402 Acting Academy Update: January 2022
I am a fan of quotes. If you follow the 402 Acting Academy on Instagram, and have liked our Facebook page, you likely already know that quotes are a resource we use to connect with our students, as well as our supporters. (If you are not following us on Instagram and Facebook please consider this my personal invitation to do so!)
What is enthralling about quotes is the idea of gleaning insight from the wisdom of others who have already experienced or achieved the “thing” we are seeking. It is a powerful gift to learn about failure, mistakes, grit, determination, practice, perspective, and motivation from others.
As we look forward to the opportunities that lay before us, and our students, in 2022 I’m drawn to a quote attributed to the author Ralph Waldo Emerson,
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”
What a profound reminder about how important choice is. Equally important is this reminder of who is ultimately responsible. Choice matters. Taking some risk or maybe that first step towards the larger leap of faith comes down to our own decision on who we want to be and what our plan is to get there. Even when the path is not always clear, the journey towards the destination provides us with tools and skills needed to navigate the terrain.
It goes without saying, but saying it is incredibly important - we are proud of our students for the growth they have begun to experience on their unique journeys. Their choice to join us is such an honor. A majority of these students are individuals that are simply daring to dream. They are individuals that already have careers, families, passions, and commitments but they find themselves still asking “what if?” To watch them chase a dream, renewed purpose, the goal of growth, and a commitment is a valuable reminder for why we started the 402 Acting Academy. While most of our interest is coming from individuals that are 16+, we are thrilled to widen the age spectrum of classes offerings. We now offer specific classes for Youth Actors (11-15) and Golden Actors (60+)!
In addition to continually seeing positive growth in our student base, we are also working to expand our influence with other organizations this year. One of those organizations is the Nebraska Thespians Festival, the Nebraska chapter of the larger, national Education Theatre Association. At this year’s festival, which took place the second weekend of January, we involved ourselves as instructors for acting workshops, which were well received and attended. We also played an integral role as collaborators and judges for the festival’s annual Improv Challenge competition. The opportunity to spend three days interacting with, guiding, and connecting with hundreds of Nebraska high-school students and their teachers was the perfect way to start the year.
Lastly, we are also continuing our work to expand collaborations with the teachers and school districts through our guest instructor, in-school, acting program called Improv Academy. Connecting with students and teachers at the Nebraska Thespian Festival was a fantastic way to equip us with the opportunities to begin forging new relationships that may turn into expansion of this new program! This program allows us to meet the teachers and students where they are at, along with a curriculum that can be tailored to support student and teacher development in the rich development improvisational acting offers.
As we reflect on how well our first 7 months went, we are so encouraged by what lies ahead. From continuing the preparatory work with our current students to expanding the programs we outlined above. It’s going to be a great year!
-Steve Hyden, Program Director
