A story can be life changing: My journey through theatre by Lucy

A story can be life changing: My journey through theatre by Lucy - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

It was the last thing you saw before the curtain call, the final image the audience had of the story. So we knew we had to make it special. Because of this, we worked on that moment many times. It was a simple setting, just Katy center stage in a spotlight and her companions in shadow behind her. Honestly the simplicity ended up making it that much more special.
I was a part of the show We Live by the Sea in 2021. Throughout the show, the protagonist, a 15 year old girl with autism named Katy, struggles to find her place in the world after losing her dad. And when she finally does, she ends the show with the line “This is how I want to be… forever.” That feeling is how I want to be… forever. A brand new technician, I started on the props crew but switched to sound halfway through the run because we needed more people. I ended up running the microphones for the entire show. On opening night, everything clicked. I’m fairly sure I cried tears of joy watching the emotional closing scene.
Through We Live by the Sea, theatre became something with real meaning. Moments like the one above make my heart practically explode with joy and warmth and an unexplainable feeling of belongingness. They set my senses alight and show me how insignificant I am in the greater picture. I will never forget the feeling of finishing a project that impactful. That show made me realize I wanted to go into theatre.
I was immediately met with resistance. Whether that was from my parents, social media, or anything in between, everyone wanted to know how you can possibly make a living doing theatre. How I’m wasting my math and science talents. Everyone seemed to have their own opinions they needed to impose upon me. It all seemed to be saying that art degrees are useless and you can’t make a living on passion.
But I want something greater for my life. I want to escape “average.” I want to work doing what I love. I want to feel passionate about what I do and find a way to develop my interests at the same time. So, I’m using my drive, my work ethic, and my talent to forge my own path in the field of technical theatre. And for me, that starts at college.