The Assistant Bean of Health Sciences at LackLustre University has been cast to lead in Broadway’s premiere production of Encanto: The Musical. The educator-turned-thespian described her journey to acting as “eye-opening, inspirational, and could not have been achieved without the 7 P’s of Inquiry”. Rizz will be taking a paid leave of absence to develop Personal Awareness, Professional Communication, and Promotion & Creation of Community while on tour with the Broadway troupe. We sat down with the budding star to get the inside scoop.
Q: A skim of your LinkedIn page would reveal that you have long been revered for your knowledge of critical pedagogy in health sciences education. When did you discover your underlying love for performance?
A: The dramatic arts are not so different from health sciences, you see. We are all putting on a show of quirky hopefulness, when all we really want is to finally be able to pay off our student debt so we can go on permanent vacation to Bora Bora. The only difference is that actors get a standing ovation and flowers.
Q: What inspired you to take such a dramatic turn in your professional development?
A: Ever since defending my thesis in 2015, it has continued to be my guiding star as I constantly refine the core values that carry me through all aspects of life. Of late, I have found myself reflecting on my career choice, which has compelled me to turn to a higher power for advice. Through intense meditation, I realised that joining the cast of Encanto: The Musical presents a golden opportunity for me to spread the word of BHSc to a broader audience, while allowing me to experience firsthand the struggles of self-identified thespian students, who make up a tragically underrepresented minority within our faculty. Namaste and Amen to that.
Q: We’ve heard through the grapevine that you’ve been working on a song for the show. Would you be willing to share a snippet with us?
A: Oh well [giggles]… if you insist…but only because this demonstrates the pillar of Professional Communication, of course. Ahem…
*To the tune of “The Family Madrigal*
Bell-ringers, doom-bringers, Chari lingers
Let’s go!
This is our home
We’ve got every generation
So full of premeds
It makes me reconsider my life
Health Sci housemates
Perfect for comparison
So many tryhards and everybody gets curved from a ten
Whoa!
But let’s be clear, Stacey runs this show, whoa
Embracing community in times of woe, whoa
And every year our Praxis attendance grows
There’s just a lot you’ve simply got to know, so
Welcome to the BHSc Family
The lounge of the BHSc family (we hit the hay!)
Where all the students are fantastical at group evals
I’m part of the BHSc Family!
We swear to always
Help those around us
And earn the reference letters
That somehow found us
Resumes keep growing
Premeds keep yearning
But insight and perspective-sharing will keep the miracle burning
And each new generation must keep the miracle burning…
[end of recording]
The Procrastinator 