I am extremely grateful that theatre came into my life. The countless nights of rehearsals, numerous auditions, constant practicing and long-lasting friendships made me who I am over the years. The amazing part about theatre is that it opened my eyes beyond the show itself. It taught me about people, friendships, life, rejection, acceptance, love and much more. Whether you have done one show, several shows, or simply watch them, theatre generates a lasting impact.

Theatre blessed me with family and friendships.

The people I meet through theatre teach me how to love and express myself. Theatre people may be some of the strangest and funniest people I know, but are also some of the most accepting and positive people. Starting from my first show at a community theatre in seventh grade, those people are still some of my best friends today.

When you grow so close during a production, those friendships last a lifetime, regardless of how often you see one another. As I progressed through different theaters, I developed those same relationships. When you work so hard to convey a message of art, it brings people together and those friendships soon turn to family.

Theatre taught me how to handle rejection.

I have experienced rejection more times than I can count from theatre, but it inspired me to never give up. While rejection is never easy, I learned how to cope with it and still enjoy the process of a production. Although it took years for me to learn this and it is something I am still working on, I am happy I am learning the value of acceptance. Additionally, rejection from a role or a show helped me understand that everything happens for a reason and that no, might just mean not now. If I love something as much as I love theatre, being rejected even over 100 times won’t stop me.

Theatre provided me with life skills.

I am thankful theatre taught me skills such as punctuality, time management, problem solving and meeting deadlines. Starting from my first production when I was 11 years old, I was told you had to be 10 minutes early to every rehearsal. That started to stick with me through everything I did. Time management also becomes a necessity when you are involved in a production that rehearses over three hours each night, and still have school work, work, friends, family and other activities you care about. Another challenging and wonderful aspect about theatre is that each show is never the same. Each night can lead to different events or potential mistakes, so it is imperative to know how to problem solve.

Theatre became my passion.

I have never experienced so much joy and sadness for something in my life. The feeling you get when you are on stage is one of the best feelings in the world and is why so many continue to perform. However, with this immense joy comes the sadness of the show coming to an end. While it is not easy to say goodbye, I am glad I have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. As the famous actress Sherie Scott said, "theatre doesn't last — only in people’s memories and in their hearts. That’s the beauty and sadness of it. But that’s life—beauty and the sadness. And that is why theatre is life."

Theatre is my life, and I would not trade it for anything. Theatre broadened my horizons intellectually, spiritually, culturally, emotionally and physically and whether you participate in a show or not, you can experience these joys by watching or reading them. I personally see theatre as the gateway to the soul, and I would not be the person I am today without it.