Everyone Should Give Theatre a Try

(Photo: Bright Star at Asheville Community Theatre)

by Morgan Good, Guest Editorial

Theatre is like a second home to me. When I walk in and look around, I feel like all my problems are lifted off my shoulders and left in a different world. I know I can be myself around the other theatre nerds; they won't judge me for who I am. The stage has become a sacred place for me.

My first real musical experience was in high school. I had been cast in The Little Mermaid as a sea creature and one of the maids. Of course, I didn't know anyone else there, as it was a college production. But as we went through rehearsal after rehearsal, I knew I was where I belonged. I had friends and didn't stick out like a sore thumb on stage. 

And after The Little Mermaid was over and done with, I realized that being back in the real world was even worse than before. I knew where I belonged, and it wasn’t there with normal people. It was on stage, performing, acting, and singing. 

Theatre also helped my depression a lot more than I thought it would. Throughout the rehearsals and performances, I noticed that I was getting better; my bad days lessened, and I was smiling so much more than before. I had a purpose again: to show people a story through acting.

Last fall, I was cast in my high school's Into the Woods performance as Cinderella's Stepmother, and, boy, was it great to be on stage again! I grew close to the cast, made new friends, and felt true to myself again.

People frequently ask me why I love theatre so much. I'll tell you why: theatre is where my heart truly lies. Theatre is where I can shed my skin, hang it up, and put my life away for a little while. In theatre, I can put on a costume and zip up the zipper to become someone else. I don't have to worry about my problems; they melt away as I become someone completely different than myself.

I feel the characters' emotions running through my veins, and I tell their story through my actions and my lines. It's horribly exhausting to become someone else, but it's so exhilarating and amazing that I can't stop myself from doing it again and again. It's relieving to leave my life occasionally, no matter how much harder my character's life is. 

Everyone should try theatre, just once. It changed my life completely, and I don't think I'd be the way I am now if I didn't have theatre. I promise you that the hard work and effort it takes to become someone completely different are worth the result.