And I proudly represent District 3, Troupe 5340.

I can tell you right now that before I started doing theatre in high school, my life was pretty boring. I was already a huge fan of the performing arts but what I love about theatre is that there is something for everyone. It encompasses so many different aspects of the arts and it brings so many different people together. You have the musicians, the actors, the singers, the dancers, the set designers, the costume designers, the stage managers. The performers, the tech crew, the ones that do both. Theatre brings in so many different kinds of people and I ended up being friends with people I didn't expect to be friends with. I think it's pretty amazing that even though people can be so different, everyone has this mutual respect for the stage, the production, and the magic of theatre.

My first production I was in was "Guys and Doll's" my last year of middle school. I was only an extra but it meant so much to me. I was just so proud just to be part of something. After all, there are no small parts, only small actors.

In high school, I was an extra and a cowgirl in our production of "Footloose," I was Woodstock in our production of "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" and finally I got the role I really really wanted when we did "Hairspray" my senior year. I was one of the Corny Collins Girl Dancers. I went from being merely an extra, to supporting character roles and big dancing roles and that meant the world to me. Theatre gave me that confidence that I oh so desperately needed and it proved to me what hard work can do. It taught me discipline and respect and it gave me a reason to actually want to go to school. When I played Shelly in "Hairspray," I worked on costumes, I was dance captain, helped out with the fast-paced choreography, and I joined my fellow cast mates every Saturday and helped build the set. Each year I did theatre, I grew more and more confident and I made more and more friends. I was finally becoming into the person I wanted to be.

And it happened to a dozen others and more. I watched the shyest and most insecure kids step into a theatre audition and by the end of the show, they were goofing off with us and just being themselves--and nailing their part in the show too, I might add. Theatre brings out the best in people I think and helps us step out of our comfort zone. I cannot tell you how much I miss it. Being a part of Troupe 5340 was one of the highlights of my high school career. I got so many opportunities that I wouldn't have gotten had I not have been a part of this amazing group of people. I actually performed a monologue well and I got to take it to our Districts Competition along with being a part of a small group musical. I, who was always so scared to sing in front of people, actually had a solo line! Crazy right? I got to go to the Fringe festival in Orlando, and I also got to be part of a one act play that won second place at Districts and move on to the State Competition in Tampa, FL.

Going to State was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We were there for a couple of days, and I remember it like it was yesterday. The long bus ride, watching dumb cartoons in the hotel room, stretching in the hallways as we were running through lines, going to amazing dance workshops, the "Hunger Games" themed opening ceremony, performing, and watching others perform. And just being surrounded by so many kids that loved the same things we loved. It is something I definitely will never forget. The best part was each night we all got dressed up and saw different full productions and they were all absolutely incredible. Going to State gave me a whole new respect and appreciation for theatre and that still carries on today. Seeing all the hard work people put into it, and all the amazing talent around the world is absolutely mind-blowing.

Even though I wasn't the most popular kid in my group, and I didn't get lead roles and I was a little quiet, I still had a blast every rehearsal, class, and performance. It made me so happy to be surrounded my people who were just so talented, inspiring, and just generally down-to-earth, crazy, and good people.

It's been a little over a year now that I've been apart from theatre but it's still much a part of me. I'm always listening to Broadway soundtracks and looking up any sort of theatre related thing on YouTube. Even though I'm not the best singer, whenever I'm having a bad day I can blast the Newsies or Lion King soundtrack and suddenly I'm a different person in a different world and my day isn't so bad anymore. That's the beauty of theatre. It transports you to a different world and everything you have going on in your life that's not so great goes away for a little while. That's why being involved in theatre, whether it's directly in a production, or watching one, is such an incredible thing. It really is a special community and I'm so glad I got the chance to be a part of it. To any of my theatre family that are reading this, always remember,

"Act well your part. There all the honor lies."