The air is filled with nerves and excitement. It is opening night, people are rushing in and out of the green room. Others slip into their costumes, and I sit in a chair trying to calm my nerves. Every drop of blood, sweat and tears that we have put into rehearsing this show have amounted to this night.
"Places everyone!" screams the stage manager. We all jump at the announcement, and for a split second the room is quiet. Then we all go to our assigned places. I walk into the theater and onto the stage. It is pitch black except for a glimmer of light that manages to escape through a crack at the bottom of the curtain. On the other side of the curtain I can hear the mumble of people talking as they settle into their seats.
As the director gives his opening speech, I stand there with adrenaline pumping through my veins. At last the curtains open, the lights come up, and the show begins. These are the moments that I as a Theatre major live for, and the reason why theatre has been a part of my life for eight years.
From spark to flame
Let's rewind a couple years back. It was the summer of 2006; I was in New York City with 30 other of my classmates on our junior high graduation trip. It was early in the evening, and we made our way down Broadway; there were lights and billboards everywhere. We were in front of the Orpheum Theater where our teacher had arranged for us to see The Phantom of the Opera. We entered the theatre, and the inside was far more elegant and luxurious than anything I had ever seen. We were directed to our seats by an usher, and as we waited for the show to start I could feel my eyes get heavier and heavier. The curtain opened and as the actors performed the opening scene I tuned in and out as I fell asleep.
Suddenly, I heard a sequence of explosions like fireworks, which made me jump out of my seat. A shattered chandelier that had been sitting in the middle of the stage came back to life with the help of special effects, and I watched the chandelier as it rose higher and higher without letting it out of my sight. From there on I sat at the edge of my seat and enjoyed every second of that performance without even blinking, afraid that if I did I would miss something. That night I left the Orpheum Theater with a small spark inside of me, a spark that would later on become a full blown flame.
I went on to become a student at San Luis High School where I took a course in Drama. This class helped me gain a foundation and a better understanding of Theatre, and by the end of the course I went from being the shyest student in class, who ran out of class during a pantomime performance, to singing and dancing in front of the whole class. But this wasn't enough, so I became involved with the after school Drama Club. Sooner or later I became not only Vice President of the club but one of its most dedicated and involved members. By the end of my senior year, I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Highs and lows
I was now a freshman in college, and I was more excited than ever. I loved my classes, especially Theatre, and the wacky Theatre professor. I was in a good place; I knew exactly where I was going and what I wanted to do with my life. From here on out everything would be easy, or so I thought. I began to have problems at home, which affected me at school as well. I began to become discouraged, and before I knew it I had stopped attending all my classes except for Theatre, which was the only thing keeping me going.
Later that semester I was cast in AWC Theatre's production of Stand and Deliver. It was a great experience: I got to meet and work with new people whom I would have never met if it weren't for this production. For the next couple of months all of my focus went toward the show. Even though the production was coming along, things at home were still shaky. Rehearsals were the highlight of my day; they were like a breath of fresh air after being submerged under water.
The theater became my home away from home. The months passed, and opening night finally arrived. We were all eager to perform in front of an audience, and we gave our very best to every performance. A week and eight performances later as we gave our final bow, the crowd gave a standing ovation, and our director stood with tears in his eyes. The show had been a success, but even though I was at my highest, I had also reached my lowest. Due to my failure to attend and meet the school's academic requirements, my financial aid was revoked and I could no longer attend school.
The world's a stage
Although I was out of school for almost two years I kept myself involved in the AWC Theatre, and when I was finally in a better place in my life, I was ready to pick up where I left off. So I appealed my financial aid and was able to earn the AWC Theatre Scholarship. Now I'm back in school and feel refreshed and stronger than ever. But one question remains: What did I learn?
Like a mother, Theatre has carried me throughout the years; it has nurtured and helped mold the person that I am today. It has taught me some of life's toughest lessons. Theatre helped me find the inspiration and the drive that I needed as an individual to change my act. It taught me that, if I put the same dedication I put into a production into other aspects of my life such as an English class or science lab, I would have the same results, and I would succeed.
While being in the Theatre program, I have read more play scripts than I have read books in my entire life. It has taught me to appreciate literature and the power of words, so that I can now pick up a book or read an article and be able to analyze and comprehend what the author is trying to convey. Most importantly, it has taught me to fight for what I want and to slap life back whenever it knocks me down.
