My heart begins to race. Amidst the chatter around me, I hear a voice ringing out with a ten minute warning. I check my make-up for what seems like the thousandth time, making sure my eyeliner is even and that I have enough blush so I don’t look pale.
The minutes rush by quickly and soon my time has come. I take my place, reminding myself of what I have practiced over and over again. I reassure myself – you are ready for this. The lights in the room dim, and I take a deep breath, because it is time for what I have been working on for weeks. It is opening night of my show. I am a theatre kid and I am ready to perform for an audience, one of my greatest loves.
There is a lot to theatre that many people don’t see. A lot of people think “theatre kids” are weird… And they’re not wrong. We are full of quirks, and we’ll be the first to admit it. But theatre kids are quirky and so full of life and passion. If we were not passionate and driven, we would not be here. Theatre is not for the faint of heart.
Theatre kids can get tired. After all, we’re in our beloved building spending late nights rehearsing or building sets. You might find us working late on a costume piece in our dressing rooms or costume shop. And if you’re lucky enough to know one of our lighting designers or lighting board ops, you’ll know they stay late programming light cues, staying there long after the actors have left.
Yes, we get tired. Yes, you’ll see us in the library late working on assignments because it’ll be the first time we’ve had a chance to work on them all day because we’ve been in class and then we had rehearsal. Yes, you might see us thriving off of caffeine to get through a particularly long day or tech week (*shudder*). But you will still see us smiling. You will still hear us singing a favorite show tune or dancing a few of our steps from one of our favorite dance numbers. You will still hear us laughing because despite how tired we may be, we will still be enjoying the little things and every minute of the life we are given.
Theatre has taught me to appreciate the little things. When I am surrounded by my fellow theatre students, I am filled with the joy and love that they extrude. I relish in late-night coffee runs or sitting together in our green room, talking about anything and everything. The art of theatre itself is a very intimate thing. Theatre kids become so close with one another because we often are baring our souls to one another. The bond of a cast or a theatre program is like that of a family. We stick together. We defend one another. Sharing the stage and sharing the magic of theatre is a bond so strong, it’s almost hard to explain.
Cast and crew members see each other so often when developing a show. Theatre has taught me how to work well with others in a group setting. It has also taught me empathy. A character is a human being, through and through. They have emotions and I put myself in their shoes in order to understand them and give them justice. But not only do I practice empathy towards my own role, but to my other theatre family members. We are all intricate people with different lives, and we all weave together to create this incredible unit.
Theatre has shaped me into the person I am today. I would not the person I am without this incredible art that I have dedicated so much time to. To me, there is nothing better than working so hard for something, and then being able to share my love with so many people.
I am a theatre kid today, tomorrow, and forever. And I am proud.
