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The countdown has begun until the day my family packs the moving truck and heads from Atlanta to Kansas City. We have been planning this move for a year, but now that the date is rapidly approaching I am starting to feel the effects that this move makes on starting over my career in the theatre business.
I have been working professionally in the Atlanta area for the last 15 years and during that time have built a solid professional foundation and network of like gifted individuals. Leaving this network and having to forge a new path 900miles away has left me feeling like a teen about to start college or better yet that new college grad about to enter the “real” world.
Well, I assume that I will be doing what I have always done and that is be creative and use my talents to not only satisfy the artistic hunger inside of me but also to help support my family financially. The hard part is that I am usually the one that is sought out to be hired because of my reputation and now I am the seeker, just hoping someone will give the chance. Sometimes it feels like I am starting over, which can feel scary and a tad helpless.
As I do my research about the Kansas City theatre scene and reach out to organizations that seem to be like minded as myself, I can’t help but feel like that kid that just wants to be picked for the kick-ball team.
Then the questions and doubts enter my head like “What if no one likes me?” or better yet “ What if MY talents aren’t needed?”. We all know in the crazy entertainment business that there is a need and spot for everyone, though sometimes it takes a little time to find it!
With my friends and colleagues in Atlanta all assured that I will “be amazing” or “do great things” in KC I can only hope they are right. Even though I am leaving the thriving arts culture in the ATL, I am heading for a equally diverse arts scene in KC and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
So, ready or not Kansas City here I come!
P.S.
If you are reading this and live in the KC area please pick me for your kick-ball team 😉
Starting Over In A New City: Part 2
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Michelle J Evans is the owner of MJE Acting Studio where she offers her services as a private acting and audition coach to students around the nation both online and in person. She is also part owner of CAP: College Audition Project, which is an online college audition consulting website made up of some of the industry’s top college audition coaches and professionals. Check them out at www.collegeauditionproject.com! Michelle graduated in 2004 with her Bachelors in acting and has been working professionally ever since. From 2004-2016, Michelle served on the staff of CYT (Christian Youth Theatre) Atlanta, as their class coordinator, camp director, acting/musical theatre instructor and director for their mainstage musicals. She also directed their annual residential teen camp, Improv team and award-winning competition troupe where, under her direction, the troupes have won numerous awards at both JTF and The National Performing Arts Festival. In 2014, Michelle began working for The Performers Warehouse as a private acting instructor, resident director and member of their prestigious college audition program. While at PW she has helped to develop their production company, Performer’s Warehouse Productions. Under her direction, PWP’s production of In The Heights took home 8 Broadway World Atlanta awards in 2017, including Best Musical and Best Director. In 2018 Michelle took PW’s JTF troupe to the Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta where they won Excellence in Choreography. Michelle shares her time as an adjudicator and workshop instructor, sharing her knowledge and theatrical background with high school programs and other theatre companies. Since 2012 Michelle has been a Judge and Committee member for the prestigious Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards aka. the Shuler Awards, she has also served as an adjudicator for Georgia’s One Act Competition and Literary Competition. Michelle has been a workshop artist for the Georgia Thespian Convention as well as various schools and theatre companies. Always in pursuit of sharing her knowledge with others, in 2017, Michelle began her writing adventures. You can currently find her articles and columns on www.performerstuff.com and www.theatreartlife.com. During her professional career Michelle had has the fortune to direct and/or perform in over 70+ productions with some of her favorites being The Fantasticks, Noises Off, Hairspray, School for Wives, Arsenic and Old Lace, Three Postcards, Tarzan, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Buried Child, Pippin and In The Heights (Broadway World Awards Atlanta 2017 Best Director of a Musical). Her students can be found in local community and professional theatres, national tours, TV/Film and top ranking collegiate musical theatre programs around the country. She is a member of CiTA (Christians in Theatre Arts), NYA (National Youth Arts) and EdTA (Educational Theatre Association.) You can find out more about Michelle and her current projects at www.mjeactingstudio.com!
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