Leggett heads to Big Apple to pursue his Broadway dreams
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Southeastern senior vocal performance major Jordan Leggett, far right, is living his dream after accepted into the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City. Here Leggett performs in a Southeastern production of "Street Scene," in 2011.
Jordan Leggett, Slidell, senior vocal performance major
Jordan Leggett has always dreamed big. Now the Southeastern vocal performance senior from Slidell will take a major step in fulfilling his dreams when he moves to New York City, where he has been accepted for further studies by the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA).
Leggett says one of his friends once told him that he should go where he wants to
work. Since performing on Broadway has been a dream of his, the Big Apple was a natural
choice.
"AMDA was my first opportunity I saw that I could travel to New York. I paid my own
way for a trip in April, and that's when I fell in love with the school," he said.
"I knew New York was where I wanted to be, but to actually have my foot in the door
now, it's a bit overwhelming, but mostly exciting."
While his dream is to perform on Broadway, that wasn't always the case.
"In my kindergarten journal, I wrote that I wanted to be a singer like Michael Jackson
and a basketball player like Michael Jordan," Leggett said laughing. "One of those
things didn't work out, but the other did."
Coming from a musical family background, Leggett says he has been singing all his
life, but it was his first musical in the sixth grade, "Into the Woods," that actually
convinced him to pursue singing as a career. He was cast in the role of the "Baker"
and fell in love with performing.
Leggett said he has had many supportive influences along the way, including his family
and his Southeastern voice teacher.
"I'm the first in my family to actually pursue a career in singing, and I think my
family is so supportive of me because of that," he said. "Also, my voice teacher,
Kay Schepker, has been so much more than a teacher – she has been my mentor. I expressed
that I wanted to do musical theater since my first semester at Southeastern. While
she has been supportive of that, she has made sure that I have kept classical music
my priority so I would get the technique I would need to progress in musical theater."
Leggett also credits Southeastern with helping him prepare for life outside of college.
"Many of the things I will take with me are things I learned outside of the classroom
in extracurricular activities," he said. "The opportunities I have had, such as being
an Orientation Leader and a member of a fraternity, have really prepared me to deal
with the different types of personalities I will encounter in the real world."
After graduation, Leggett is looking forward to furthering his education and pursuing
his dream in the big city.
"Now is the time that I get to focus on strictly acting, singing and dancing. I'll
have a degree in May, so I don't have to worry about the other core curriculum classes
that you have to take to get a degree," he said. "I get to focus on doing what I love
to do."
A two-year program, AMDA helps prepare their students for the musical theater industry,
Leggett added.
"The final semester, they actually let you audition during the day, and they schedule
classes in the afternoon," he said. "The faculty members at AMDA are in the industry,
so while I'm working and studying, I'm also networking as well.
"My dream is to be on Broadway, and now I'm going to be in New York," he added. Hopefully
I will develop the right contacts so that I can establish a life there."
