The heat of the stage lights, the heavy makeup, the incredible costumes that made you feel like a whole different person: these were the joys that came with growing up in the theatre. If you were a theatre kid like me, you know all too well the wonders and terrors of performing onstage as a child, whether it be in school or in community theatre. Whatever the case, we've all experienced these things multiple times throughout our childhood on the stage. Here are the top 10 best things about growing up in the theatre.
1. Overcoming shyness
I was a very shy child, but being involved in theatre helped me to come out of my shell. I had my first audition for a play at seven years old and was so scared that I couldn't even go onstage. A year later, when I auditioned for another show I marched proudly onto the stage and performed my monologue without a speck of shyness. That goes to show that within just one year of getting to do theatre my confidence had soared. For a kid as shy as me, it was a big deal for me to be performing in front of anyone.
2. Learning new things
I was in a show when I was ten years old where I had to learn how to pronounce like seven different types of tea (including "eucalyptus"). I also had to learn how to do a British accent. In another show about fairy tales from different countries I learned how different these classic stories were when originating from somewhere else. One show I was in during high school, I had to learn how to use a typewriter. You learn all kinds of things while growing up in theatre, some things you'd never learn in school.
3. Becoming more aware of others' emotions
If being involved in theatre my whole life has taught me anything, it's that being sympathetic towards other people and how they're feeling can go a long way. When you play a character you dig into their motivations for doing what they do, their desires, their reasons for everything. It helps to understand someone's point of view in order to achieve something, like coming to a compromise or fixing a problem. Having an insight into this has made me an all-together more sympathetic, relatable person.
4. Learning how to take rejection
You won't always get the role you want, or even necessarily be cast in a show at all, and learning how to handle rejection early on as a child really helped shape me as a person. While rejection is never easy for anyone, it can be especially disheartening when you've worked your hardest for something (like a part in a show) and are still denied. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but the sooner you learn to take rejection and accept it as a part of life, the easier it is for you to overcome it as the years pass (and it stops you from becoming an entitled brat as a kid).
5. Getting to watch yourself grow as a young performer
A lot of kids who start theatre leave soon after. As for those of us who stay and continue to perform, it isn't long before we begin to notice improvements in our own performances and how we work onstage. Whether it is just a hobby or something you deem worth pursuing as a career, your performances will improve the more shows you participate in, and getting better and better at something is definitely something to be proud of.
6. Meeting some of your best friends
In both high school and community theatre I've made some the closest friends I've ever had. No matter where we end up in life, we'll always be able to remember that time that one kid in the show messed up the whole scene because he forgot a line. It's a bonding (and traumatic) experience that we'll never forget.
7. Looking back fondly (and not so fondly) on your shows
There are some GREAT shows written for children/teens...and some not so great ones. Either way, it's fun to be able to look back and remember these cute and/or embarrassing shows that you got to be a part of. Remember that time you were in a parody of "Phantom of the Opera?" Yeah, let's maybe not talk about that.
8. Getting to be people completely different from you
Theatre is all about performing as a character, and most characters aren't like you. I can't tell you how many different kinds of people I've gotten to play and explore, and it's been a joy from the time I was a kid to now to get to be someone else.
9. Accomplishing things you never thought possible
Being in theatre throws all kinds of challenges at you. Overcoming those challenges and doing something onstage that you never thought you could do is the most amazing feeling in the world. I've loved every opportunity I've gotten to work harder to accomplish a difficult challenge in a show, and I believe this has shaped me into a more hard-working person.
10. Loving what you do
When you've stayed in theatre as long as we have, you know you've come to love it. It's something that's come to define your life and make you who you are. No matter what, it's something you will always carry with you for the rest of your life.
