Theatre Kid Needs Help!
this is a stretch but I want to post this here as I am in need of some extra help for my education. My name is Breanna and I am starting at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC this October. Below is an essay explaining my love for performing arts as well as some obstacles that have gotten in the way of continuing my education.
My Educational Journey in Performing Arts
I started taking acting classes when I was seven. I was a shy kid up until then, hiding behind my mom in public settings, keeping to myself around kids my age, waiting for others to talk to me so I didn’t have to initiate any interactions. My brother, who was always my biggest inspiration, had started taking acting classes when he was 7 at The Niagara Falls School of Drama, so after a failed attempt at becoming a gymnast my mother decided to sign me up for the dramatic arts. Despite the nerve wracking feeling of meeting new people and speaking in front of others, after a few months I was in love. Despite being so young, I had found what I wanted to do with my life. Acting. By the time I was twelve I had my entire future planned out: Graduate high school, move to New York City and become a professional actress. This sounded perfectly realistic and plausible to young me, despite being a Canadian citizen whose family lived from paycheck to paycheck. After attending The Niagara Falls School of Drama for 9 years, I began prioritizing high school theatre at AN Myer Secondary. I found myself thriving in my drama and music classes, receiving above average grades and awards for doing what I loved most. I had never planned on going to post-secondary until the 11th grade when I discovered Sheridan College. With renowned performing arts programs and successful alumni, I applied for their 1 year Performing Arts Preparation program. When I was accepted I was overjoyed, I’d be continuing my education only to improve upon the craft I admired in the Greater Toronto Area. But, in the back of my mind, New York City was still what I wanted most. My senior year of high school was moving along wonderfully, I was performing on stage and competing in Starfest, a new regional theatre festival brought about by my drama teacher. In May 2024, my school's drama department had taken a trip up to Ottawa for Starfest Nationals. There were opportunities to receive small scholarship amounts for senior students via performance auditions, since I had planned to go to Sheridan College, I auditioned. Little did I realize there were panellists for The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) adjudicating these scholarship auditions. Flash forward to our final day in Ottawa. After a weekend of workshops, performances and community building it was time for closing ceremonies, where we’d learn who had received scholarships. Theatre kids from all over Ontario sat in the theatre, receiving grants, bursaries and scholarships for schools all around Canada. Then the award was introduced: $40,000 Scholarship to AMDA in New York City. I remember feeling a jolt of shock and joy when it was announced that I, Breanna Liszak-Bersan, had received said award.
About a week after receiving the award I had spoken to admissions advisors at AMDA, letting them know I had already accepted and began paying for a 1 year program at Sheridan College. Thankfully, AMDA agreed to hold onto my scholarships so that I could attend their school after my year at Sheridan. It felt unreal. In about a year I would have continued my education in Ontario only to learn more in the city that called my name. My time at Sheridan was fantastic, learning new techniques in acting, singing and dance. I felt so fulfilled meeting others with similar goals and interests and experiencing a new sense of independence living on campus. However, about 3 months into the second semester, things took an unexpected turn. I began feeling sick. I woke up with a piercing migraine every day, I was dizzy, lightheaded, I could barely walk without feeling like I would collapse. I began missing the classes I loved attending because of this sudden change. Each day that passed I only felt worse. Mid March I called my mother and asked her to bring me back to the falls for the weekend. I was bedridden for a week until the day came where I’d learn what was wrong with me. On March 23rd 2025, I collapsed into a seizure and rushed to the emergency room where I’d learned that I had a brain tumor. Miraculously, Hamilton Health Sciences had scheduled me for brain surgery on April 23rd 2025. By far, this had been the scariest thing I could ever imagine happening. I had been just fine living a life I loved where I was doing what I loved. What really upset me was that I couldn’t continue at Sheridan College - at least that's what I thought. Despite my situation, above all else, performing was my top priority. With permissions from my professors I was still able to complete my final performances in Oakville. After starring in 2 performances just days before my brain surgery, I had successfully completed all my work for school. I received the information that I had graduated and received my certificate from Sheridan College about a month after I had my surgery. In the process, I contacted AMDA and told them about my medical circumstances. After all, I was supposed to move to New York City that fall to continue my education. The school decided to hold onto my scholarship until I was fully recovered and felt ready to continue learning. This helped me greatly as well, this gave me time to save up as much as I could to help cover the rest of my tuition and living fees. I couldn’t have been happier with that news, despite the speed bump in my life, I’d still be able to work towards my dreams.
In the midst of all of the sudden chaos in my life, the thing that kept me going most was my passion for Performing Arts. Without it, I’m not sure I would have been able to stay as strong and hopeful as I did during my medical emergency. As I continue my enrollment for school in New York, I am nothing but ecstatic to continue learning.
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My amazing mother has also created a GoFund me for anyone interested in helping out :)
Help Breanna Follow Her Dream to AMDA in New York City 2025 … Sabrina Liszak needs your support for Help Breanna Follow Her Dream to AMD
