If you were to ask a random student what they thought high school theatre was like, they would probably say something like oh it’s like High School Musical right? Wrong. Theatre isn’t all smiles, singing and sparkles, theatre is gruesome, hard work and probably the most stressful, tiring activity I have ever done in my entire life, and I’ve spent two weeks in the woods.

You know how most sports have seasons, like how football’s season is from September to December, well since joining theatre my freshman year my “theatre season” has  lasted from August 2012 and won’t end until June 2016. It is not even an exaggeration when I say theatre kids don’t get breaks. Normally, we will get about one week off after we finish a show before jumping into auditions for our next show (don’t even get me started on auditions and callbacks). Sierra Rozen, a junior, says “The hardest part about being in theatre is the long hours we have to put into it and having to sacrifice other things to put on a performance.” Eric May, a sophomore, agreed, “…staying after [school] for such long hours…” adds to the stress of theatre.

With all of these rehearsals, you might ask yourself how do theatre kids get any homework done? Well, we don’t even know. Junior Bailor Erdeljac says that with “…late hours and a lot of school work” life can get stressful.

Now, while most of us commit to this one activity, there are a few who take on the extra stress of being in more. Lindsie McNair, sophomore, and GRHS Belles Dance Team Captain, knows what that pressure is like. “The only problems I usually face are dealing with conflicts between dance and theatre. Like often times I miss major theatre events or major dance events,” McNair says about balancing both activities; however, did clarify that she “loves them both so much” even if they cause stress.

Despite all of the hardships that I have gone through the past four years, I have also made some of my best friends through the experience. As cheesy as it may sound we have become a family from going through so much together. Erdeljac says that “All of the people are so funny and over-dramatic and we all dress pretty cute so it’s all fun.” We have also created so many inside jokes about things in shows that only we find funny and have sung Original Broadway Soundtracks at the tops of our lungs to distract from all of the stress and worries of upcoming performances and auditions. “I have managed to make such great friends and a second family and they’re really cool,” May says about all of his friends in theatre.

Even though at times theatre get hard, the stress gets overwhelming, and panic attacks may occur randomly while driving home late at night, not a single person would give it up. “Every second of the stress is worth it,” McNair says about her time. Rozen made the comment that “…being in theatre is definitely worth it in the end because you make amazing friends and amazing memories.”

So when it comes down to it, I wouldn’t change any of it for the world. Nothing can beat the feeling we get when stepping on stage to perform or when we come out to take our final bows, because let’s face it, theatre kids love being in the spotlight.