#TBT: A Collection of Throwbacks

How (Not Even My) High School Is The Reason Why I Do Theatre

For fifteen years I struggled in finding what people called their "thing." I tried Boy Scouts, but peeing on a tree and getting a patch for it wasn't really a true hobby of mine. I tried getting involved at my Church, but running something there just wouldn't work. I tried tutoring some cousins, and that's probably the closest I've ever come to finding where I belong. I mean... now they're half my age, and win awards for intelligence, so I can honestly say I taught them everything I know.

By my freshman year of High School, I knew the clock was ticking to make memories and enjoy what I had left of my impressionable time. I could agree to disagree that Boy Scout Camp was out of the picture that year, but I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I was ready for something I didn't know I was ready for.

That freshman year flew by, and opportunities weren't exactly opening up. I needed something other than hanging up scary Bible characters for a Vacation Bible School. Although I was just a ninth grader, I knew I needed something with meaning and purpose.

The story of how I found "my thing" begins on March 27th at 7:30pm. It was my first time ever seeing a High School Drama Show; the musical PIPPIN. I dragged my mom there because some distant family of mine was in the cast, and I was curious to see what he and a group of students could do.

The curtains opened, and the first person on stage was someone that I had known from my past. Back when my brother died, this kid's family helped us out, and it turns out he was one of the leads, Leading Player. I began to notice that actors can be real people. Within five minutes, I was engulfed into this live theatre thing.

After the opening number, I did spot that distant family member in the ensemble, but I was so focused on everything else, I kind of slipped away from all of that. It's ironic because that's what the show's about; getting lost in entertainment.

During intermission, my mom and I agreed on several things: One, the actor playing Pippin was phenomenal. Two, the play was confusing. Three, we didn't care if it was confusing because Pippin was phenomenal. And four, Leading Player, our family friend, was also amazing.

By the end of the show I was in love with the concept of the play even though it still made no sense. I was also stunned by the actors, and the crazy part was...they were my age! It was really intriguing to see people my age convey a story in such a demanding way.

When the actors came out to greet their friends and family, I went to tell my relative that he did an amazing job. After he realizing who I was, he turned around and left. By saying "distant family member," I meant he's someone who wanted to be distant. I never noticed how much he really didn't like me even though he never knew me. I may have gone to see him... but I left seeing an amazing show.

To some, it may seem like nothing good came out of seeing this random High School production. After all, I did originally go to see my family member that ended up ignoring me. But strangely enough, the good outweighed the bad.

Family can be crazy. Sometimes, I thought if there was a difference between "family" and "the people someone lives with". I discovered that there is, indeed, a line in in between everything. For instance, a house is where someone lives, and a home is where someone is loved and accepted. That night I learned that the line between "family" and "the people someone lives with" can be easily mistaken. I was never mad at this "distant family member," I was just upset that he never gave me a chance. He was part of the reason why I started theatre, but then again, everyone in that cast of PIPPIN played their part.

About a year later, I went back to that High School, but under different circumstances. Unfortunately, I never connected with that distant relative. I went with a theatre friend from acting in a past show, A Midsummer Night's Dream. She was best friends with one of the actors in the High School show, and as fate would have it, the best friend was the kid who played Pippin the year before.

I met him, and it turns out he saw our production of Midsummer. The next thing he told me is something I'll never forget: In the craziness of families praising the actors, he leaned into me, and whispered, "you stole the show."

I had to do a little "on the spot thinking"... Pippin just told me I stole the show? Okay, wow... motivation booster.

Good can outweigh the bad. If optimistic enough, someone can even make that bad...good. Optimism not only makes someone stronger, but it makes them more flexible in situations. I was ignored, but I used that to push myself in the right direction. And the good that I've taken from that crazy family situation is that family can be people you don't live with, and there will always be a place that my theatre people live, my heart.

In a perfect world, we learn from the past and plan for a future, but what about the present? That's the most exciting part. The present just kind of...happens, and it affects both what's behind us and ahead of us. It changes how we learn from the past, and brace ourselves for the future. So, whenever you're not pushing a boundary, you're just breaking one. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there because if I hadn't, who would've told me I "stole the show?" No one. So steal your show, but first... find your show to steal. The future can't happen without a past.