When you picture a theater kid, what comes to mind? Is it the people hanging around the auditorium, singing a bit too loud? Or maybe it’s the group at dinner bursting into lines and inside jokes from their show?
As a theater kid of ten years and counting, I can tell you that whatever you’re picturing, you’re probably right on the money. Though often notoriously loud and, as the name theatrical suggests, theater kids are experts in expressing themselves freely, without inhibitions or anxiety. They know how to enter every day with energy, purpose and fun — as if the world were their stage.
So, even if it may seem “cringe” at first, here are a few tips from my own theater kid handbook to help you embrace theatricality in your life.
Enter the Day with Passion and Energy
This was one of the first lessons I learned when I joined choir in high school. My choir teacher had a call-and-response mantra that we started every class with. It ended with, “I will do it with passion and energy” (there was some movement and jumping involved in between, but that’s besides the point).
As corny as it seemed some days — during the last period of class, I wasn’t always feeling passionate and energetic — it made a difference in our performance. More than that, it changed our perspective. Suddenly, we weren’t singing centuries-old songs for a grade in a stuffy choir room. We were creating art and having fun with our friends.
Whatever you’re doing in a day, take a moment in the morning to reframe your mindset. You might just find beauty in the mundane and an extra pep in your step.
Whatever you Do, Do it Big
When you’re acting on stage, every movement you make has to be big to be seen by an audience. My high school musical director taught me this during my sophomore year musical, “Songs For A New World.” This musical was staged in 2021 — prime quarantine era.
Because of this, all 10 of us on stage were confined to our own platforms, unable to move or interact beyond the boxes we stood on. To bring the musical to life, our expressions and gestures had to be big and deliberate, even if it was only taking a step or two. The whole experience was unorthodox, but uniquely educational.
Of course, this show taught me a lot about stage acting, but it taught me even more about confidence. If you are not 100% confident in what you are putting out into the world, it will not translate as well as you may want it to. Make time to get to know yourself — what we’d call a “character study” in theater — and move forward with choices that align with your values.
Enter every day with confidence, and you will present well to any audience.
It’s All About Actions and Reactions
In another COVID-era restaging, we were forced to move my sophomore year’s play to a Zoom format. We filmed scenes in separate classrooms, with no one in the room but us and a Zoom call. It was all very 2020 but props to our director for still putting on a show, despite the chaos.
Speaking of my high school play director, he was fantastic at coaching young actors. His biggest lesson? Focus on not only the actions you make, but also your reaction to others’ choices. It’s what made that show work despite its unconventional format.
In life, you can’t always control the choices of others, but you can control how you react. Be conscious of your reactions and make sure they align with your character. It will leave you feeling consistent with yourself and more self-assured.
Make Choices. If it Doesn’t Fit, Make a Different One
I spent my freshman year of college at DePaul University, where I joined a production of “Heathers” put on by DePaul’s theater club. One thing about DePaul: it’s a dominant theater school. I was a small fish in a very large pond, and I felt completely out of place when rehearsals began. Luckily, our directors were excellent. They encouraged us to make bold choices for our characters.
I played the school’s principal. It was a small role, so I was not sure how to make my performance unique. Still, I started trying new things, and somehow I landed on a Minnesotan accent for my few lines. They liked it, I liked doing it and suddenly I felt more confident and had a lot more fun in my role.
Not every choice you make is going to fit. A good actor is not afraid to go back to the drawing board. In fact, with every wrong choice you make, you are one step closer to the one that works. This could be changing a major, ending a relationship or even tweaking your wardrobe or hair. Make confident moves, but if it doesn’t feel right, revise it until you feel comfortable.
Be Kind to Each Other
At the end of the day, theater people are experts at building found families. My last performance in high school was during an alumni showcase, where theater kids of the last twenty years came together again to share songs and memories of seasons past. Seeing these people, each on their own paths through life, come home to each other and the choir room we all grew up in was bittersweet.
I remember entering that choir room my freshman year for my first musical, terrified. Four years later, I left with some of the tightest bonds and fondest memories I could imagine. I had found family, and I had found myself. We all did.
Why is it that theater kids grow such strong bonds? We are unabashedly ourselves. We are not afraid to let our freak flags fly. Theater teaches you to be in touch with yourself, sure, but you share the experience with all kinds of people from all walks of life. Instead of sticking noses up at those who are different, we embrace them.
My music director led us in prayer before every performance. She always preached of kindness, community and love. I would listen to her words and look around at my castmates, feeling the warmth and gratitude radiating throughout the room. These people, who would probably not share a room in any other circumstance, came together and created something beautiful. I will never forget that feeling.
If you take nothing else from these tips, remember to be kind to each other — especially to those who are different from you. They may end up changing your life.
You don’t have to be on stage to make the most of these lessons. Some of my most valued life lessons were learned in the practice rooms, but embraced away from the arts. Even if you never feel the spotlight a day in your life, you can embrace theatricality and utilize it throughout your life.
And, if any of the above anecdotes pique your interest at all, I encourage you to give theater a try. I would not trade my experiences for the world, and I suspect you’ll feel the same way.