I've always been the type of person to see a bunch of musicals and plays and walk around singing show tunes. But I was never the person to go in front of complete strangers and act or sing on stage. Just by watching plays, they opened my mind to things I never really cared about or showed me lifestyles that I've never really thought of. Just by watching musicals and plays, you learn so many lessons about different perspectives and values.
When I joined theater, I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't expect to feel accepted the first day and automatically make new friends. Everyone there was already a family, I thought I was going to feel like an intruder, but I wasn't, I felt so welcomed with opened arms. I'm not the type of person to really talk to anyone in a big group, but I felt so accepted with them. I felt like I could be myself. I was so relaxed and comfortable enough to talk to everyone.
Being a part of theater and watching plays are two different things. When you're a part of the play, you understand more of what kind of story the play is trying to portray and you help portray it that way. But when you sit in the audience of a play to just watch it, there's always this feeling of something missing. I've always felt that way. All the plays I've gone to see were all amazing, but when they were over I felt something missing like I wanted more. Now that I am a part of the play production, I feel like everything is completed and nothing is missing.
Theater isn't just about acting and singing on stage for entertainment, it's also about allowing yourself to spread your wings and get out of your shell. Not only does theater help you get out of your shell, but it helps you be more open minded to things you've never thought about and new ideas. It changes the way we feel, think, and see things. It can even change the way we act toward different situations.
Not only does theater bring a safe place for you to be yourself and be as creative as you can, but it also brings a lot of people in your life who will be with you for a long time. When I am around people in theater, I feel like I can be myself, make cheesy jokes, sing, and dance around them and they'll just join in with me.
Theater allows me to put myself out there. It helped me be more creative and not just stick to the standard things everyone does but be outside the box and add a wow factor.
Theater also has given me friends who I can call family; the people I can be myself around and have fun with. People that will lift me up when I am feeling down and let me be myself with no judgment.
