Perspectives: Gabbi
Hello friends!
Allow me to introduce another one of the talented students at this years Conservatory. Meet Gabrielle Dixon! Or Gabbi, as we all like to call her. It's been so much fun getting to know her during my time here. She has a joyful personality as well as a great sense of humor.
And let me tell ya...this girl is crazy talented. Her face is very expressive, which, in the theatre world, is a huge compliment. She also has a powerful voice and has harnessed a lot of techniques to take it to the next level. I always get excited when she gets up to sing because I know we're in for a treat! She's actually already performed in several professional productions before coming to Sight & Sound, which doesn't surprise me in the least.
She was kind enough to write in and tell about here experience thus far, as well as a few of the things she's learned. I hope you enjoy reading her perspective!
Hello blogosphere! My name is Gabrielle Dixon. I attend the Sight & Sound Conservatory with Kinsey. I'm the only local in the Conservatory this year. I'm a proud native of the sweetest place on earth, Hershey Pennsylvania. If you ever go to Hershey and need a guide, I'm your gal!
I guess I'll share a little bit about my theatre history with ya. I've been doing theatre as long as I can remember. I've always been dramatic and loved the art of storytelling! I started off my "theatre career" in my first ever real production, Annie. I was in the fifth grade and I absolutely fell in love! I continued to do shows, go to master classes, take lessons, and even booked some professional gigs throughout middle school and high school.
When I got to college I found myself at a crossroads. I chose not to pursue my theatre dream anymore. But as time passed I realized that something was missing in my life. When I finally came back home from college I knew what it was. I started doing community theatre again and got cast as Dragon/Mama Bear in Shrek the Musical at York Little Theatre! That was one of the shows that really changed the course of my life and led me back to theatre. Looking back, God was intricately putting everything in place for me to be where I am today.
After that, I started auditioning randomly at professional theaters just to see if anything would come of it. In a whirlwind moment I got cast to be the Deloris Van Cartier Standby in Sister Act the Musical at the Fulton Theatre. I was super excited and a little nervous! When I finally got the chance to go on stage it was the most amazing moment of my life. That was when I knew this is what I wanted to do! After that I worked on some more shows and ended up receiving my Actors' Equity Card! This was confirmation I was on the right track.
I was ready to hit the ground running, but I knew it had been a while since I had received any training. I had the opportunity to work with some of the most talented people in the industry. I wanted to make sure I was up to par with their knowledge and brush up my skills so I could feel confident out in the working world. That's when I knew that the Sight and Sound Conservatory was the right choice for me! It was intensive, only a year long program, and I got to be in their shows along with classes. And here I am! So that's my story of how I got to the Conservatory. It's been an awesome ride and I'm still very thankful for everything that has happened to get me here.
When I started the Conservatory a lot of people kept telling me how hard this year was going to be. But it's difficult to understand what it's like until you're doing it for yourself. Twelve hour days, Tuesday-Saturday, with up to 9 performances on top of classes, homework, scene work, and voice lessons. I also work Sundays and Mondays as a digital puppeteer at Hershey World, so my schedule has been jam packed! But it truly has been an eye opening journey so far. Here's some things I've gleaned:
I learned how much you can really fit into a day! I never realized how much you can pack into just a twelve hour time frame, let alone twenty-four hours. When I get back into the "real world" I'm sure it will be weird not having three classes and two shows in one day. Having free time will feel like something is missing!
Gabbi & Terron performing their scene from Barefoot in the Park.
Another thing I've learned about is all the different techniques that you can use to craft your voice. My biggest breakthroughs in my voice lessons have come through the simplest changes that I've applied to my singing. Releasing tension in my shoulders, taking a bigger breath, and standing correctly are all things that have made the difference between missing that high C or hitting it. It really is spectacular! I've now learned to go through my checklist of corrections when I feel I'm not hitting notes the way I should.
But the biggest thing I've learned so far is perseverance. There have been a lot of trials this year, and I'm sure there are more to come. But with my head held high and God by my side I've made it through them and am still standing to tell the tale. Yes, everyone kept telling me how hard this year would be...and looking back now boy they were oh so right! But, I'm thankful for the hardship. I am so much stronger because of it.
I have become a better performer and a better person within these past eight months. With four more months left on the horizon I am more motivated than ever to finish this year strong!