In High School, we had a pretty small theatre department. Through most of those four years I was a lead in every show, singing and dancing in elaborate costumes and standing out in my own way. I kind of forgot what it was like to simply be a part of the cast and have an ensemble role.
This year my school has been doing The Addams Family musical. After auditions I was cast as an Ensemble member, one of the Addams Family ancestors. I wasn't bummed out, because I was happy to be a part of my first college musical anyway, but as time passed I began to appreciate it more and more.
In high school I was so focused on my own growth in my character, I didn't really pay attention to the growth in others. In this cast, I was able to see the growth in how they portrayed these iconic characters and it made me appreciate everyone's talent even more.
You are not simply in the background when you are in the ensemble. You are a character. A character in the show that gets noticed just like every other character. It is not the end of the world to be in the ensemble. A concept I know a lot of people struggle with.
Being in the ensemble has benefitted me in so many ways. It's given me the knowledge I need when interacting with others on stage. It's helped me realize that less is more. You don't need to go overboard to be a great actor. Trying to get yourself noticed on stage makes you stick out, yes, but not in the good way. When interacting with my fellow ensemble I was able to connect with different things and my own acting choices grew out of those interactions. I was happy to watch characters like Gomez and Morticia, or Fester, come to life in new and exciting ways and as a bonus I got to do that as a character on stage.
In this show, I got to really know my cast. I have gained new friends that I am sure will last for a very long time. We got to experience the one thing we all had in common: the joy of theatre.
We all start out in the ensemble, that's a fact. And we will continue to be a part of many different ensembles as we go through our theatre careers. The greats started out in ensembles and small roles, so why should we kick ourselves and think of ourselves as failures when we don't get a lead role in a show? Being in the ensemble isn't something to be embarrassed about. It is a good thing and its been a great thing for me.
As I am writing this I think about how tonight will be the closing show for our Addams Family production. Some of us will move on to the next show and others will either take breaks, focus on school, or simply rest up until they become a part of something else. But I am always going to remember the smiles on our faces when curtain call comes. Remember the laughs we shared jamming to Hamilton or Lady Gaga while getting ready. I loved being in the ensemble because I got to have this experience with them.
