Living the Dream!
My little town blues have definitely melted away! I have officially survived my first week as a resident of New York City. It's still very surreal and hard to believe at times but I am so excited to finally begin this journey. I know many of you kept up with my summer internship adventures through my last blog in 2015 so I wanted to take the opportunity to use this outlet again as I turn the page on this new chapter of my life. It's been an insanely busy week of unpacking, reconnecting with friends, job searching, and settling in but I have finally gotten the chance to sit down and reflect on this incredible week. This first entry is going to be a lengthy one so sit back, grab a snack, and enjoy.
My journey to NYC has been a 10 year process. I visited for the first time when I was 13 and promised myself I would be living here by the time I was 25. Here I am 10 years later, just shy of 24, settling into my apartment in Hamilton Heights, Manhattan and adjusting to the the NYC groove. My roommates are incredible and I am so very lucky to have them both in my life. One I know through interning at Roundabout and the other is her best friend so it's a perfect personality combination. We're all involved/in love with theatre and we get along so very well. It's crazy how you could be sitting at a desk by someone one summer then two years later be moving in with them! Life's funny like that. Moving to NYC is an incredibly fast, stressful, and intense process. Without a support system of loving family and friends, and years of savings, I don't see how anyone does it! After living in Birmingham for a year and finding myself completely unhappy with where I was in life, I made the decision to reach out to some friends and start taking steps to be in NYC by the end of the summer. I moved back to Prickettville in May, performed my dream role in Phantom of the Opera, found an apartment/signed lease/sent deposit within a week, performed Sister Act, then moved 3 days later. The summer was a complete whirlwind but I'm so glad I got the chance to spend time with family and friends before making this leap! Last Wednesday I loaded up my two huge suitcases, hugged my family goodbye, went to the school to say goodbye to my Mother (which was a mess - y'all pray for her), then headed to ATL with my three besties to catch my flight.
Since arriving at the front stoop of my apartment building around 7:30 that evening, everything has been a complete blur. I sat in the apartment alone that night (both roommates were gone), terrified to even look out the window. I was here for 4 months in 2015 to intern but this feeling was something that I had never experienced before. Honestly, I was glad to be alone that night because I was a complete train wreck of emotions. I reached an odd moment of clarity while sitting in the middle of my empty bedroom, surrounded by luggage and boxes... I'm not sure what it was but in that moment, sitting in the dark alone, listening to the sounds of the sirens and horns from the street below, I knew I was going to be okay. I knew I had made the right decision. I had arrived in NYC with no job, no interviews, no bed, and no roommates, yet I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be. I know it's hard for many to understand but I have been living, sleeping, breathing this dream for 10 years. No, I don't have a Broadway show booked. No, I haven't won a Tony Award. No, I haven't started a theatre company, produced a successful musical, or even gone to an audition... but step one is complete. Step one of the plan: move to New York City. I couldn't even begin to tackle my bucket list of dreams without accomplishing this first step, and now I have. Sometimes you really do have to take a step back to truly see where you are. I'm here, and I'm ready to take on this city like never before. #BroadwayBound
That being said, this first week has been an absolute blast! I've luckily had the chance to reconnect with so many wonderful friends! Past internship friends, fellow actor friends, friends in the city for a visit, it's been such a comfort to see so many familiar faces. I've unpacked the majority of my stuff, and started to make a home here at Apt. #52. My bed arrived, though the rest of my clothes/books/junk are still on the way (Thanks Mom!) I've explored the beautiful neighborhood that I now call home, familiarized myself with the local grocery store, laundromat, and best local restaurants! I always find it so thrilling to move to a new place and discover all of the treasures the area has to offer. Especially somewhere as historic Hamilton Heights, just blocks away from Alexander Hamilton's home. Though I've applied for over 50 jobs (seriously) and sent my resume to nearly every theatre company in the city, I had to get a survival job (as we theatre people call them) and I officially start tomorrow. I also saw the BEST (seriously, BEST) theatrical production I have ever seen in my life. The current revival of Hello, Dolly! (starring Donna Murphy on Tuesday evening) is by far my favorite theatrical experience. Costumes, Choreography, Musical Direction, EVERYTHING. I could go on about this production for days. It was simply the perfect revival. Donna Murphy is a GENIUS along with the rest of that stunning cast and crew. My jaw is still on the floor of the Shubert Theatre mezzanine.
Many of you have asked me, or my Mom, or my friends what exactly I'm planning to do up here. Well, as of today I now have a job serving cheesecake at Juniors! Ya gotta start somewhere right? Truth is, I plan to audition, interview, and shimmy my way into the theatre industry through any door I can get my foot into. I've gone back and forth between so many different dream jobs and goals and honestly, I want to do them all. Is this unrealistic? Probably. But will I ever reach my full potential if I hold myself back by placing myself into a small box? Never. Life is too short to not take chances, make new life goals, and live to ones full potential. There are so many paths I can travel down in the theatre world and I'm not going to get to any of them by playing it safe and putting all of my eggs into one basket. Actor? Producer? Educator? Director? Casting Agent? Author? Who knows. I am beginning each new day with an open mind, open heart, and ready to take on whatever life throws at me. This is an incredibly thrilling, yet terrifying and anxious adventure and I couldn't be happier. This is the life I have chosen. This is New York. This is only the beginning.
-Macon