Personal Narrative: Joining Theatre As A Freshman

Before I even entered high school, I obtained a love of theater and the performing arts. I have been singing and acting since I was nine, as well as on and off dancing since three. Taking classes at a local theater really introduced me to this interest of mine. When I entered high school, an injury kept me from doing shows. But now I graduate with nine high school shows under my belt, as well as being in multiple community theater productions. Being a part of these shows made me feel a strong sense of belonging, and whether I was an ensemble or lead

I was desperately lost while studying theater during my first semester at Brigham Young University-Idaho. It was what I enjoyed during high school, but I want a career where I am able to spend time with my family and one where I’d be in a position to improve the lives of others. After taking my first acting class I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Since then, I have considered everything from psychology to accounting. Research and volunteer opportunities, advice from trusted mentors, and my education played roles in my decision process. I learned to manage my time wisely in order to spend time with my family. Most importantly, I was able to decide on a career in optometry, and have since planned out what I want to do after optometry school.

I am an actor with a life- long passion for storytelling. I have been enamored with theatre for many years because it is a medium through which I can share stories in the most effective way. Stories have complex ideas and important messages and theatre turns them into memorable pieces. I have found purpose in theatre because it has broadened my understanding of how other people experience life. I learn something new from every play I see, read, and perform in.

I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked what I want to be or do when I grow up. Answers have ranged from voice acting to park ranger to even veterinarian when I was particularly smaller. Before education, I was in the Moody College of Communications with an undeclared major then a radio-television-film major. The classes were interesting, but unfulfilling. Did I picture myself actually working in the film industry? The short answer was no; it just was not me. Spring semester of 2015 after much internal debate over the winter break I switched to the elementary education major, however I have yet to have passion for the major or career options that are attached.

As a child, all I wanted to do was act. To be on TV and walk the red carpet was the ultimate goal. Playing the role of munchkins and Fagin boys was my life. In elementary school, my director’s name was Mrs. Jacksina. Her big green eyes were just as vibrant as her excitement towards theatre. She loved passing her passion down to others. She made me believe that I could obtain my goals as long as I put my heart and soul into it. Thus, the inner swirls of fire from my heart transformed into passion and dedication. That’s what I did with acting, at least, what I could’ve done at the age of 8. By 4th grade, I had a lead role in Good Luck Charlie Brown playing the role of Lucy, and in 5th grade playing the role of Brunhilda in Cinderella.

I have not always known that theatre is what I need to do with the life that I have been given, and by no means did this realization come to me on my own. During my sophomore year, while working on an autumn play and winter musical, I noticed that people saw something special in me. This support from directors, friends, teachers, and family affirmed what I subconsciously knew to be true. Their belief in me allowed the latent thought of a life in theatre to flourish in my mind. In the past, I was too uncertain to be led by that thought because it would have made me vulnerable and left me exposed, but knowing that the people I love believe in my talent has provided an environment for me to come into my identity, which is wholly intertwined with

My experience with theatre began during my sophomore year at West Hills High School when I chose to take a drama class merely for elective credit; little did I know how drastically performing arts would shape

not be freshman. There was just way too many people there. My graduating class was fifty-four so it was and is still a culture shock going to a school this large. Convocation was interesting to say the least. I read Dr. Khayat’s book, but was not especially entertained. My initial thoughts upon hearing about convocation were not thrilling. I went anyway and forced my roommate into going also. Dr. Khayat did not catch my intention right away. I thought he was just some old man that was going to lecture me about behaving for the next hour. Out of nowhere he started the Hotty Toddy chant. That is when he got my attention. After all, if a man of his age and

My life connected in many ways, there was a lot of hints at what career I would be doing in the future, all the way up to the end of my shows. Everything started when I was 15 and continued throughout my life, even when I was told that I wouldn’t make it anywhere. When I was 15 years old, I had gone to New York to study acting at John Murray Anderson/Robert Milton School of Theater and Dance. While I was there I had been told that I had no talent, which was ironic because of how I ended up living my life later on, with multiple shows, radio shows, and appearing in many movies. After I gave up on my acting career, I modeled. My small modeling hobby gave me more recognition. While modeling, I appeared in several movies from 1933-1940. I didn’t

I believe high school is all about finding yourself and figuring out what you want from life. For some that would be a career in money-making and for a while it was me too. In my early highschool years I thought pursuing theatre wasn’t a smart plan strictly because like most students I was focused on income. It's easy being a teenager and having your mind overridden by being told to be smart when thinking of your future by adults. That being said I was ready to major in physician's assistant studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I figured my life would be well getting

I volunteer for a theater class to help them move their props around. A problem came up when they had some people who had to quit being part of the play, and they needed people to fill their roles. I offered my help, but I had no idea how acting worked and the thought of a stage made me scared. The first thing I thought of doing was to go out and make some friends in this area. When I was able to know some of the people by name the play became fun, rather than

In the third grade, I already had my life planned out; I just knew that I was going to be a movie star when I grew up. By the time I entered high school, this fantasy had long since been forgotten and reality stood in its’ place. I was clueless. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, much less when I graduated from high school. So I did what every recent grad is expected to do, I enrolled in college. My college career began the fall semester immediately following graduation at Trident Technical College in North Charleston, SC; major

Mandy Hale once said "You don't always need a plan. Sometimes you just need to breathe, trust, let go, and see what happens." Now I know that many people will think I am crazy for using this in an essay about what I will be doing after high school, but this is one of many quotes I live by. I have spent the last two years stressing over what colleges I wanted to apply for, what major I would be studying for or if I will even go to college. Now that graduation is less than four months away, I can honestly say, I still can not decide on what I want to do after high school. Initially, I had decided on something in the veterinary field, but last year I did a career research project over astronomy. I am fascinated by space and how the universe works, but I realized I didn't want to do something I loved, like astronomy, and end up getting tired of it so I decided I would just focus on that as a hobby.Fast forward a few months and it was time for me to decide what class I would be taking at EOC Tech.

Most of you probably don’t know this, but I have a very large love of theatre. It seems like a stretch seeing as I’m most likely shaking while reading this right now; however theatre has been a part of my life for a large portion of it, eight years to be exact. The idea of taking on the persona of someone else gives me a rush of excitement only few things can. I have done multiple shows in that time: A Christmas carol, Hairspray, The Wizard of Oz, Greater Tuna, The 25th annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and To Kill a Mockingbird. Most of these shows took place on the same stage in the Hillcrest High School Theater. This stage has special meaning to me as it is where I met a large number of my friends, it is where I met my girlfriend,

My love for theater developed at the Muny Opera. My grandparents were Muny season ticket holders throughout my childhood, so I had the privilege of attending musicals each season with them. In addition, I was involved in choir and theater camps. I was even in Nerinx’s production of Les Mis as a 5th grader. As middle school approached however, musical theater started to seem uncool, and therefore I quit. It wasn’t until this year that I decided it was time to try musicals again, but I had strong reservations. It had been a long time since I had sang in front of other people, and I did not have close relationships with the thespian crowd at Nerinx. Despite this, I mustered up the courage to try out for the Fall Musical and made the cast! I could not be more grateful for this experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone. The musical allowed me an opportunity to make new friends. I discovered an inclusive, friendly, outgoing, creative, and completely unique group of people I now call some of my closest friends. Furthermore, despite my initial insecurities of my musical talent, by the end of the show I became completely confident in my singing, dancing, and acting abilities. Surprisingly, musical theater ended up being more similar to volleyball than I had expected, with the long hours, extreme expectations, and teenage banter and gossip. Yet, there was one main difference. When doing what I loved,