Lessons I Learned As An Ex-Theatre Kid

I’ve always been a die-hard attention seeker. Growing up, I had to be first in line for everything and my fabulous collection of Justice attire gave me much to brag about. I was an outspoken, funny, and a very weird kid, so it was no wonder I gravitated towards the stage at 10 years old. It instantly became my life. 

10 years and many grueling auditions later, I decided that I wanted to leave it behind. I didn’t ditch theater altogether; I still kept in touch with a few close friends and would occasionally see shows at the theaters I used to spend 12 hour days in. Many amalgamating reasons pushed me to make this change, the largest one being college. I went from hanging around the same people to being thrust into an environment where everyone, and everything, was so different. In turn, it made me a very different person. 

At first, I began to wonder if all of that work and energy I put into performance was useless. All of those hours of singing and dance lessons were definitely not being put to use, as I most certainly was not whipping out my tap shoes to bang a routine out before I’d hit the frats in college. I began to question if all of that effort was for nothing. Many of my friends who are also ex-theater kids felt the same way.

As I grew a little older, I realized that it absolutely wasn’t. Doing theater in high school really does prepare you for life in ways you might not even realize. To name a few ways, here are some of the things I’ve learned as an ex theater kid that shaped me into who I am today:

How to work under pressure

In high school, I got the call that I had to step into a new role the day before the big musical. This role included 20 lines and an entirely new track, so I was pulled out of class from 7am until 5pm on what was supposed to be a dark day (AKA the day off before a long show weekend). Every ensemble member’s dream was looking a lot like my nightmare, as I was already sleep-deprived, drowning in school work, and probably sick. I had to kick it into high gear, and with the help of Dunkin coffee and Quizlet, I crammed so much information into my brain over the course of 24 hours. Despite my exhaustion and symptoms of physical stress, I did it. Somehow. I literally don’t know how.

This daunting task undoubtedly fostered the work ethic that I had today. In college, I faced high-pressure situations that reinforced my fear of change. Despite these fears, I rolled up my sleeves and just did whatever had to be done. I became inclined to take on additional responsibilities and step into new positions with a sense of eagerness. I jumped at opportunities to write a last minute Her Campus article if we were one writer short, and became quite the multitasker. Now, I find that I work better under a tighter deadline. Some may call it procrastination, but I see it differently. 

how to take criticism

I’m sure we can agree that every person, at least at one point in life, feels existential dread when they find out they’ve been doing something wrong. As a perfectionist (and a people pleaser), I used to feel a horrible pit in my stomach every time I received an essay back that was covered in red pen ink.

 If receiving feedback on a paper makes your heart sting a little, imagine receiving it to your face every rehearsal. I used to be terrified of doing something wrong or being told by someone in authority that something wasn’t working. However, once I became more involved with theater, I began to receive constructive criticism more and more; there was always something I could be doing differently. I pushed myself to take voice lessons, which I was always terrified of because singing in front of someone is such a vulnerable thing. Slowly but surely, I began to seek out the feedback that I used to be terrified of receiving. 

Being able to receive criticism without having it crush your heart is a true life skill. It enhances your ability to think introspectively, prepares you for what will come in the future, and makes you strive to do better. The more you receive feedback, the more you benefit from it if you truly take it into account.

how to perservere

I spent 90% of my high school theater career an absolute mess of emotions. As life’s events compounded around me, I still had to go to rehearsal, do my school work, deal with conflict, and then go home and deal with more conflict. I spent one dress rehearsal periodically crying in the wings because I drank three cups of coffee and two Celcius drinks, then had an insanely horrible panic attack. I still went out and performed, appearing completely unbothered. One time, I sang a solo off-key in front of an open field with a pretty big audience. I was the most embarrassed I’ve ever been in my entire life, yet I slapped a smile on my face and did the rest of the show under the hot sun. While I knew I would have support if I couldn’t go on, I went on anyway. It felt empowering. I was capable of much more than I thought I would be. 

While I don’t believe in compromising your well-being for the sake of a high school musical, being able to function under stress is a vital skill. There will be times in life where you have to fulfill obligations despite whatever is going on in your personal life. People might rely on you, and it might be easier to just show up and get it done. The stress I experienced then is nowhere near as overwhelming as the stress I experience now in adulthood, but I learned how to function and be present while not compromising my well-being. I attribute this greatly to my experiences doing theater; sometimes, the show must go on. 

leaving something behind doesn’t mean it leaves you

While I understand not everyone participated in theater to the same extent I did growing up, I believe that anyone who ever quit a sport, a club, or a passion upon entering college can benefit from these lessons. These experiences were not useless. Being a part of any community or organization gives you something, so long as you give something to it. For me, participating in the arts gave me the work ethic, the passion, and the tenacity that allows me to navigate adult life. The arts especially fostered my love for community, philanthropy, and music; these are indelible tenets of my personality. 

If you’re looking to brush up the skills on your resume, look back at your past self and look at the foundation that they laid for you. You might be surprised at all you’ve learned.