The First of Many

Although this year begins like many before, there is an ostensible sense of competition this time around. What with the SAT's and AP's and just about every other acronym pulling students every which way, it is inevitable that some will get lost in a crowd of overachievers. Being one of the students who tend to go above and beyond, it feels quite natural for me to transition from the Pre-IB program to the fully endowed International Baccalaureate program. Still, however, I sometimes feel as though I am inadequately prepared for the curriculum compared to some of my peers.

In all my trepidation though, I do realize that one component of the program is not completely foreign to me. Theater, in general, came to me in the form of a musical my last year of junior high. Albeit I portrayed the smaller role of a pirate in "Peter Pan", I was able to immediately relate with the rush of performing other students only spoke of. Ever since then, I have been connected to the drama program at my high school through participation in the beginning and advanced drama classes. Somewhere between the classroom and the stage, I was able to experience everything from pantomiming my way through a test to working the stage lights.

Although I am moving forward towards a more rigorous academic profile, I still want to keep the same spirit and passion alive within me. When I compare myself to just two years ago with the person I have become now, I see a great transformation has already taken place within me. Confidence and a family away from home are only a few of the things I have gained through my experience. The entire journey that theater has brought me along has fueled my decision to continue with theater as one of my high level courses. I look forward to continuing this journey and seeing where it will take me in the realms of theater.

As productions have come and gone, the spirit and passion it takes to put on a show have stayed with me. There is something unexplainable in the entire experience that is able to bring people of various backgrounds together to create something absolutely amazing. Strangers though people may be in the beginning, the cast eventually forms a necessary support group for each and every individual. A home away from home some might say. With the inordinate amount of time that a cast ends up spending together in the endless rehearsal and tech sessions, bonds and friendships form almost instantaneously. What's even more is that as rehearsals progress towards impending performances, the show essentially becomes a part of the cast's life. Pouring their energy and souls into the performances, thespians are able to take away so much more gratitude in the applause that others have often become desensitized to.

Though Theater HL will take me through the rest of my high school career, I hope to continue participating in theater even when I go to college. I realize that acting is not one of my major pursuits in life, but it will always be a part of who I am. Until then, I would like to focus more on the writing and directing aspects of theater since the drama classes ten to be more geared towards performances.