Second City Conservatory
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Sheri Flanders and I was recently accepted to the Second City Conservatory program! It is an enormous honor to have the opportunity to be a small part of such a great institution and I would greatly appreciate your help to pay for the program.
In 2007 I graduated from college when the recession occurred. Growing up in a poor family, I had hoped that college would be my key to a better life, but I struggled to find a solid job in the economy.
Shortly after the market crashed, I began taking improv classes at the Second City on a whim and rediscovered my love of performing. The joy that is improv has carried me through the tough times of unemployment and underemployment. I have since reinvented my career and started a small but growing family business. But years later I am still repairing the financial disaser of years of underemployment, which leaves little room for extras such as improv classes.
There is a saying that "improv makes you a better person", and it is true. I became sad and angry for having lost my career, a drastic change from my normal personality. But improv helped me appreciate the power of a laugh, a connection to other people, and the simple joy of living in the moment. It helped me regain hope and keep struggling through day by day as I picked up the pieces of my career. No matter what occurs in my life from now on, I will never lose sight of all of the joy and beauty that exists in the world.
Over the past 6 years, this has slowly blossomed into something more than just a hobby. Being accepted into the Conservatory is a huge rite of passage for many professional actors and I would very much love to take this journey. It is a long road, with no guarantee of making it to the end, as I will have to re-audition at various points in the program to continue further. However I am absolutely committed to pursuing this as far as I can possibly travel.
Growing up in a poor black family I never knew this world existed, and once I discovered it I certainly never thought I would have been able to participate in it beyond the fringes. But for a brief moment, that door is open and I would very much like to step through it.
Asking for help publicly goes against all of my instincts as I am normally a very private person about my financial struggles. When I first received notice that I was accepted, my first thought was that I would have to regretfully decline. But a total stranger on Facebook reached out to me and offered her help and suggested that I do this. I am humbled by her thoughtfuless.
I greatly appreciate any help you can offer to help me chase this rainbow. Thank you to every family member, friend, improviser and stranger that has offered me support and kind words every step of the way. I invite you to come out and watch an improv show someday and laugh and smile along with me :)
Sincerely,
Sheri Flanders
Professional Chucklehead
The Second City Conservatory Program is 6 levels of classes at $345 each.
http://www.secondcity.com/classes/chicago/conservatory-level-1/
In 2007 I graduated from college when the recession occurred. Growing up in a poor family, I had hoped that college would be my key to a better life, but I struggled to find a solid job in the economy.
Shortly after the market crashed, I began taking improv classes at the Second City on a whim and rediscovered my love of performing. The joy that is improv has carried me through the tough times of unemployment and underemployment. I have since reinvented my career and started a small but growing family business. But years later I am still repairing the financial disaser of years of underemployment, which leaves little room for extras such as improv classes.
There is a saying that "improv makes you a better person", and it is true. I became sad and angry for having lost my career, a drastic change from my normal personality. But improv helped me appreciate the power of a laugh, a connection to other people, and the simple joy of living in the moment. It helped me regain hope and keep struggling through day by day as I picked up the pieces of my career. No matter what occurs in my life from now on, I will never lose sight of all of the joy and beauty that exists in the world.
Over the past 6 years, this has slowly blossomed into something more than just a hobby. Being accepted into the Conservatory is a huge rite of passage for many professional actors and I would very much love to take this journey. It is a long road, with no guarantee of making it to the end, as I will have to re-audition at various points in the program to continue further. However I am absolutely committed to pursuing this as far as I can possibly travel.
Growing up in a poor black family I never knew this world existed, and once I discovered it I certainly never thought I would have been able to participate in it beyond the fringes. But for a brief moment, that door is open and I would very much like to step through it.
Asking for help publicly goes against all of my instincts as I am normally a very private person about my financial struggles. When I first received notice that I was accepted, my first thought was that I would have to regretfully decline. But a total stranger on Facebook reached out to me and offered her help and suggested that I do this. I am humbled by her thoughtfuless.
I greatly appreciate any help you can offer to help me chase this rainbow. Thank you to every family member, friend, improviser and stranger that has offered me support and kind words every step of the way. I invite you to come out and watch an improv show someday and laugh and smile along with me :)
Sincerely,
Sheri Flanders
Professional Chucklehead
The Second City Conservatory Program is 6 levels of classes at $345 each.
http://www.secondcity.com/classes/chicago/conservatory-level-1/
Organizer
Sheri L Flanders
Organizer
Chicago, IL
