Perhaps the Mad Hatter was on to something when he said, “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?” 

I’ve enjoyed performing in front of an audience for as long as I can remember, which is probably why I love the thrill of being on stage. I get excited just thinking about that awesome feeling when I’m backstage and know the crowd is out there waiting for the show, and I have the honor of performing for them.

From fun roles in skits at Theater Camp for Kids to being the Mad Hatter in the Casey Middle School play last year, and currently having the amazing opportunity as a freshman to play a lead in our Children’s Theater production, The Emperor’s New Clothes, it’s been a complete thrill to bring a character to life. But is MV theater involvement all about the acting? I’d say that’s a big “no.”

The whole production depends on the whole team, and even the audience. My siblings have been involved in theater with tech crew, sound and lights, orchestra  onstage roles, and more. I feel like I grew up with a front row seat to so many parts of the shows.  A successful show requires so much more than the solid acting and the roles listed above. More examples include stage crew, ticket sales, and obviously the incredible leadership. The result of all that hard work is not only the thrill of entertaining our audiences, but also the sense of accomplishment by the theater team, which is really a strong community.

I’m only a freshman, but I’ve been involved in theater camp since third grade, and I’m also a deep thinker and pretty observant. When I wasn’t doing skits or other things at camp, I was always watching and analyzing what everyone was doing there. For example, I found the tech, sound and lighting roles to be interesting, too. Theater is about a lot more than any one acting role, big or small. It’s about the feeling of belonging in something.

It’s about teamwork. It’s about finding a family of others who share your passion to perform and entertain, and bringing a production to life for the audience.

Thinking like the Mad Hatter, maybe it is what it isn’t? It isn’t only about aiming for a big role. It is also about being a part of something bigger than any single role. It’s about the sense of community and family.