Putting It Together

I feel like I've done a lot of writing lately. This will come to a temporary end soon, though, as the semester officially ends tomorrow.

I am a part-time graduate student working to get my Master of Liberal Arts degree. Since our work schedule is a little bit crazy here at the Modlin Center, I only take one class per semester. The beauty of UR's MLA program is that students design their own courses of study, so we are truly able to study those topics in which we have a genuine interest. The way I look at it is that I'm taking all of the electives that I didn't have time for as an undergraduate here; my focus is arts and culture, and it's a blast! The three classes I've taken so far (besides the intro class) were Managing Performing Arts Organizations, Philanthropy in the Arts, and the History of Photography. My current class - I call it current because the final thesis paper is still in draft form on my laptop - is Sondheim and the American Musical. More on that in a minute.

Taking these classes has helped me to understand more about why I do what I do. The first two classes concerned the practical side of the arts - the business side. This is the part that I see every day, and it is just as exhausting, exciting, stress-inducing, and amazing as it sounds. When an event is a success (as it usually is), there's nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from knowing that you played some sort of part (no matter how small) in making things happen.

This year's classes have helped me to understand more about the creation of the art that is displayed in venues like ours. I have come away with a greater appreciation for the true challenges involved in the genesis of art, be it performing or visual. As Stephen Sondheim said in Sunday in the Park with George (a work with which I've become fairly familiar, since it is the object of my thesis paper), art isn't easy.

During the Modlin Center 08-09 season, I will have the opportunity to put these two aspects of art together, particularly during one event. I will do extensive logistical planning and prep with my boss, and then I will sit in the house and learn more about the creative mind of Stephen Sondheim from Mr. Sondheim himself. I've learned so much this semester, and I know that when we present him in conversation with Frank Rich, I will learn even more. I can't wait!