30 Day Letter Challenge 2012 - Emily

Day 24 - Someone Who Gave You Your Favourite Memory

Dear Teacher,

When I found out last year that our school was having a musical, I was determined to join! I was terrified, even if I was just auditioning for a chorus role, and thought many times that I might just give up and not audition, but I didn’t and I am so thankful for that now.

I had been doing singing for about 6 years then, and loved it but I had never once performed. I got stage fright and the only person I could sing in front of was my singing teacher. So for the auditions, I was utterly scared! I convinced my friends to do a group song so we wouldn’t have to sing alone. We ended up doing Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. One of the girls didn’t turn up, which meant I had to sing a section by myself. You have no idea how scared I was! But I managed to do it and we got through the whole song. At the end of it, you said to me ‘Where have you been hiding? Why didn’t you audition for a lead role?’ I was so relieved that I couldn’t say anything in response. You then asked me if I would like to do a tiny solo in the musical, like have a line or something of my own. I agreed to that, but was thinking of all the things I could do to get out of it closer to the date.

The new school year started and I was really looking forward to musical rehearsals to begin. I was slightly worried about my small solo, but wasn’t going to let that stop me from enjoying myself. On the day of the first rehearsal, you came up to me and asked me to follow you. You lead me to the drama room and asked me to sing my audition song again. I was freaking out, thinking you might cut me out of the musical; that there might have been a mistake. After I’d done the song, you told me to wait there. You got another teacher and told me to sing again, so I did. Then you told me to follow you again. You took me to a music room where yet another teacher was! I had to sing again and then you and the teacher started whispering. Suddenly you smiled and said to me ‘how would you like to be one of the leads in the musical?’ I couldn’t speak! I was so shocked and honoured but I had no idea how I would manage to do it. Seeing this, you said, ‘it’s only a small role, a few lines and a couple of songs with a few other people, you can do it!’ How wrong you were about that! While I wasn’t the main character, I was one of the biggest. I had so many lines and a few massive songs! But you promised to ease me into it during rehearsals, and that’s exactly what you did!

Rehearsals were the best! I honestly can’t express how much fun I had every rehearsal and I would look forward to the six hour ones we had occasionally. I made so many new friends in the older grades and the musical completely took me out of my comfort zone, making me more confident.

It seemed like the time of the shows came by so quickly, and before I knew it, I was backstage, terrified beyond belief. I remember willing myself not to cry because it would ruin my makeup, and all the cast members coming up to me and giving me hugs, reassuring me. That unity and support they showed just made me love my musical family even more!

The first show, I was scared pretty much the whole time, but it was amazing! I loved the feeling of being on stage and having people cheering for me. I loved becoming a different person and living through what my character did. The next few shows were just as incredible and with each second I felt more and more at ease. By the last show, emotion was high. The audience was absolutely awesome and getting into it more than ever, and we all performed at our best. We treasured every moment of that show.

I think that although we all knew it would come to an end at some point, we didn’t really expect it. It came as a shock, a slap to the face. It was the best time of our lives and it was finished. Many tears were shed and goodbyes exchanged over Facebook. Although we would all still see each other at school, it wouldn’t be as a part of the musical family.

So in the end, I have you to thank for the most amazing thing that could have happened to me. You believed in me when I certainly didn’t and your gave me confidence that I never thought I could have. You will never know how much I appreciate everything you did for me. You are the best teacher and I hope one day I will have you again, whether it’s for a class or for another musical.

Love Emily xx