Theatre Kid

I've heard it said that theatre can teach you a lot of life lessons. I'm here to tell you that is absolutely the truth. Though I'm not as active in theatre as I used to be, I can tell you that being in theatre absolutely taught me a lot of lessons that I still use to this day.

As a homeschooled kid, I didn't get the opportunity to participate in theatre for many reasons; there weren't any people in our co-ops who had an interest or training in theatre, we didn't have a performance/rehearsal space, etc. Occasionally we'd visit a nearby college for their performances, but there really wasn't much more than that.

I do have a very distinct memory of seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Brandon, MO on vacation with my family. My Dad tells me that there was someone at our hotel that knew someone in the cast, so they were able to get us tickets. I was ectactic. I'd watched this musical on VHS, borrowing it frequently from the library and watching it until I knew all the words to all of the songs. The narrator from this show was my dream role for many years.

Many of my first experiences in theatre were from library media centers - The King and I (I also wanted to play Ana), and Oklahoma! were often on repeat.

When I got to college, I finally got to be involved in theatre. My first show was a chorus role in The Apple Tree. I was so excited to be in the show and learn about the process from the inside out. Was I perfect? Absolutely not. But being in the chorus gave me the opportunity to start small, with few lines and movements, and to gain the confidence to be on stage. After that taste, I knew that I wanted more.

Through college theatre, I was introduced to the local community theatre, where I would work on and off stage for the remainder of my time in college. I was in my first summer musical revue, The ABC's of Broadway, where I had another chorus role.

I also got to work as the assistant director for the annual children's show - which, interestingly enough, gave me some of the experiences that I would eventually use in teaching.

My first non-musical role was in See How They Run at the community theatre. I laugh when I think back to getting the role. My mentor was serving as the assistant director, and the local "theatre mom" was the director. The show is about an American woman who is married to a British preacher, and the mishaps that occur with them, their neighbors, and her old fling who comes into town. I really wanted the role of the American, but got the role of the cockney maid - because, my mentor told me, I was the only one who actually tried the accent and succeeded. What made this even funnier was that I'd been practicing that accent since I was young, since I found it so interesting. To this day, it's one of my favorite roles that I've ever had.

My time in the theatre helped me grow as a person in so many ways. I learned how to be around other people as an introvert, finding ways to connect with people and talk with them. I learned how to lean on others when I was unsure of things. I learned how to organize my life in a way that made it possible to do multiple things at once, such as studying, writing papers, learning choreography and lines, and being a better actor and singer overall.

Eventually, I started getting leads in songs in summer musicals, though I didn't progress into leads in musicals. Which, while I was a little disappointed, didn't bother me too much.

Enter Into the Woods.

This was wholeheartedly one of my favorite theatre experiences because of how off-kilter it was. It was put on by the music department, rather than the theatre department, so there was an added emphasis to the singing aspect of the show. I didn't think that I would have a lead role at all since I was still learning my own voice and wasn't as technical as others who would be auditioning...nevermind that Sondheim is some of the most difficult music to learn. Apparently, though, my voice teacher (who wasn't initially but became the director of the show) thought differently. It's always amazing to have people who will believe in you when you don't believe in yourself.

Imagine my surprise when I was cast as one of the lead roles. This is where I feel that I learned the most about myself as an actor and singer, doing the hard work to overcome my challenges of not being able to sight-read music and having so many lines to learn. I developed great relationships with my castmates, some of whom had to support me when I came in too early or late on a line to keep things going. Since the show was in a smaller space than the theatre, I had a more controlled space to work on projecting my voice so that the audience could hear me.

I've never had a lead role again, but that one gave me more confidence than I'd ever had on a stage - and I was able to use those skills later on in my life.

Moving away from home took me away from theatre, and a career has left me hesitant to try getting involved in theatre where I live now. Not counting it out, though. Who knows?

I do know that many life skills and lessons came from being a theatre kid. Sure, I learned choreography, how to move around a stage, and how to embody a character. But I also learned the joy of working with others who all have a shared goal. I learned to watch the people around me, to ask for help when I need it, and to lean on other's strengths. I learned how to push past nerves to get things done. I learned to push aside my introverted tendencies to be friendly and open when needed. I learned the importance of knowing the ins and outs of a process, whether behind the scenes or in front of people.

But above all, I've learned the importance of community, one dedicated to sharing and uplifting creativity and imagination.

I am a theatre kid, after all.