There's Nothing Like It

There's no business like show business! - Irving Berlin

Being onstage is unlike anything else I've experienced in this world. There's something about waiting in the wings, shrouded in darkness, hushed in anticipation. About stepping into the light for the first time, projecting your voice out into the audience, telling a story. About taking a bow, feeling the sense of pride at what you have helped create in this specific moment in time.

A few weeks ago, I got to experience the joy of performing for the first time in over a year and a half. I had still been involved in theatre- I had directed and assistant directed three plays in that time. But getting the chance to tell the story again myself- it was like discovering theatre all over again.

Every child finds their escape. Many turn to sports, others to art, some to music. I found my escape in the theatre. It was the first place that I could be myself, surrounded by other kids like me. We all wanted the same things- to tell a story, to share a part of ourselves with an audience, to come together as a community and make something beautiful. Amongst the dusty curtains, crinkled costumes, and ancient furniture, I found a home. The broken couches and spindly chairs tucked backstage at Theatre Atchison were home to whispered conversations and moments of devastation and glee. Shrouded in dust bunnies and costumes older than my parents, I told stories onstage.

For me, theatre became a place to give. I gave my time, my talents, my help, my encouragement. Theatre is a sacred space. It gives you freedom, room to spread out, a blank slate to write upon. Just as we give in the theatre, it gives right back. Through plays and musicals, people can connect with times, places, and peoples that they could have otherwise never encountered. Just look at the success of Hamilton. It is the epitome of what modern theatre can do: it takes the audience to another time, challenges their preconceived notions, makes them think, sheds light in dark places, and, above all, brings joy.

Some of my favorite memories have been made in the theatre, and through productions I have been a part of, I have made life-long friends and relationships. Theatre brings people together. I am never happier than standing in the crowded wings right before the curtain goes up, surrounded by the people who have put their heart and soul into the same thing I have, and who are all waiting with bated breath, just like me. There’s something about the community that theatre creates- the bond formed between cast mates is like nothing I have ever encountered anywhere else.

Theatre is art. To me, it's the highest form of art- it is humans directly affecting others through action, word, design, and presentation. We are telling stories that can relate to every audience member in a unique way. No performance is ever the same. It is a mutual experience, with the cast and viewers feeding off of each other and working together to create a new and individual moment in time. There's nothing like it, and it's my favorite thing in the world. Theatre is my home.