Student Blog: Redefining Myself Beyond Expectations

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Focusing on breaking out of the box I have been put in as a performer.

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Spring is a fantastic time to reset and reevaluate, and right now, I am focusing on breaking out of the box I have been put in as a performer.

For most of my theatre career, I have been typecast based on how I present myself. I have always been tall for my age, so growing up, I was often cast as mothers, magical authority figures, or generally older characters. I had amazing experiences in those roles and learned a lot from them, so I never questioned it. I was just happy to be cast and working. But now, two years into my BFA program, I’ve started to realize that staying in that same box isn’t helping me grow the way I want to.

That realization hit me through a couple of different experiences. One of the biggest was when I played Fanny Brice. Fanny is such a specific role that is comedic, quirky, and insanely vulnerable. It is a role that doesn’t always rely on the maturity or singular dimension that my other roles usually do. Stepping into that character briefly showed me that I had the potential to break out of my typecast. I was forced to let go of the very put-together characters and embrace the awkwardness and humor. It was challenging, but I found myself having so much fun because I wasn’t relying on old habits or doing the same thing over again.

Another moment that stands out to me was this past semester when I was working on Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in class. Helena is so different from roles I normally play; she is strong while also being very vulnerable and insecure. In rehearsals, I had to really push myself to lean into those qualities instead of pulling back and making her more polished. It was uncomfortable at first, but I was able to access a whole different side of my acting that I don’t get to explore very often. It also showed me that I am capable of more than I give myself credit for.

Because of experiences like these, I am trying to be more intentional about the work I am doing right now. I can’t really control what I get cast in, but outside of working on shows, I am fully capable of pushing myself in auditions, my voice lessons, and acting classes to try different things that are outside of my comfort zone.

And I am seeing some of this work pay off already. This summer, I am playing Amalia Balash at a professional theatre, and this is such an incredible opportunity because I will be pushed out of my comfort zone. While she is a very classical soprano (my normal typecast), she is comedic and a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants. I can’t wait to dive into that character and show everyone that I am capable of more than the roles I have always been cast as.

This spring really feels like a turning point. Instead of waiting for directors and casting teams to see me differently, I am taking responsibility and expanding how I see myself. It is definitely uncomfortable at times, but it is working, and I am excited to keep exploring this.

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

Something that I feel is overlooked for actors is developing skills aside from acting. There's the pressure to just choose something and stick with it. I decided to share my experiences of trying things other than performing and how they have benefitted me, both as an actor and as a human.

Writing about theatre has not made me an expert, but it has made me a far more attentive observer, and that has been the biggest surprise of all.

So looking back, what has surprised me most is how much truth and knowledge I already had in me, even if I didn’t fully believe it or see it all working out at the time.

It's not every day that you get to speak with the composer of the musical you're working on. A few weeks ago I sat down with Sarah Taylor Ellis, composer of Emma: No One But Herself, our mainstage musical here at UCLA!

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Student-Blog-Breaking-Out-of-the-Box-I-Have-Been-Put-In-20260519)._