Perspectives: Amanda
Introducing the lovely, talented, and all-around fantastic Amanda Holsinger! :) But she won't have that name for much longer. Come next spring she'll be changing her last name to Mrs. Noah Lewis. Amanda and I both got engaged this year (a definite first for Conservatory students!) and have had a lot of fun talking about wedding plans, as well as encouraging one another as long distance relationships can be tough sometimes.
Getting to know Amanda this year has been an absolute joy. She's intelligent, driven, articulate, and extremely talented. She has a very strong Soprano voice and she knew a lot about singing technique before coming here, which has spring boarded her into so much growth. She's humble and takes direction extremely well, which has meant that each time she performs she gets better and better. The acting scenes she's performed in our classes have always been so enjoyable to watch. I can't wait to see what she does in the years ahead!
She grew up coming to almost every Sight & Sound show, and she has a beautiful story about how she arrived at the Conservatory. Please enjoy!
Hi everyone! My name is Amanda Holsinger. I am a 20-year-old, born-and-raised-in-Virginia girl. I grew up in a Christian family with loving, supportive parents and 3 siblings that are my best friends. I was homeschooled my whole life, which was such a blessing. A few years ago we added a member to our family by adopting my youngest brother from Ukraine. Being one of five kids is a super fun adventure and it’s been so exciting to see all of their accomplishments over the years.
GROWING UP!
I never enjoyed school, I wasn’t good at sports (I love to play any sport for fun, just not for real... any team would be better off, trust me!), and I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to try to get in to. I tried gymnastics for nine years, but when I decided to stop, it was because I found something that I loved more. And that was theatre!
My mom took me to see a production of The Sound of Music. I was only five years old, but I told her that I wanted to be that little girl up there and pointed to the young actress playing Gretel. (Side note: if you flash forward ten years down the road I was actually in a show in high school with that same girl all grow up. Life is a crazy thing!) My parents, being the amazing parents they were, started looking into theatre options such a community theatre or camps that I could be a part of. Because I was homeschooled, I didn’t have a drama club! But I was fortunate enough to live in an area that had many opportunities.
I hopped right in and was a part of my first production of Annie at age six. It was a cast of 100 people and there were 49 of us orphans alone. It was quite the production to start with! But it really got me to love the performing world. I stuck with it and grew up doing shows. I was involved in about 30 productions with 10 different theatre groups in my area. I had finally found my thing! A few of my favorite roles include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Wendy in Peter Pan, Mary Poppins in well...Mary Poppins, Gertrude in Suessical, Amber in Hairspray, Rapunzel in Rapunzel, and Sharpay in High School Musical. The Lord seriously blessed me with amazing directors and teachers to help prepare me for this crazy year that I am a part of now.
HOW I GOT HERE!
Sight & Sound has always had a special place in the hearts of my family. Growing up, we would take a trip once a year to see their show. I remember we all got tickets in our Easter baskets the year they did Joseph. We also sometimes got tickets as Christmas presents. My family is huge into camping, so we would make a fun weekend out of it and camp at a near by campground and then go see the show! All the shows I saw (In The Beginning, Noah, Moses, Joseph, Jonah, Miracle of Christmas, Samson...) have such wonderful memories. I never could have imagined when I was coming here that one day I would get to perform on this beautiful stage.
So, fast forward to high school years, as I was preparing for the future and deciding what colleges I wanted to apply to. I really thought and prayed about why I was considering a normal university. What I wanted to do in life (perform and eventually be a mom, my real life goal) didn’t really need all the academic classes that a four year school would give me. So I started looking into one- or two-year musical theater intensive conservatories in New York City. I was moving to the Big Apple people! I found my top school, New York Film Academy, and applied. I was accepted for an audition and following my trip up there to show them what I can do, I was accepted with a great scholarship. Yay! Thank you Lord! Everything was coming together.
But...God likes to throw surprises at us sometimes. Earlier that year my mom heard about the Conservatory here at Sight & Sound. She told me about it and how much she and my dad would love for me to apply and consider it. Not going to lie. My first thought was, "Absolutely not." I didn’t want to move to no-where Pennsylvania and go to a Christian conservatory when New York was an option! But, none the less, I applied. I was accepted for an audition and made the day trip with my mom to come perform for them.
Amanda and Hannah in some of their costumes for Jonah.
The moment I walked in I felt peace and excitement, I wondered why I was suddenly so happy to audition for this. Everyone was so kind and supportive (nothing like New York City) and I think that’s what stood out to me. Almost immediately after my audition I remember having a total switch in my head and just praying and hoping I would be accepted to Sight & Sound.
And sure enough, I got an email a few weeks later that started with the word “Congratulations!” I didn’t even have to think about it anymore. I knew that God’s plan for me and my desires for schooling were now on the same track. I told Manhattan, New York, "No" and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, "Yes!" I was so thrilled to get to learn alongside performers who loved the Lord and loved what I love. I was excited to learn more about my craft, but also learn more about God and who I am in Him and how to use the gifts and abilities He gave me to further His kingdom here on earth. I could not imagine my Conservatory year anywhere but here. I'm so thankful the Lord took my plan a totally different direction.
THIS YEAR!
To say I have learned a lot this year would be an understatement. I have not only gained so much more wisdom about the performing world and knowledge to improve my abilities in this field, but I have also learned so much about myself and about life in general. And about the God that I serve and how marvelous He is and how much love He has for us every single day, when we don’t deserve even the breath in our lungs.
Amanda helping to give a tour to some audience members!
I could write for hours all that the Lord has taught me this year, how fabulous this program is and how amazing the performers and teachers are, but I’m simply going to say that I have loved every second of my time here (yeah, even the hard times through the tears) and am truly going to miss it and the lovely human beings it holds. The friendships and relationships God brought into my life this year are ones that I will never be able to thank Him enough for. What an incredible journey we have had the privilege of experiencing this year!
““For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom; and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
This has been my favorite bible verse for as long as I can remember. I just think it paints such a beautiful picture about just how utterly amazing God is. Even us at our very best can’t compare to the smallest thing He can do. We serve an amazing Savior and this verse has given me so much courage throughout the years to know that I don’t have to have it all figured out and put together all the time, when there is someone THAT great who is that peace for me. Especially in a year like this when we are going hard for 13 hours a day, it brings me so much peace to know that I don't have to be perfect. I just have to try my best. God is the perfect thing in my life and this verse is such proof of that.