Let’s rewind to the beginning of Sophomore year. They say it is one of the most challenging years and… they were right.

It was a rough start for me. I said some things I should not have said and pretty much got “canceled.” This snapped me back into reality. My grades dropped, nothing was going the way I wanted it to, I strained emotionally and mentally to participate in a sport, and I struggled with depression. It just felt like I couldn’t get anything right no matter how hard I tried. I started to isolate myself and withdraw from others.

That’s when I realized I needed to do something differently. I noticed a poster about an acting opportunity through my school, and I decided to try it out. Auditions were stressful and uncomfortable; plus, I never had auditioned for something like this before. For some reason, I had confidence that I was going to get into that show. Seeing everyone around me celebrating when they found out they got in, I searched and searched for my name on the cast list but to no avail. I had not made the cast.

Spring arrived, and I saw another acting opportunity arise. At this point I had to make the tough decision to quit all my sports and audition for this other show. This time it was different because it was an open audition, meaning everyone auditioning watches each other’s auditions. This was nerve-racking and uncomfortable for me because no one even had seen my acting before, but I just needed to get it over with. At the conclusion of my scene, I was shocked when I received a big round of applause from everyone in the room. It felt great!

Following the audition, I decided not to be overconfident since last time it had been such a heavy disappointment. I saw somewhere in a TV show to “Expect disappointment and you’ll never be disappointed,” so when I saw the cast list that Friday afternoon with my name on it, I was shocked. This indescribable feeling came over me, like something I had not felt in a while.

When rehearsals began, I learned so much about how the theatre works, like the stage directions and such. It was like learning a new language, but I understood everything. Receiving feedback from my fellow castmates felt amazing, like I finally had friends again.

Opening night arrived and everyone was buzzing. I never had felt more nervous in my life. As I put on my costume, I couldn’t stop thinking about what could go wrong and how much pressure there was on me since this was the first time any audience member would see my acting. I also was excited for everyone to see the hard work we had invested in this show and how amazing the show was. Then, ten minutes before “Places!” the director called a meeting and informed us that the show had been sold out. My heart jumped because it’s nerve-racking when there are many people watching, but it is also exciting at the same time.

Following the performance, I felt very accomplished. There were only two more performances left after that, and I regretted that the experience was almost over. The remaining two shows both sold out before the doors even opened, making history! Then, the final bow came, and we walked off the stage, proud of what we had put on. I was devastated when the show concluded. Would I ever get to do this again?

Fast forward to the present: I am now excelling in theatre in a combination of dramas, comedies, and musicals. I just can’t help but think that if I never had taken the risk of auditioning for that first show, I would not be where I am now. I never would have discovered that I’m not afraid to put myself... out there.

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