Growing up, most kids had an extracurricular activity that they absolutely loved. Whether you were athletic or artsy, your activity normally took plenty of your time. However, if you were involved in theatre, you didn't just love it; you lived it. In drama club or community theatre, expectations were always high, and directors aimed to instill a strong sense of responsibility and independence within each one of their casts. Therefore, we all were expected to pull our own weight. During rehearsals and runs, I'm sure that every one of you said the lines included below. Honestly, you probably said them hundreds of times. So, let's recall the most common statements often heard during the run of a show.

1. "Sorry. I can't go. I have rehearsal."

No appointment, party, funeral, or trip was an approved absence...especially during show week. If you missed a rehearsal, you were on the director's blacklist. You only saw the sun during the summer, and the auditorium was your new home.

2. "You may not like your costume, but your character loves it."

Shoulder pads and corsets are back, baby! Suck it up and go.

3. "Line." (The Tech Week Edition)

We all remember the culprit. There was always a cast member who never knew their lines on opening or closing night, and it just so happened to be the same person EVERY. SINGLE. SHOW.

4. "Mommy Made Me Mash My M&Ms, Oh My!"

I don't really know what that kid did to deserve mashed M&Ms, but his misfortune made for a great vocal warm-up.

5. "Do NOT turn off your microphone. Ever."

As we rushed to the bathroom, we all secretly hoped that the tech crew had remembered to turn our microphones down. Nobody wanted to hear any of those happenings.

6. "Where's the mic tape?"

Mic tape was the elusive key to success during shows. Things to remember about the tape: hair will be pulled out, and residue will not be removed easily.

7. "No eating in costume!"

I'm sorry. The cookies will have to wait...and the cake too.

8. "Who took my hanger?"

There are seventy costumes and not a single open hanger. Seriously?

9. "You have to project."

"Your mic is completely up, and I still can't hear you." Fabulous.

10. "Places in five."

Well, my stomach wasn't in my throat, but it is now. "Thank you, five!"

11. "Break a leg!"

The line that every performer remembers, and we still get butterflies thinking about it.

No matter how old we grow, our drama club days will always be in our bones. Once a theatre kid, always a theatre kid.