Picking up from last time –
Since we’ve been talking about all the anxious and semi-worrying parts about this awesome, amazing news, let’s get to some of the awesome, amazing parts.
It is amazing how much clout the workshop carries, and how cool people think you are when you get in it – and how happy alums are for you!
After I got in, I wrote some of my favorite composers, who’d been through the workshop, and they all wrote back extremely encouraging messages!
One (whom I’d never spoken to before) wrote me back and made me feel soooo cool about it! He told me it was HUGE news (with huge indeed in all caps :-)). He told me the workshop changed his life, and he hopes it does the same for me. He sent a bunch of emojis and it was awesome.
I also got into another Simpsons table read. One of the writers asked me, “So you’re moving to New York?” I said, “I got into the BMI Musical Theater Workshop.”
Since it’s not a super famous program (outside of the musical theater community), I started to explain, “It’s this – “ But he stopped me. And in an impressed voice, he said “Oh, I know what the workshop is! Congratulations!!!” And it was just wonderful.
Also (as if you haven’t heard enough stories already, but I’m still beside myself, so why not another one?), I tweeted out about the Nick Writing program (for which I didn’t even make it into the finals).
There was a tweet from their camp talking about picking the next group of writers. And I said, “I didn’t get into this, but I did get into the BMI Workshop. A lesson in apply, apply, apply. Just keep writing.”
Someone who runs the Nick program tweeted and said congratulations, and that it’s a very impressive program. She asked if I was a lyricist. (There we go again with that question!)
I said yes, but that I went to Berklee and write music too. And she said, “You’re scary in a good way!” (Hopefully that meant scary talented! :-))
I’d asked someone connected to the scripted world for advice a while ago, about trying to break in and all that jazz. I hadn’t heard back (and just left it alone, ’cause that can happen with people you don’t know).
But after the BMI thing came out, that person DMed me with some ideas. Could’ve totally been a coincidence… If not, this is apparently what happens when you get into the BMI Workshop! 🙂 People start wanting to listen to you more, and help you, to possibly work with you. It’s like you’ve finally made it from a level of “Who is this yahoo?” to “Okay, this person has a least a little legitimacy.”
I have a little legitimacy, y’all! And it feels so good.
I know it doesn’t necessarily mean anything about my future will change. And I know that ultimately my future is mostly up to me.
All I know is that in this moment, this feels so good. And if it feels this good just to get into school (or at least a school-like program), imagine what it must feel like to get a show on Broadway, or be nominated for an Emmy (or Tony) or anything. I can hardly fathom it.
But for now, let’s focus on BMI – as I am writing you from the plane to my first weekend!
I’ll talk all about the weekend tomorrow.