Dear Theatre Families,
There are so many of them that I cannot address just one. Most have come and gone, and some I know for a fact will stay in my life for quite a while, but one thing still stands: I would never have been where I am today if it weren't for you and your never-ending support and love. I cannot thank each and every individual that was a part of each theatre family and became a part of my journey more than I already do, but I'm going to try anyway because I'm just that nice.
It's been an obvious fact about my life that I've been doing theatre since I was only nine years old, and once my first show ever ended, I found a new passion in my life. Not only that I found something I was passionate about for almost fifteen years, but I also found a way to express myself that I've been trying to find for years. I had trouble finding my voice and a way to express myself when I was much younger and I never would have thought performing will help me find what I was desperate to find for as long as I can remember.
I have hopped from theatre organization to theatre organization throughout the years, and aged out of most of them as I grew up and got older. I also know that there will be more than I will have to age out of sooner or later, but no matter what, each of their influences will be inside me forever. Each director I ever had, no matter how good, bad, or in-between they were as directors, has given me an influence that I will always be grateful for, and all I want is to spread that to other people.
One of the biggest things I ever wanted was to be a role model for others and using theatre as a way to be able to do that has given me so many opportunities that I would have never been able to get if I never got into theatre or met you in the first place. Ten years ago, I would have never thought that anyone I would be doing shows with would make as big of an influence on my life as they did, and they ended up making that influence, and so much more.
I know that I have told many of my friends that I did theatre within the past how much I love them and how much they mean to me, but I can never say it enough to you. You mean so much to me that I have to tell everyone that I have ever done theatre with how much they mean to me and that they should not ever let anyone bring them down in any way. I want you to keep doing what you love just as much as I want to keep doing what I love, and I will love you forever and always.
With love,
A girl who found her voice through theatre
