed that my peers who haven’t taken music theory definitely struggle more in those music focused settings.
How would you describe the overall vibe of your program? Competitive? Supportive? A bit of both? Something else?!
I would say we are really supportive. The program is like a big family, and we really embrace all identities and forms of expression.
What was the biggest surprise about your program that you didn’t anticipate as an incoming freshman?
I didn’t anticipate how much journaling/writing I would be doing! It is quite a lot of writing, but after freshman year the load lightens in this area immensely.
What makes your program unique?
We really strive for individuality and growing unique artists. Our actor training is also heavily focused in physical process, so we learn lesser known techniques, such as Suzuki.
Real talk: How do the audition & casting processes function at your program?
Most of our shows are directed by outside directors, so in that sense there isn’t really any way for favoritism to come into play. Casting also is affected by your work ethic in classes and grades, and people who are not doing the work will be known about and can become ineligible for casting. Freshman are not able to be cast in any shows until Freshman showcase, which is meant to help them figure out how to use all the tools they’ve been given during that first foundational year.
What’s it like outside of performance classes? Is it possible to participate in extracurriculars? Greek life? Double majors? Minors?
It is definitely possible, though it can be hard, to have outside commitments. Personally, I work off campus at a Starbucks, am a member of the Marching Band, and am a member of a sorority on campus. I am definitely very busy, and to be honest, stretched a little thin, but I make it work. Any BFA majors are only allowed to double major in something under the theatre umbrella, but BA’s are welcome to double major in whatever their heart desires! It really all comes down to personal drive and scheduling.
Does your school help you pursue professional working opportunities during the year, over the summer, and/or post-graduation? How so?
Many of our faculty members are currently working in the industry, which has helped many of my peers get legs up when it came to summer stock jobs this year. Personally, I decided to do an internship that was outside the realm of my program, so I didn’t take advantage of some of these connections, but there certainly are plenty of people who can help get people set up with professional gigs of all kinds.
Are there any opportunities and/or resources that you feel are lacking in your program?
I wish there were more resources when it comes to taking rest. So much of the BFA life, and I think this is true with any program, is so hyper focused on constantly going and pushing ourselves that we forget to partake in self care. I wish more of our faculty recognized that need as well.
What’s the dynamic like between students and faculty?
In my experience, it really depends on the faculty member and the student. Most of our students all have a favorite teacher who they go to, which I think is really cool. I certainly have particular teachers I adore. I think a lot of this dynamic comes from a level of trust and a mutual understanding that we, as the students, are the ones paying to be here, therefore the faculty trusts us to do our work in order to make our student loans (haha) as fruitfully used as possible.
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?
In most classes, students are encouraged to use certain structures in order to give positive and insightful feedback to their peers. I think it’s been extremely helpful to feel like my classmates can help me grow my work without feeling shamed by them. Faculty are also really good about listening to concerns and working with you one on one in order to help you get a piece where it needs to be. They want us to grow and to learn, and will do what they can in order to facilitate that.
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?
I’ll be honest, like many schools, ours still has a lot of work to do, but they have been making some good strides in the right direction. Our faculty pool has become more diverse in certain areas. That being said, I am certainly not the right person to give a full run down on this question, as I do come from a place of privilege when it comes to being a person in a BFA program, and I’m sure plenty of my friends who are a part of a more disadvantaged demographic would be able to give a better analysis than I could.
What types of resources does your school encourage/make available for students in regards to mental, physical, and emotional health?
Our school has free, on campus therapy, as well as multiple resources through our health and wellness center which help with all sorts of issues. Aside from that, there are many urgent cares by campus that are just a short drive away!
What were you most worried about as an incoming freshman that you TOTALLY didn’t need to be worried about?
The work load! BFA grind is no joke, but as long as I scheduled myself I was a-okay!
How did you know that this was the right place for you?
The vibes of the other students. I knew I would fit right in! I also felt like my faculty, before I even committed, really just wanted me to be the best artist I could be. They wanted to help me grow. They made me feel wanted and excited to learn, which was exactly what I needed.