Hi Michael,

My name is Anna Gassett and I have lived my whole life in St. Louis, Missouri. I come from a
moderately Catholic background. My two older siblings, Emma and Luke, and I all attended
private Catholic Schools. As a child and teenager, dance was the center of my life. I have dance
competitively on a national and international level since the age of 2 and would consider that to
be my forte in the trinity of musical theatre forms. On the outside, I look like just a basic blonde
white girl. My “type” is nothing unique; however, I hold a lot of confidence in my intellect and
abilities.

This pandemic has changed who I am in many ways. I have experienced a roller coaster of
emotions over the past 4 months. Being cooped up in my home taught me a lot about myself
and what I like to do in my spare time away from everything theatre related. I discovered a love
for other forms of art including painting, collaging, and playing the ukulele. These forms of
expression helped me get through the tough times when I just felt like I had nothing to look
forward to in life. I also took advantage of being able to sit outdoors and take my zoom classes
when I was finishing up the semester back in March through May. The sun is always
therapeutic.

Growing up in an environment with mostly other Caucasian people, I was very sheltered from
learning about and understanding the perspectives of BIPOC. I attended an almost completely
white, all female high school. I was rarely exposed to people with different backgrounds, races,
ethnicities, and beliefs. Coming to Texas State opened my mind to totally new ways of thinking.
I have friends and colleagues who come from all different backgrounds and areas of the
country/world. Having these diverse humans surrounding me has educated me in ways a school
curriculum cannot do. I have adopted a kinder, more compassionate mindset when it comes to
politics, social justice, and human rights. The Black Lives Matter movement has been a huge
part of my summer. I have fought for and supported the movement with passion and drive. I
can’t bear to see our country plummet from ignorance and hate.

The thought of online classes for the fall is disappointing; however, it is inevitable with the state
of the country and its catastrophic Covid-19 numbers. In the spring, having zoom classes was a
bit of a struggle. Obviously, dance classes had to be seriously modified. My acting class with Jim
Price was not super productive as we had been working on two-person-scenes before going
remote. The classes that were the most successful were my non-performance classes and
OneVoice. Knowing that all of the faculty have had time to prepare their curriculum for remote
learning, I am optimistic going into the semester and am looking forward to learning in new
ways through the Zoom platform.
“Home Studio”
 What computer will you use for class?
o Macbook Air
o WIFI
 Canvas
o I am comfortable using Canvas
o I have a YouTube account
o I have a free Dropbox account
 Zoom
o I have an up-to-date university Zoom account
 Smartphone
o I have an iPhone
 Whatsapp or GroupMe
o I prefer GroupMe
 Tripod
o I am planning on purchasing one
 Microphone
o I have a microphone on my phone
 Lights
o I am planning on purchasing a ring light
 Space
o I will have a private bedroom
 Editing
o I have basic editing skills using iMovie
 Distraction
o I will be at the Local in San Marcos
o I will have 3 other roommates living in my unit