AAF Podcast S4Ep1 Musical Theater with Makenna Kirsch

[00:00:00] Malaika Hollist: Welcome

[00:00:07] to the Arts Axis Florida podcast. I'm your host, Malaika Hollist. This podcast supports the art nonprofits and artists around us. We strive to amplify different voices in our community by creating a space for conversation, education, and connection.

[00:00:30] Support for Arts Axis Florida comes from Community Foundation Tampa Bay, champions of Philanthropy. Learn more at cftampabay.org.

[00:00:45] In this episode, we speak to MaKenna Kirsch, a Bachelor of Fine Arts Major and Dance Minor at the University of Central Florida. I happen to already know MaKenna, as we both used to be former students at the same dance studio. Now as a senior in college, we [00:01:00] talk about her love of music, theater and dance, her college experience during Covid, and her goals to reach new heights in her art.

[00:01:10] Makenna Kirsch: I'm Makenna Kirsch. I am based out of Orlando, and I am a senior getting my BFA in musical theater from UCF.

[00:01:19] Malaika Hollist: We both obviously have a love for dance. So can you tell me why or, or when you first got into

[00:01:24] Makenna Kirsch: My parents put me in dance at like a very young age, um, and I kind of just stuck with it. Um, it was, I just really liked dancing.

[00:01:34] I tried other things like, you know, gymnastics, soccer here and there, but dance was like what really stuck with me. Um, and then as I kind of grew up, I was just like, oh, this is. I really like doing this. This is like what I want to do. So, um, yeah, my parents just kind of got me into it as a kid, little mommy me classes, but it really stuck with me.

[00:01:56] Malaika Hollist: Did you have like a favorite type of class when you were growing up? [00:02:00]

[00:02:00] Makenna Kirsch: I always really liked jazz. Yeah. Jazz and like musical theater style jazz was like definitely my thing. Um, I think when I got into like high school, I really, and like I went to Center Stage, I really liked contemporary. Mm-hmm. Because it was so unique there.

[00:02:15] Yeah. Um, but definitely like jazz and musical theater were like my thing.

[00:02:19] Malaika Hollist: How many years of dance, like study, I guess do you think you have by now?

[00:02:25] Makenna Kirsch: Um, I mean, I'm 21, so I would, I would probably go ahead and say about like 18 or 19 years. Wow. That's so crazy. Since being so little. But like formal dance training, I would say like probably 10 or 11.

[00:02:41] Okay.

[00:02:42] Malaika Hollist: So with all your training, since you know how, and I do too, I know how like fulfilling it could be, but also how difficult it is. What's your, what do you love most about dance?

[00:02:55] Makenna Kirsch: Um, I, I think I really love [00:03:00] the expression and it was definitely a way, um, for me to like, Kind of escape from whatever was happening, like, um, at school or at home or whatever was like, I would come to dance classes and that was like just a way for me to like let loose express myself.

[00:03:18] Yeah. Um, and I still to this day, that is like my favorite thing about dance and getting into dance classes is just like the freedom and the exploration.

[00:03:27] Malaika Hollist: Yeah, I agree. I feel like I, I too tried so many other things. Yeah. And that was the only one I really stuck with. And I also did musical theater. I don't know if I told you that.

[00:03:37] Really? Yeah. I did musical theater in high school and Okay. Loved it. Yeah. And my dad would always say, he's like, that's when I see you the happiest when you're like, when you get to dance and sing and kind of act like that's like what you really enjoy doing. It is the most freeing activity. Mm-hmm. For me and for you as well.

[00:03:58] So I, [00:04:00] so I know you sang only from your senior dance like solo

[00:04:05] Makenna Kirsch: Oh yeah.

[00:04:06] Malaika Hollist: I, I remember you like did a, like, you kind of performed it, it was like a musical theater. It was so good. I remember it really clearly. But like, when did you first start to realize that you liked to sing?

[00:04:20] Makenna Kirsch: Growing up, my dad, he plays the guitar and he sings, so like they, my parents have videos of me like, Singing with my dad or like just singing on my own.

[00:04:31] Um, but when I got into middle school, I did like choir and um, at my studio before they had like a glee club, so we would like sing in the glee club. My mom put me in there cause she was like, you sing a lot at home. Like, let's try and see if you can sing with like a group of people. And I really. Really liked that.

[00:04:57] Um, so I think it was like somewhere around middle school that I started to [00:05:00] be like, okay, I actually really like singing. And then, um, I auditioned for theater in high school, so that's when it like really opened up the world of singing for me. But yeah, I, I feel like I was kind of influenced throughout my whole life, but like really realized that I liked to sing in like middle schoolish when I did choir.

[00:05:20] Malaika Hollist: Yeah. What do you, what do you like about singing? Like, I mean, I don't really know, and I'm not sure if, if whoever's listening knows like what is like the technical. Part about singing and, and wondering, is there like, do you enjoy that or do you love just like singing in general?

[00:05:37] Makenna Kirsch: Yeah. I, I think it's more so for me, just like, it's, it's almost kind of like dance with how it's like, Very, like, expressive and um, especially when I'm singing like musical theater songs, like they tell a story.

[00:05:52] Yeah. So I get to like put on a whole new character and like that's, and then play around with like how my voice sounds as that character. So [00:06:00] like that's fun too. Yeah. Um, but it's also cool, like especially, um, through now I've had, I'd never had voice lessons growing up. Um, I only got voice lessons when I got to, um, college, which for.

[00:06:15] Uh, I didn't know this, but for. People who are like pursuing musical theater isn't the Comet experience. Yeah. Um, not hearing people were like, wait, you've never had like, voice lessons? And I was like, no. And apparently most people that are like pursuing or doing, uh, BFAs or anything like that have like been in voice lessons.

[00:06:36] Oh, okay. Oh,

[00:06:38] Malaika Hollist: they've been pursuing it for a long time. Like they're

[00:06:40] Makenna Kirsch: wild. Yeah. Oh. And I feel like I kind of like toss myself into it. Yeah. Um, but through voice lessons, it's cool to see how doing certain things with my voice can change, um, can change the way I sound completely. And like I've watched myself technically [00:07:00] grow through the last four years, um, whereas like I may have instead of.

[00:07:06] Being super trained, I may have been hurting my voice before and now, right? Everything is very like effortless and it doesn't hurt to sing. Um, which is really cool. So yeah. Awesome.

[00:07:18] Malaika Hollist: So to take it back a little, so you said you started in musical theater. Was it like a musical theater program in high school?

[00:07:26] Yeah. So what, what was that experience like?

[00:07:30] Makenna Kirsch: So, um, my, my high, I went to a public high school, um, and they had a theater program that was very like, um, What would I say? Like, people talked highly of it. Yeah. They, they were good. Yeah. Um, especially for like a public school when we had like, private schools around, or not private schools, but, um, well we did have private schools, but like, uh, like, uh, like Blake and stuff that had schools Yeah.

[00:07:56] Performing arts programs. Yeah. Um, and my [00:08:00] mom was like, oh, you should, you should audition for the theater program. Like, I think that would be really good for you. And I auditioned and I got in. And at the time I was switching dance studios. Um, and I went to like the first week of the class and I literally told my mom, I came home and I was like, I don't wanna do this.

[00:08:22] Like this is way too much commitment for me. Cuz they were like, we go to this competition and this competition and we do four shows a year and yada yada yada. And I was like, that is too much involvement. Like, I don't wanna do that. And my mom, I literally went to the director of the program and was like, I think I'm gonna drop.

[00:08:40] And she was like, oh, okay. You know, if you wanna do that, that's fine. That's up to you. I went to my mom and my mom was like, absolutely not. You're not a quitter. Get in there. So I'm like, fine, I'll stick through it. And then I had like the best four years of my life and yeah, completely changed my career path.

[00:08:56] Um, cuz I never really. Like, [00:09:00] wanted to like pursue performing. And that program really made me want to do it. Um, I performed in every show that I could there. Um, I ended up being the president of the program. By the end. We consistently went to like conferences and competitions and all that kind of stuff.

[00:09:20] Um, yeah. And it was just a really fun experience. I met a lot of, Really great friends through that program and yeah, it completely changed my vision of what I wanted, my whole like future to be.

[00:09:33] Malaika Hollist: What's the lesson you think you can maybe teach to others about that? Because a lot of people wanna quit things.

[00:09:39] Mm-hmm. And then it kind of turns out being something they love. But there also is like a lesson in knowing when something is done for you. Yeah. So, yeah, like do you have any advice on that for, you know, other people in your, you know, age group and your peers who are kind of trying to figure out what they wanna do?

[00:09:56] Makenna Kirsch: I've always kind of been that person that was like, trust my. [00:10:00] Kind of thing. And, um, it gets hard and especially performing arts, like it gets hard and you wanna quit. Um, but if you are, if you really want it, you just, you just gotta push through. Um, and I think there, there does come a time when you're like, you know what?

[00:10:23] This might not be for me in any aspect of life. Um, and. You have to trust your gut on that situation. And if you know that it is not your time, then you can move on to something else. There's always other things out there for everybody. Um, but when it gets hard, Just pushing through is like the best thing to do.

[00:10:45] And then if you push through and get to the other side and you're like, Ugh, I still don't really like this, then that's okay. Yeah. But you might find that like something else greater or better is waiting for you over there. So yeah, that's great

[00:10:56] Malaika Hollist: advice. Yeah, because you never know. Sometimes it's just good to [00:11:00] push yourself outta your comfort zone and then you can see at the end of it, Is it something you want or don't want?

[00:11:05] And either way you like still learn something, so Exactly. It's not a waste of time kids, right? You have, you have more time than you think. That's the hard thing to remember. I feel like at that like, you know, 18 to like 25 age, it feels like everything you have to make all these decisions and you have a lot more time than you think.

[00:11:35] Now you're at U C F. Mm-hmm. And you're getting a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater with a minor in dance, which sounds really fun and probably really exhausting. Yes. And also, um, what, what has your college experience been like so far? And are you a senior now? Yeah, I am a senior. Wow. Time is flying.

[00:11:55] Makenna Kirsch: This is, I know I have. Two, three months left. I'm pushing through to the end. [00:12:00] Yeah. How's it been? Um, I have had a really interesting experience because of course, COVID and everything. So like I, I had my first semester of my freshman year and I was like so excited and I'm like, Ooh, let's go college in a dorm and everything.

[00:12:17] And then we were at home and online for a year and a half. Um, and then, And a whole nother half, I would say about a year after that that I actually ended up moving back to Orlando. Cause I was like, I need to get out of my house. And, um, I just, we still were taking classes online, which is really challenging when you are a musical theater or an acting or dance major where it's, it's so hands on.

[00:12:46] Because like we were taking voice lessons through Zoom, we were taking dance classes through Zoom. Um, so I definitely do feel like I missed out on like a big chunk of my experience. I, I do think though that my experience may have been [00:13:00] completely different if I didn't have that. Um, I don't know for the better or for the worse.

[00:13:06] Um, but I, um, I have like mixed feelings about my, my, my path. Um, but the, going back to what you were saying with the, with the pushing through and getting through things, you know, I'm like pushing through to graduation right now. Um, cuz there were definitely times when I, I wanted to drop out. Um, it's a really, really challenging program.

[00:13:35] Um, A lot of credit hours. And I also, um, was, I'm working obviously, um, part-time, um, and I'm a performer at Universal. Um, so that's what I was doing and I also was working at SeaWorld for a second there. Um, Plus I had like an actual part-time job. So it was just like a lot [00:14:00] of things altogether in these past like two years when we got back to in-person classes.

[00:14:05] Um, and. I wouldn't say that my program was the most receptive of me, uh, pursuing, performing at the theme parks, um, because they really wanted me to focus on the program. Um, but you know, I somehow found a way to do both, um, even though it ends up with me being exhausted. Um, this week specifically was one where I was like in and out of classes, rehearsals, overnights at Universal, like just a bunch of crazy stuff.

[00:14:34] And, um, But I've really enjoyed my experience with the program and the people that I've met. Think there are some classes that I would not have been able to get if I didn't pursue this degree, um, that have taught me a lot about like, auditioning, um, uh, resumes, headshot, [00:15:00] like just how to put your book together, how to put.

[00:15:04] Your portfolios together, building a website and all that kind of stuff. Like that stuff was really, really practical for me. Um, and then I also got free vo, well, not free, we paid for them obviously, but we got in-house, um, uh, accompanist and voice lessons and ev and private voice lessons, um, which were really helpful.

[00:15:23] Like my voice has grown so much being here. Um, So, yeah, I have, I definitely have my mixed feelings about getting, um, my BFA, but overall I would say that it really helped me and the program did really help me grow as a person and as a performer.

[00:15:44] Malaika Hollist: Yeah, I, I kind of forgot, I didn't forget about Covid, but I kind of forgot that that occurred and like so much of that time was like kind of, I don't wanna say it was stolen from you guys because that sounds so terrible in a way.

[00:15:59] It was [00:16:00] kind of was, yeah. And, uh, I hate to say it cuz I remember. Around then like the kids who were still in high school having to miss like their proms and even their graduations. And I remember you and kind of your group. I think you had just left for college. Yeah. You were, you freshman. Yes. I was like, oh my God, did they just go home?

[00:16:18] Like I didn't really know what happened. And then I didn't think about like, it wasn't just that six to eight month or year period, it was like two years of time. That's,

[00:16:26] Makenna Kirsch: um, wow. And it, it, it was almost in like the blink of an eye. Like, wow. We were, we went home for spring break and then they were like, you guys can't come back.

[00:16:36] Yeah. And then like, my, this is so bad. My mom and I like literally snuck onto campus to get my stuff out of the dorms because I was like, I gotta get my stuff if we're not coming back. I'm getting my stuff now. Getting my stuff. Yeah. So like we went back and got my stuff and like, I mean my, I have videos of like me taking dance classes in my garage and like recording my acting [00:17:00] stuff outside in the backyard and stuff.

[00:17:03] So it was, it was definitely a crazy experience. Wow.

[00:17:05] Malaika Hollist: Well, good for you that you made it through. Cause I, yeah, I can only imagine how difficult that would've been. And also with performing arts, I mean, a big part of it is performing at other, in front of other people. Mm-hmm. So you can get used to it and you can take feedback to your face, which I know you've already had that experience, but still, like it's, it helps grow character in that way.

[00:17:26] So to have to do it. Over like a screen, which is also pretty awkward, is a lot to, to do, but good for you, for, you're almost there. So that's almost there. Almost there. Just so close. I remember those last few months of college and it's a little bit like, but you're, you're gonna do it. You're, you got it.

[00:17:46] Since you are a student artist, what are some aspirations you have for yourself in your future without, you know, putting so much pressure on yourself, but what are some things you do wanna try and do in the next few years?

[00:17:57] Makenna Kirsch: Yeah. Um, I, [00:18:00] I feel like I have kind of set myself like a plan of, or like a, a chart of what I would kind of want to do.

[00:18:08] Um, so obviously right now I'm working at the theme parks, um, and I would be perfectly content staying in Orlando and doing that for a little bit longer because there really is so many great offerings in Orlando. Um, there are mm-hmm. For, for performing for theaters for. Theme parks for dinner theaters. I mean, it's great.

[00:18:28] There's so many opportunities. Um, but I, I would really like to get on a cruise, um, that would be like top tier gig for me because I want to travel, I want to save money. Mm-hmm. Um, and I, my roommate right now, she's been on, she's done like six cruise contracts and she's like, it's the best experience ever.

[00:18:50] Um, So I really like to do that, but, um, I also definitely want to do the New York thing. I, I want to go there. I want to be [00:19:00] able to audition. Um, I would love to try to be in a national tour or on Broadway at some point. Um, I think that would be so cool. I've also been kind of getting into the like, um, commercial and screen work mm-hmm.

[00:19:14] Side of it recently, which never was really something that I really wanted to do. Um, Being a musical theater major, we don't get as much of that focus. That's more so for the acting majors. Um, but during Covid, when everything went to like, uh, video recordings and everything, I started submitting for some like commercial gigs and stuff here and there.

[00:19:35] So I've been kind of enjoying doing those self tapes and sending that stuff in too. So I'm like kind of doubling in that. But I more so would like to focus towards stage performance. Um, So yeah, we'll see if I can get on a cruise line. That'd be really cool for at least like right out of college. Um, but at some point I would like to think big and go to New York.[00:20:00]

[00:20:00] Malaika Hollist: Cool. I love it. It sounds great. Yeah, it sounds fun and I think it sounds like a great idea. I hope it works out. I hope it's everything you're looking for and I'm sure something will work out even if it's not what you were planned. I'm sure you'll find yourself on the right

[00:20:15] Makenna Kirsch: path at some point. Right. I, I, um, definitely stand by the success..

[00:20:23] Is very, um, subjective to everybody because one person's vision of success might be rich and famous on Broadway getting every single lead. Another person's idea of success very well is being a. Professor at a school and teaching students and, you know, educating the next generation. Yeah. Um, and you know, my idea of what I want for myself is just to be happy with whatever I'm doing and be able to sustain myself with whatever I'm doing, right?

[00:20:57] Mm-hmm. Um, so whether that's me being here [00:21:00] in Orlando or that is me being in New York. I'm, I very much am like, everything happens for a reason and yeah, your moment comes when it's supposed to.

[00:21:10] Malaika Hollist: Is there any advice that you haven't said yet that you wanna give to your peers?

[00:21:16] Makenna Kirsch: Um, for the younger people, if you are looking to pursue a, a BFA and.

[00:21:24] Are trying to decide if that's something you really wanna do, um, stick to it. It's, it's a great opportunity and you get your degree. Um, but if you don't wanna do it, say Lavie, you're gonna book either way. As long as you are talented and persevere.

[00:21:41] Malaika Hollist: Well, thank you so much for doing this. This was really fun.

[00:21:45] Thank you for listening. Learn more about our guests in the show notes. Follow us on any social platform by searching Arts Axis Florida, or on our website, arts a-x-i-s-f-l-dot-org. We are a product of WUSF [00:22:00] Public Media and sponsored by Community Foundation Tampa Bay and Gobioff Foundation. Copyright 2023 WUSF Public media.

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