I will never forget that moment at the end of opening night: running back onto the stage, the spotlight beaming into my eyes and the sound of applause flooding my ears. With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, I took a bow. Before me, the silhouette of the audience rose, until the entire theater was on its feet.
I still get goosebumps thinking about it, but it would never have happened if my acting teacher had not persuaded me to take part in the school musical, Sister Act.
I was completely opposed to it: One of my greatest fears was singing in front of anyone other than my shower head. As a football and lacrosse player, I would definitely be (feel)out of place in a musical. Those involved in the school theatre are mostly performing arts students, not athletes.
It was my junior year and my (thrilling)football season where I had played a leading role, had come to an end, but a new door was about to open for me. For a month I had rejected my teachers persistent requests for me to audition. But the days leading up to the audition I really couldn't stop thinking about it. The idea both excited and scared me. I was very nervous about the prospect of singing in
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Two weeks later, I was cast as the lead male role, Curtis Jackson. I was immersed in the hysteria of musical theatre, learning lines, choreography, and singing two solos. I was a little over whelmed, scared, excited, and determined. I was new to acting and I did not want to let any of the other actors down. I studied my script every day, and made sure to give my all at every run-through. In the early weeks I would leave every music rehearsal beet-red and dripping with sweat — exhausted from my fear of singing in front of others. When I wasn’t at rehearsal, I was singing my songs in my car and working on my dances moves in the comfort of my
On March 31 I had the pleasure of seeing Hello Dolly at Mandeville High School. As a talented theater student at the school, I take the shows that are put on very seriously. Being involved in the show, helping make set pieces, and working box office brings light to me as an individual, every little helping hand counts. I want to make sure that my school represents theater in the best way possible. With this production put on, I am proud to say that I am a theater student in Mandeville High.
On a Wednesday night I saw Texas State Theatre and Dance Department's performance of A Chorus Line. The main plot of the musical entails the audition of 17 dancers for several Broadway roles on the chorus line. However, during their auditions the director Zach asks for personal stories of each dancer's life. Though the plot of this musical is seemingly simple in its twist on the traditional audition, it explores themes that reveal the human experience, the search for individuality, and the sense of self.
The begging of middle school our choir consisted of Sopranos, Altos. This was mainly due to the fact that we didn’t hit puberty yet. That year I found my niche. This was exciting for me because I wasn’t like my brothers who are athletic. My 7th and 8th grade year were the years I made a difference. To add on to the Sopranos and Altos the guys were now baritones and that was a big deal. During my 7th grade year we sang Phantom of The Opera. My friend Jon and I sang a duet and received a standing ovation. The following year was just as good due to the fact we sang Broadway medley. I sang Part in the South Pacific song aint nothing like a dame. Later in that piece I had a whistling solo for the king and I. this was so cool to do because people thought I was going to sing and I shocked the by whistling. High school was a big change because we now had 4 parts: Soprano, Alto, Bass, and Tenor. Our choir consisted of 50-60 students and 40 of them were girls. I was very intimidated by this but didn’t let this stop me. I sang tenor and our section was about five people but we were the strongest section. We hosted State Large group which is where judges rate your choir you can receive division 1, 2,3,4,5. One would be the best that you could receive. We also had honor choirs you could go to. I went to one in Waverly, Iowa at Wartburg College called the Meistersingers Honor choir. While I was there I sang tenor 2. This Honor choir was about 600 high school students plus the Wartburg choir. This particular honor choir was special because we sang with Simone Estes, the famous opera
It’s a very rewarding feeling knowing you’ve helped someone who has been really struggling, and knowing that they trust you with their problems and that they know they can rely on you for assistance when they need it. Being involved with the musicals is some of the most fun i’ve had in my highschool career. I’ve always tried out for the highschool musical and always gotten a part, and just last year I helped the backstage crew of the middle school musical. Just being a part of it is what I like the most, being a single part in an entire production, and i’m the person who was best fit for that specific part. It makes me feel unique and different knowing that I was picked for that certain part. Last year I got my first actual lead as the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard Of Oz. It had to have been the greatest experience of my life, I read my script any chance I could because I wanted to make this the best performance I have ever done, and I feel like I had
As I walk on the stage, I can see the spotlight shining on me. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach fluttering around. Suddenly, I remember the time when I was a little girl and I followed a butterfly a long ways. I ended up getting lost and wandering around in circles. Finally, I heard our cow’s bell clanking and I found my way home. I smiled as I sang “My coat of many colors that my momma made for me.” Being a singer was all I ever dreamed of.
Meanwhile, my voice inevitably shook in rhythm with the music. I was filled from head to toe with terror, but pushed through it. Why did I agree to do the Christmas show in the first place? I knew I didn’t like talking in front of large groups, so what made me think singing and playing guitar would be fine? Nothing. I was pressured into doing it. “It will be fun!” my neighbor, teacher, and friend Tim said, “Your family will love it!” He was right about the second part, but at least for me, it was far from
It was the first time that someone took a chance on me. I am forever grateful to my directors because it made me realize that hardwork does pay off. I had the biggest surge of confidence and power that I knew that this was something I could never give up. Now almost two years later, I've made it into advanced choir and was casted as a lead in last spring's production of the Music Man. This year I looked forward to another round of nerve wracking auditions in
The performance lasted an hour and a half, and that time completely flew. I found myself to be engaged along with the rest of the audience. I expected the performers to be mediocre, but they impressed me by how wonderful they were at acting out their parts. The girl that played Pippi Longstocking (Bailey Keith) was such a good actress, and I could not help but laugh every time she would speak her lines. She acted so childish and chipper, just as Pippi Longstocking would if she were a real person. I really expected to hate having to attend this performance, especially since I went by myself. Surprisingly, I had a fun time. In the middle of March, the North Caroline Theatre for Young People is planning to present James and the Giant Peach. Normally, I would not plan to ever attend an event like this ever again. I do, however, plan to attend this musical play. I might even bring my little cousin and my grandmother along with me. I have known that the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is recognized as a top performing arts school, but I did not expect the acting to be at such a high level. I have also attended various musical recitals on campus, and I have also been extremely impressed with them, too. Although I have never seen a dance event here at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I plan to attend one very soon. I hope that my expectations will be exceeded once
Every summer I participate in the Musical through our local Parks and Recreation program, and last year the musical was Beauty and the Beast. At first I was apprehensive because this was a musical with few female roles, and our theater department had a plethora of talented female actors. Regardless, I was excited to perform with my friends because my opportunities to perform before I went to college were shrinking. The audition was relaxed, and I even got a callback the next day. The only problem was I had to fly out to Nashville the same day, so I finished my callback and rushed myself to the Kansas City Airport. The cast list was scheduled to come out that evening, and I was receiving anxious texts from my fellow actors. As the plane was
A bright stage light was shining bright. A lovely voice rang out to the audience. Every note was aced. I knew it had to be Liv singing her solo as Belle. Suddenly, the music cued and I snapped back to attention. I strolled out behind the village set with my partner and we perched down on the bench to start mouthing words so it looked like we were talking. The spotlight was shining in my face and it was hard to see. I was as blind as a bat and sadly, could not glimpse my family. It seemed we were doing great so far, even though I was super jittery. Shivers were going down my whole body and my palms were super sweaty. I was sure the whole audience could hear my heart beating. I kept thinking in my head, “I can’t believe I’m doing this! I’m so excited! I’m in the school play!”
The week before the show I had a basketball ball game and I knew it would conflict with a dress rehearsal. Once I had mustered up enough courage I went to inform my director that I would be missing the next rehearsal. This didn’t sit too well with him. He pulled me aside and for about ten minutes angrily lectured to me the importance of being at rehearsal and continuously mentioned how stupid it was of me to choose basketball over his musical. I had never been so scared in my entire life, and when I returned to rehearsal the day after my game I was not received too pleasantly by my peers in the show. Being one of five freshman in our fifty person cast was already lonely enough but it only got worse until the show ended. It took until my Junior year to gain respect back from some of those people when I was awarded the lead role of The Beast in Beauty and the
During the summer after freshman year, I took a theatre workshop for high school students at the Georgetown Palace Theatre: Into the Woods, JR. My character was Rapunzel’s Prince, which had a singing role, so I was still growing as an actor. I didn’t act again until Spring Break of my sophomore year, where the Georgetown Palace Theatre offered a Spring Break workshop for middle school and high school students: Alice in Wonderland, JR. My role that time was the Cheshire Cat, a narrator’s
People remember music and walk out of the theater singing the songs they just heard on stage. They buy cast recordings, memorize the songs, and some, if lucky enough, will play coveted parts in community and regional theaters nationwide.” Overall, even though plays are interesting they don’t always relate or gravitate towards today’s
I always enjoy knowing that because of just taking a simple fine art class has changed my life forever. By comparing my experiences as a cheerleader and being a theatre kid, it’s made me look at how much cheerleading was holding me back. I wanted to alway prove to my team mates of my skills and potential, but it was known that I would always be that girl “ taking one for the team”. It never occurred to me at the beginning of sophomore year where that could be where I start a new chapter of my life and know that there is more to life out there than just sports. Seeing that I was an athlete for such a long period of time, it never gave me the pure enjoyment that theatre has provided me in such a short amount of time.
Weeks passed, and our ensemble kept improving. The concert loomed in the near future, and the dress rehearsal was the next day, but I was sure that it would go smoothly.