October
8, 2007 - My summer at Carnegie Mellon
Hi
all! This letter should have been out a long
long time ago. However, I am finally sitting
down and righting it nearly a month later. Woo
hoo! My time in Pittsburgh was educational,
enlightening and most importantly, filled with
new friends and experiences for the rest of
my life. My course schedule was set up a bit
like this:
Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday:
Audition Class- 9:30-11:15
Singing- 1:30-2:15
Ballet- 2:30-4:15
Acting- 4:30-6:15
Tuesday
and Thursday
Styles: 10:30-12:30
Drama Lit: 2:15-3:45
Jazz: 4:00-6:00
The
classes may seem long, but with the amount of
information we were receiving from them I felt
that they needed to be three times the length.
I learned how to give a bangin’ audition
and faced my biggest fear: monologues. Scenes
and Shakespeare come so much more easily. But
my teacher was patient and helpful and by the
final audition I delivered a something I had
never felt so confident in. It was a great feeling
to be surrounded by kids my age who were just
as passionate about their craft and just as
supportive and resourceful as my teachers. 
I
also improved noticeably as a dancer and singer.
I was placed into an advanced jazz class which
put me through hell and back in the first week
but I got right into the flow and can now see
how much better I have become. Singing was pretty
nerve-racking for at least the first couple
of days. We were all still sizing one another
up and trying to figure out who was what type
of voice, etc. By the end of the second week
however, my class of only eight was a tight
family, free of judgment.
I
will include some quotes from my teachers. This
was received as part of an evaluation packet
which everyone receives about three weeks after
the program:
Jazz-
“What a lovely student you were to have
in class. Based upon your class work your previous
training has served you well and you had little
to no problem with the information I taught
in my class. I was particularly impressed how
well you picked up any across the floor or routine
sequences and the very nice quality you brought
to your movement.”
Styles-
“Erica participated creatively and enthusiastically
in class activities and exercises. Her final
in-class presentation showed great commitment
to the character’s situation and was clear,
focused and interesting. Erica also demonstrated
good vocal use for the stage.
Singing-
“Gorgeous expressive voice. Very versatile
both as an actress and a singer. A real pleasure
to have in class.”
Acting-
“Erica brings a depth of temperament-emotional
availability- to her work which seems beyond
her years. In addition, she is quite creative
and intelligent in breaking down text.”
I
am very pleased with my feedback and happy with
the outcome of the program and all it taught
me. I thank each and every one of you for making
this possible and for supporting me every step
of the way!
Much
love,
Erica
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March
12, 2007
Hi,
Thank
you so much for your generous donations and
support. The concert was a big success. My dreams
have become a reality with the help of my community
and friends. I have not only met, but exceeded
my goal of six thousand dollars and am amazed
by the outpouring of love and awareness. Thank
you again for keeping the arts alive and contributing
whole-heartedly to my ambitious endeavor. See
you in Pittsburgh!
The
program starts at the end of June and will consist
of six intense weeks of conservatory training.
I will come back as a more dedicated and improved
performer. So expect another concert this coming
fall!
Love,
Erica
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March
10, 2007
Current Project:
I
am pleased to be a part of Booker High School’s
production of Hello Dolly! I will be playing
the part of Irene Molloy and would like to invite
all of you to come see it. It runs from April
18-21. Tickets are available at the Booker High
School Box office - 941-355-2967 Ext. 65032
Get yours before they run out! (Which will be
very soon)
CD's
and DVDs of the show are available, we are in
the process of sending one out to everyone that
contributed. If you have not received one and
would like to, let us know, and we will send
you one.
Dorothy
Ann Jackson
5512 Country Lakes Trail
Sarasota FL 34201
941.359.3192
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 Video:
- Chacun
le Sait from La Fille du Regiment, by
Donizetti
- Sull
Aria, from the Marriage of Figaro by Mozar
More coming soon.
And
here is the audio in mp3 format:
|
May
2008 - I'm going to attend Boston Conservatory!
