Metamorphosis Performing Arts Studio

I was thrilled to be recognized as one of 50 outstanding Women Of The Year by the Idaho Business Review. The recognition was focused on my work at the studio, blending life skills into performing arts education.

It was especially significant to me that Jim Everett was there because he was the CEO at the YMCA when I worked there in the mid 90s, and his mentorship was pivotal in giving me confidence in my skills and ideas. In grad school I had a grant writing class and we had to write a grant for a pretend program. I wanted to create a music theater program set at the YMCA and Jim went through his files and gave me some real YMCA grants to use as reference material. After the class was done I gave him a copy of my grant and he said it was fantastic program and he wanted to make it a reality. I was heartsick because I had already bought a ticket to live abroad after graduation, but by time I returned to Boise 4 years later, the music theater camps were up and running!

I strive to have that kind of inspiring and confidence-building impact on the kids and adults I work with at the studio and out in the community. 💗

When you see someone every week for 7 1/2 years, there’s a lot of feels when it’s time to say goodbye. Voice lessons are so much more than just learning singing techniques, (at least they are the way I do them) and it’s amazing how the years can pass and all the life stuff that happens along the way. Its a family affair. It’s hard to say goodbye but it’s also so gratifying to know I’ve made an impact and created a meaningful connection, cuz that’s the driving purpose behind all the things I do. If it was easy to say goodbye it would mean we hadn’t really connected. So they are the good kind of tears.

Some thank you notes from the kids today! It’s really gratifying to see that my intentions as a “life-skills-through-the-arts educator” are hitting their mark. 💗

Had such a great time the past couple weeks teaching students at Riverstone International School how to craft compelling stories for college essays, interviews, and also in daily life to share their experiences in ways that people can understand. I love love love contracting with schools and orgs to do workshops. Thank you Gretchen for bringing me back all these years! 💗

Hey everyone! Guess what I’m doing for my birthday? Making music! 💗🎶 I’ll be providing music for this fun event. It’s a solo gig, just me and Big Bessie (my keyboard) so come visit me. 🤩 May 12th 5-8pm Franz Witte
📣 and please share this event! The more the merrier!

https://www.franzwitte.com/festivals/wine-flowers-2?mibextid=Zxz2cZ&fbclid=IwAR1n5Q6EJEDMqyVgI1xiPvOy451M8Ullp4WaLVfYP3mJrmXwJjxpsPcHqXw

Wine & Flowers - Franz Witte wine & flowers mothers day weekend event

To every person who has felt it necessary to critique or complain about Rihanna’s performance, please consider this: Every day I work to convince my students to be brave and share their voice with the world, to be themselves and quiet their inner critic, to know that their efforts have inherent value even if their performance isn’t what they might deem as “perfect.” In a society hellbent on critiquing femmes for what we do or don’t do, what we wear or don’t wear, for looking old, for trying to look young, for being lazy, for being too ambitious, for being doormats, for being too bossy, for being a prude, for being a slut, for not putting in any effort to look nice, for caring too much about how we look…. There is literally no escape from the suffocating critique.
Yet I try to build my students up so they will be willing to get on a stage and sing something. I try to convince them to follow their heart and not be paralyzed by anxiety over what if people don’t like my music, what if people don’t like my outfit, what if people don’t like my voice, what if I don’t move enough, what if I move but I look stupid doing it???? And you can’t tell them, “No one is going to judge you, just relax and have fun” because they live in a world where everyone’s flippant opinions are thrown around insuring that “yes, people will be judging you.” It creates a sometimes dibilitating anxiety that shuts down the creative process and robs us all of voices that are silenced. The damage to self esteem is heartbreaking.
Im no saint, I can be flippant, petty, vindictive, biased and all the other things, and social media has made it ridiculously easy to broadcast our opinions out into the world. So I try to check myself before I post something to at least be clear about why I am saying it and what impact it might have. I’ve blown it a couple times and friend’s comments have helped me be more aware.
So maybe people could take a beat to consider “Is this particular opinion worth being broadcast?” I’m not saying people shouldn’t have opinions about stuff, but they don’t all need to be amplified. Discern. Differentiate. Sift through them. I see people complain that society feels more harsh these days, that people don’t seem to care about their neighbor, but then they rip someone apart on social media without a second thought. We are all part of the collective. Our words mattter and our kids are listening.

A couple shots from the Fall Recital! The theme was JAZZ, and the students did a great job on their performances. We had several students miss due to illness and travel, but it was still a great show AND our first in-person recital in 3 years! Note: We had tech difficulties with the livestream but it will be good to go for next time! 💗✨

What a fantastic experience. This program is going to transform high school music theater in the Treasure Valley!

That’s a wrap! Into The Woods with Boise Music Week was an amazing 2 year journey! So grateful for the experience. 💗💗💗

Subbing as the music teacher at Garabatos preschool for the next couple weeks. I taught here when I was first starting my business about 12 years ago. Wasn’t sure what it would be like with this age group again after all this time but it was delightful. 🥰

Love this Swarmandal Tanpura - such a cool sound...

Leta Harris Neustaedter - Musical Community Covid Project This song is the culmination of a grant funded project where in June 2020 I collected postcards from the community sharing with me how covid was impacting th...

Give it a listen...so lovely....

Leta Harris Neustaedter - Musical Community Covid Project This song is the culmination of a grant funded project where in June 2020 I collected postcards from the community sharing with me how covid was impacting th...

Here's an interview I did, and I'll post the Boise Music Week video links in the comments. We have so many talented people in the Treasure Valley and these videos are a way to keep our annual celebration of the arts alive and well until we can do it in person next year!

Children (And Adults) Will Listen: Leta Harris Neustaedter Sings Sondheim For Boise Music Week Boise Music Week showcases a music journey that includes jazz, songs of praise, a wide variety of international dance, and a taste of Broadway’s best. And this year’s program, which stretches from May 2-15 will be virtual.

My student’s daughter took this photo while Mom was having a piano lesson. I absolutely love it!!! And I am so impressed by adults who carve out a piece of their busy schedule to take music/art lessons. Focus on something that brings them joy, get their mind off the daily grind. Many dream about it, some talk about it, fewer actually do it. 💗🎶👏🏽

Eeeeeeeee! My episode is live! This is a super cool community effort focusing on inclusion, literacy and inspiration. My episode focuses on my youth shenanigans and learning to love my hair.
L💗💗💗VE the theme song by Eleven & Jason Djjasond Duncan (David M. Maxwell)!!!!!

Leta Harris Neustaedter Reads From Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry Illustrated by Vashti Harrison Leta Harris Neustaedter, LCSW - Arts Educator, Musician, Clinical Social Worker, Creator/host of The Lovely Afro on Radio Boise, reads from, Hair Love, by Ma...

Paid opportunity for BIPOC with interest in the performing arts, both students and community members.

https://theboisebeat.com/index.php/2021/03/11/leta-harris-neustaedter-presents-an-evening-of-soul-at-sapphire-room-two-incredible-shows-saturday/

Leta Harris Neustaedter Presents An Evening of Soul at Sapphire Room: Two Incredible Shows Saturday - The Boise Beat Leta Harris Neustaedter will be presenting An Evening of Soul at the Sapphire Room this coming Saturday. Leta brings her powerful, soulful voice to songs by Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Sade, Al Green, Alicia Keyes and many other artists. Joining … Continue reading →

Lil interview about my work.

We Are Idaho: Leta Harris Neustaedter My name is Leta Harris Neustaedter . I am an arts educator, a musician, an actor, a licensed clinical social worker and community organizer.

Big news! I have a new single out and it is 100% self-produced. One of my big goals for 2021 was to break down the barriers to creating music (like recording studio fees). So it’s been a journey of tech issues, equipment issues and trial and error but I am so happy to have something to show for it. 🥰 Please share and also, yes, you can listen tor free but musicians are struggling to make a living so I hope you’ll consider purchasing the download. ❤️🎶

https://letaharrisneustaedter.bandcamp.com/track/disenchanted?fbclid=IwAR2v2UDTV2gENWR4OXAOv1INEWpoCTOzYRblH17SeyXlRUdaW_OuLy9Tc_M

Disenchanted, by Leta Harris Neustaedter ft. Jake Saunders track by Leta Harris Neustaedter ft. Jake Saunders

My students. ❤️❤️❤️

A few of my students and I thought a lil holiday sing-a-long recital was in order and 2020 tried to thwart us with multiple tech difficulties but we prevailed and holiday cheer was abundant. 💗🙌🏽💗

That’s a wrap for the Fall Recital! Whew! The theme was songs from the 1980s. Check out the song list, it was such a cool mix and students really stepping out of their comfort zones to do styles they normally don’t do. So much work and sooooo gratifying. 🥰🎤🎶🎹🏆💃🏽🕺🏾

Metamorphosis Performing Arts Studio just signed on! Here is the anti-racism statement for arts/culture/history organizations I posted about a few weeks ago. We revised it to clarify how small orgs and individual artists (like myself) can now sign on and commit to the action steps even if we don't have board members/staff etc. The goal is to create a coalition of people working together to normalize anti-racism action, support each others growth and hold each other accountable.
There will be pushback, there will be donors and board members who are unwilling to shift their mindset and will withold their funding. This is a legit threat to businesses, especially as we are all struggling with the impacts of covid shutting down our venues. But now is the time for bold moves. Our systems are already being forcibly changed by covid, now is the time to go all in and dismantle white supremacist values/priorities that have been subtly and overtly shaping organizations for decades even centuries.
To answer a question some have asked, the focus in on Black people because data shows us that when we broaden the conversation to include all People of Color, Black people tend to be left out and further marginalized. So our focus is specific. When we lift the most marginalized, everyone benefits.
This is not political, it is human rights. Human rights are not politics, even if some choose to politicize them. And not taking a direct stand against racism is complicity to allow racism to continue. Silence and complicity has brought us to where we are today, a country on fire. Be a part of the systemic change that is the only solution to achieving equity for all people.
Please encourage the arts/culture/history organizations and individual artists you know to sign on to this statement and join the anti-racism coaltion. There will be a public announcement in the near future, details of which will be decided by those who are signatories.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1qRKPgq_xV6yjBMotVKF0wg5GiGeAAXk9XqDpPIYEkjY/edit?fbclid=IwAR28ck38UrxtvlVU0wSm34d_hmZKleN3AJgQUsSbvOsRvuiqGMdK0wTBjes

Annabelle and I are happy to still be able to see our students everyday!!! 💓🎶

Taking precautions at the studio.

Nice write up... :)

Looking for lessons: A profile of alumna Leta Harris Neustaedter - Boise State News Alumna Leta Harris Neustaedter (MA, social work, ’98) moved to Boise in the fifth grade...

Another one of my former students taking the world by storm!!!! Amazing!

BCT shout out to Zoe Carr!! Zoe was a Theater Lab student at BCT, and now attends Loyola Marymount University where she was recently cast (out of more than . 100 people that auditioned) as Tilly in LMU's upcoming Mainstage production of She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen!! Oh, and she made the Dean's list last semester. 🎉🎭 Way to go Zoe! And break a leg!

Our Spring Theater Lab classes begin the first week and March, and it isn't too late to register! For more info, or to sign up, visit BCTheater.org.

One of my former students taking the world by storm! 💓💓💓

https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2020/02/07/jillian-dinucci/

Artist of the Week: From the Page to the Stage, DiNucci Writes, Produces and Directs Her Own Play Jillian DiNucci, a sophomore at the University of Utah and student in the Actor Training Program, has now written and produced her own play. Originally hailing from Boise, Idaho, she first got her start with a playwriting program at the age of 13. Now, after receiving a grant, DiNucci has been gi....

Make-A-Music-Video (For actors, singers & musicians)
July 15-19, 9am-1pm M-F
Students will create a unique music video using storytelling and a mix of live and recorded tracks.

Students who want to sing, can sing.
Students who want to play an instrument, can play an instrument.
Students who want to act, can act.
All students will be in the video so there will be acting activities every day so everyone is comfortable in front of the camera. We will choose the song(s) together on the first day.

9am-1pm M-F
Age 8-15
$185 ($170 additional siblings)
Send lunch & water bottle
Light snack provided

TO REGISTER: Email [email protected] or [email protected]

Tooting my own horn for a minute: One of my students just got cast in a feature length film with an award winning director from California, and another student was a top six finalist for Miss Idaho (I was her coach for the talent competition). I don’t always get to hear about my students’ accomplishments, but when I do it feels validating for the work I’m doing. 💓💓💓

My third Best Actress win with i48, Idaho's 48 hour film competition.

This camp is in 2 weeks and I'd like to get 2 more students enrolled to have a full roster. :) Please share with anyone who might be interested. Our music video will have a "story" so non-musical actors are just as important as musicians/singers. Here is the website site link for more details:
http://www.metamorphosisstudio.org/Acting.html

Big win for Leta! Summer camps.

I'm only offering two camps this summer. Help me fill them up! :)

mailchi.mp

Big win!!! Big validation of skill and hard work!

And it couldn’t have happened without an excellent team (writing, acting, camera, sound, editing), so I am grateful for them.

"Girls Are Strong Here" movie audition for teen girls who look 15-16 years old.
[email protected]

SUMMER CAMPS ARE HERE! Visit www.metamorphosisstudio.org for more details or to pay tuition. Email [email protected] or [email protected] to register.

Photos from Metamorphosis Performing Arts Studio's post