The lines have been memorized and the scenes have been blocked. The set has been constructed and the lights are ready to go. The actors are decked out in their costumes and stage makeup. They've warmed up, huddled, and heartfelt speeches have been exchanged.

"ONE, TWO, THREE, GREAT SHOW!"

The house lights are being flicked off one by one, and a hush falls over the audience. We all rush to our places and pose in the spots we've stood in a hundred times over the course of rehearsal. The butterflies are racing in my stomach, but I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I am no longer Abby, but instead a character in the latest show. I imagine stepping out of my own worn sneakers and into the period-accurate footwear I've been assigned.

The grand curtain slides open with the unmistakable clinking sound we've all grown accustomed to in our little high school theater. Lights up, and the opening monologue has begun. The rest of the cast waits patiently for their cue to start the opening number.

Suddenly the room explodes with music we've all tired our family with when we practiced at home. We stand and begin our choreography. Costumes twinkle and twirl. We're all giving our biggest smiles. This is only the beginning.

My eyes open. I've snapped out of my daydream, and I'm in the middle of class. It's almost time for my presentation. The professor calls my name, and the butterflies are back with a vengeance.

I quickly take a breath and remember all the different characters I've played over the years. The show is about to begin, and it's time to get into character. I square my shoulders and march to the front of the class as Confident Abby. She gives a prepared, yet slightly shaky, presentation. The curtain closes and I return to my seat, feeling the same mix of fatigue and excitement I've felt after every opening night.

I originally joined theater because I've always had an appreciation for it, especially growing up in a house where your mother and your family friends sing almost exclusively show tunes. Big names like Liza Minnelli, Debbie Reynolds, and Bernadette Peters were so familiar to me that they almost felt like I knew them personally. I never knew an after school hobby would become so big in my life, but here I am, jazz hands and all.

Theater is about expressing yourself. Theater is about being so close with your cast mates that you're almost forced to become family. It's about telling a story that needs telling. It's about keeping the arts alive and kicking. Perhaps most importantly, if it's what you choose, then it can be about finding yourself and learning to face problems with a Tony-winning smile as if it was a crisis five minutes before curtain.

As the late, great Debbie Reynolds once said, "Chin up, boobs out, it's show time."