By Mark Ambrogi
Amanda Boldt decided to draw heavily on her own experiences when it came time to develop her honors thesis.
Boldt, a Ball State University junior musical theater major, wrote and performed in a 50-minute, one-woman show, “The Happiness Project: A Work in Progress” for her thesis. The show was held March 25 at the Muncie Civic Theatre’s Studio Theatre.
“It’s basically about my journey to find true happiness in a crazy college lifestyle,” said Boldt, a 2013 Carmel High School graduate. “There was music and speaking (parts). There were seven songs in the show and all but one were from musical theater repertoire.”
The songs were from musicals such as “Carousel,” “Seussical,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “The Sound of Music.”
“The show was about (how) in my field of musical theater it’s easy to get downtrodden and feel you are always competing for different things,” Boldt said. “It can eat away at you after awhile. But it was about growing out if it and realizing your personal happiness can come from so many things other than just what you do.”
Boldt then had to write an artist’s statement, explaining the project’s purpose to complete the thesis.
“It’s typically a senior project, but I didn’t have any other shows originally this semester so it seemed easier to get it done now,” Boldt said. “It’s nice that it’s out of the way and I got to work on something I was passionate about rather than scramble to put something together senior year.”
There is a possibility she will present the show at her church, King of Glory Lutheran Church, in Carmel.
Boldt performed in “The Normal Heart” at Muncie Civic a week after her show ended.
She participated in Accents, CHS’s all-female show choir, her sophomore year in high school and then was in the Ambassadors her final two years. She was president of Ambassadors as a senior.
“My career goal is to work at Disney World (as a performer),” Boldt said.
