https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj Just happy you are here:) en-us 2021-05-05 21:40:11 UTC 2023-06-12 09:26:19 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f495.png kaylastewart6 https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440405818 I come from a mixed immigrant household of Salvadorians and Jews. In this household I was taught to always stay true to my values. My work has always surrounded Family, Creativity, Humanity, and Connection. I love directing pieces that make an audience member reflect on their own life and its values. I have seen throughout the semester how everyone collaborates and its importance. The values I display as a producer and collaborator show who I am as a person but also who I want to work with. I understand that everyone comes from a different background, however, keeping my values such as my background origins, my family, and love in my work is very important to me and I enjoy finding collaborators that match interests with me as well. I hope to one day display these values of mine proudly in my own theatre company. Throughout this semester, I have been blessed to see and hear everyone else's stories and values and how they shape their collaboration and creativity. As collaborators our values are such an important thing to bring to the conversation. Especially, during productions where there are different bridging perspectives, I have first hand experienced how values help with creating boundaries and broadening conversations in positive directions with collaborators.


 Personally, I hold my family very near and dear to my heart when I create new works. I have begun writing my parents story and how their backgrounds have shaped my future. Below I have included a synopsis of the show I am slowly writing regarding the story of my parents and their colliding backgrounds. My values are very present in this piece and I think it is a great conversation starter to have when collaborating with others.]]> 2021-04-21 00:23:05 UTC https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440405818 kaylastewart6 https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440407343 As a Performer and Director I have seen various angles of theatre, yet no matter where you are in a show-whether tech, stage, or production- collaboration is key for success. I think without proper collaboration, a show cannot be great or good. Collaboration is the deciding factor between great and amazing. When you can see that the team trusts one another and is a tight-knit community, even if something fails, it is not just one person that must get up but a group of people there to pick them up again. My views on Collaboration have only grown this semester. Being Collaborative allows for room for error and experimentation because it is not just one person facing a big project but multiple people with different perspectives and ideas. As best said by Kirk Lynn, "Collaboration is not an activity; it is a way of looking at things." Collaborating with others gains trust, relationships, and variability in a show. It is deeply important to work with others rather than try to face a large task alone. Specifically, as seen throughout each module in PCP and The Cohen New Works Festival, I have first hand seen the importance of working with others and believe whole-heartily that in order to be successful, collaboration is necessary. After this class I would rather face a project with others than by myself.

The article attached highlights one of my greatest accomplishments to date where I was the first student in school history to solo direct a main stage play at my High School. This experience changed my perspective towards theatre and confirmed my desire to pursue it as my career. However, even though I was able to solo-direct this production, I was more successful in my collaboration with my peers, teachers, and family during this process.]]> 2021-04-21 00:23:40 UTC https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440407343 kaylastewart6 https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440436075 This year has been difficult when it comes to being creative and pushing the boundaries of the question, "What is theatre?" and "What defines art?" In my previous personal statement I said that I was someone who didn't use technology much before COVID-19. As well as mentioned how I was inspired especially by TikTok Creators coming together to create musicals such as "Ratatouille: the Musical" and "Bridgerton: the Musical" that bridge art with social media. I still believe that virtual theatre is very exciting and continues to get more intricate and impressive since lots of shows have been streamed online and technological innovations have been booming in the pandemic. Now, those inspirations have influenced me to find my own ways to be creative online and since then I have been working on my own virtual creations on TikTok. I have loved seeing how no pandemic can stifle the creative minds of the world from collaboration. I have seen this first hand at UT Austin this past year during the Cohen New Works Festival and the different mediums of "live" theatre that have progressed this year. 

My progression of virtual entertainment began by accident last year when I posted a video on TikTok that went viral. Since then I have grown my following to nearly 300 thousand followers. I now have experienced the boundaries of virtual theatre and create little short films like the one attached for my target audience. ]]> 2021-04-21 00:34:22 UTC https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1440436075 kaylastewart6 https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1495860184 From the small rural town of San Miguel, El Salvador and breathtaking Romania came together two individuals of great background. This union led to me. Hi, I'm Kayla Stewart, a spunky, mixed, creative, and unique individual. My life has always been a dichotomy of identities. From latkes to ceviche I struggled finding the balance in a mixed household. As a child I wondered "If I'm Hispanic, why don't I look like my Spanish family?" and "If I'm Jewish, why can't I understand Hebrew like my cousins?" This collide-scope of identities that IS me, poured into a lifetime of artistic expression. From salsa dancing to singing, my background has always influenced my artistic expression. This background gifted me with a unique perspective as an artist and a citizen. I have always been captivated by theatre arts. It is no secret every actor likes to play the “yes, and...” game with their lives, but for me, it sparked a genuine desire to pursue something greater. As actors, we learn the number one rule of improvisation is to state “yes, and…” to keep the scene moving. I feel as though this applies to my life and the mentality I carry; keep yearning for more. For as long as I can remember, fine arts has been monumental to my success. I learned confidence, teamwork, and leadership at a young age through dance and theatre arts by capitalizing every “and” I could add to my story. These activities soon evolved from hobbies into deep passions and this pressing “yes, and…” became my motivation to learn and do more in theatre. While furthering my acting on stage, I simultaneously sought out ways to work on the production itself. Then, the opportunity presented itself through a faint glimmer of red, and after interviews, essays, and auditions, I received the opportunity to be the first student to direct a full main stage show: “The Giver.” There, I spent hours perfecting my show, reviewing blocking and character motivations; knowing that although I lavish the spotlight, directing is my calling. I love creation; being able to originate something from nothing but a thought. I want to be a playwright. I want to be a director. But most importantly, I want to tell endless stories. ]]> 2021-05-05 21:42:51 UTC https://padlet.com/kaylastewart6/ky7dbw1rlsypo4xj/wish/1495860184