To those who may not know who Kyra Alexander is, strap in. As a freshman Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate, she is already making her mark on the campus community.
But what exactly is a BFA, and how does it differ from a Bachelor of Arts in musical theatre? Simply put, a BFA is not easy to get into. Programs are highly competitive, with top schools reporting acceptance rates lower than 5%.
“The rigorous aspect of the BFA is that it’s by audition — you’re not just accepted into the program,” said Professor Pia Wyatt. “You have to audition, and to do that, you need to pass through singing, acting and dancing.”
Alexander proved she belongs among that group at KNWD’s NSU Got Talent event, earning first place with her rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep.” That victory granted her a spot to perform at Demon Fest, KNWD’s annual spring music festival.
Wyatt put it plainly: “To be a BFA in musical theater, you have to be able to sing, period, end of statement, and Kyra can sang, as the kids say.”
Alexander has known since she was young that performing was her passion. “Music has gotten me through every trial,” she said. “I have known for a very long time that I’d like to heal others the way music healed and is still healing me.”
Growing up in a household where everyone was always singing or playing an instrument, music was never far away. That environment set her in motion early.
Before arriving at NSU, Alexander spent two years performing theatre at Christian Youth Theater, sang in her high school choir and had already been writing and performing original songs outside of school.
That laid a foundation that made her college debut feel less like a beginning and more like a continuation.
Wyatt noticed it immediately. “When she auditioned for us to be able to get an NSU theater and dance scholarship, I was absolutely blown away by the amount of talent, just the natural God given, parental genes, talent that she has,” she said.
Performing isn’t always as effortless as it looks. Alexander said her most significant obstacle has been herself. “I stop myself from doing so many things because I’m afraid I’ll fail or that I’m not good enough or pretty enough or thin enough to be in spaces that I am in,” she said. “But I’m learning that I am more than good enough and I can take up space because that is what I am meant to do.”
Even leading up to Demon Fest, that inner work continues. “My biggest struggle is getting over nerves,” she said. “I just don’t want to disappoint the people coming to see the show.”
It is a sentiment that surprises even those closest to her development. “The fact that Kyra wouldn’t have confidence is astounding to a lot of people, because she’s so uber talented,” Wyatt said. “When she showed up, I was just like rolling out the red carpet for her.”
That kind of support has defined Alexander’s time at NSU. Once enrolled, she jumped in headfirst, taking classes ranging from voice to music theory.
She found that her coursework deepened not just her technical ability but her understanding of music itself. “Those classes help me a lot with my technique and sheet music and understanding why the composer wrote how they did,” she said.
Outside the classroom, she is also a member of the Student Theatre Organization, which she says gives more students the opportunity to perform. “Being at NSU is teaching me confidence in myself and my ability,” she said. “It’s giving me the space and the opportunity to grow.”
Demon Fest pushed that growth even further. “I got to make more decisions about everything that went into my performance and I really liked doing that,” she said. And once she was on that stage, something shifted. “It showed me how to work with crowds and to adapt to different places. I could interact with people.”
For a performer whose biggest struggle is nerves, that kind of live experience is exactly what she needs and she is getting it. “Kyra has the capability that if she wants something badly enough, she can absolutely achieve it,” Wyatt said.
Alexander’s sights are set high. Her dream is to take her talents to Broadway and continue creating music of her own. “My hope,” she said, “is that the audience remembers me.”
