Starting her love for drama and theater in the Midwest, where the main industry is agriculture and not entertainment, senior Toula Sweeney is ready to take full flight and move to New York City to pursue her acting dreams.

“I will be attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City,” Sweeney said.

The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is one of the most well-known dramatic arts schools in the country. It is the alma mater to award winning actors such as Grace Kelly, Anne Hathaway and Danny DeVito. With most seniors filling out applications for college, the application process was a little bit different for Sweeney.

“The application process was pretty basic,” Sweeney said. “I had to send transcripts, reference letters and fill out [the Free Application for Federal Student Aid]. Once all that was in, I set up an audition in Dallas over spring break where I had to perform two monologues followed by a short interview,” Sweeney said.

Even though Manhattan is not the ideal place to start an acting career, Sweeney made the most of her surroundings and excelled in the drama and forensics department at Manhattan High School.

“MHS gave me the opportunity to find my passion in theater,” Sweeney said.  “Through the drama department and forensics team, I was able to practice and advanced my education in the art form,” Sweeney said.

Moving from Manhattan, Kan., with 56,000 people and two lane roads, to Manhattan, N.Y., a metropolitan city with 8.6 million people, can be quite the transition.

“I’m scared of getting mugged but I’ll have pepper spray so I should be okay,” Sweeney said.

New York City being the concrete jungle with endless opportunities and the international hub for theater, her natural fears are overcome by excitement.

“I’m very excited to be pursuing my passion, but at the same time it’s risky business so I’ll just hope for the best,” Sweeney said.