Alumni
Because, you know, it's a circle...
Stick with what you love. It will lead you on a path that may be different than what you thought, but if passion is your driving force you will always do something you love.
~Justine (Kunstler) Zapin, class of 2005
(The lessons I've) most used are how to work with other people & how to show people that you can do something when they think you can't. Girls on Crew RULE!!!
~Sarah (Tonon) Long, class of 1998
I learned how to handle the disappointment of not getting your wish, and the pressure of what happens next when you do. On the team that is the fall play or spring musical cast and crew, there is only so much room for ego and there is always someone watching how you handle yourself - I think doing something I love in that context really translates to working for a big company. I show up at work every day with better poise and appreciation for the larger team because of these experiences.
~Robyn Linden, class of 2005
A performer is not what you do, it's what you are. It's easier when you're in school and the opportunity is there in front of you. When you leave school, you have to find it. Find what makes you whole. If people don't understand your need to do it then they may not be forever people for you. A performer MUST perform as much as they must breathe. Whether you get paid money is not the judgement, the payment to a performer is the performance. Don't let anyone ever tell you differently. If they are a performer, they understand, if not, they never can.
~Kate (Macy) Walters, class of 1986
Being someone else for awhile is how I learned to be myself all the time. I take parts of every character I've played and bring them into my everyday life. And because I can create worlds I can move whatever mountain I want!
~Kirk Eichelberger, class of 2012
It is okay to ask for help, to reach out to others, to use the resources provided to you, to take a chance, and to allow others to help-don't let yourself drown in a list of tasks when you have a force of dedicated people standing right beside you!
~Brianna Razzante, class of 2011
I learned that turn-arounds can happen when you least expect them, even if you suffer a "great loss." With hard work and right circumstance, you can succeed, sometimes faster than expected. That assuming a role is a great skill that you will use in your careers. I use it every day as a doctor. That everyone is important, no matter what their role. That it is important to treat everyone with respect, from the freshman who is just trying Drama Club from the first time to the veteran senior lead...even if they're a little dramatic. That even if you did shows over a decade ago, you'll still talk about Footloose with your friends and look back at Wizard of Oz pictures with nostalgia and feel honored that you had this experience. High school is usually the only time most of us will perform on stage, so we look back at those times as some of the greatest of our lives.
~Jared Klein, class of 2005
"It's not goodbye, it's see you later." Because you never know when you will see anyone again and how your lives may intersect. I also learned how to use power tools and make things (and do a killer wood grain). I also learned that even weirdos like me can find a group of people to accept her and help her shine.
~Brittany Lanahan, class of 2006
Everything in life has its politics, just like in Drama Club. Learn to play the game while being true to yourself. If you don't know how to play the game, find someone who does and observe, learn, ask questions.
~Jennifer (Romney) Moore, class of 1999
If everything isn't okay, it isn't the end. I can't tell you how many times my mom would tell me this when I was discouraged from a bad grade on an exam or anxious about something else in my life. Things don't always go as planned. I went to college for a medical profession and ended in HR, but I could not love my job more and I thoroughly enjoy what I do for 40+ hours every week and look forward to it. You set your own path; you also can change that path at any point in your life. Work doesn't have to suck and being a grown-up can still be really fun.
~Stephanie Jasper, class of 2010
There are ways to weave "theater" into your job and life even if you don't become a professional actor or performer. I thought I was going to be an actress and then I realized that career path didn't gel so well with my other life plans and what my heart needed to be happy -- wanting to get married (to my high school sweetheart and another fellow actor!) and eventually have my own family. Some people are able to make it work, but I craved a predictable, flexible schedule that allowed me to have as much time with my "people" as possible.
So for those in my boat, I urge you to find the "performing" in the everyday -- whether it's refining a presentation, or using your confidence and channeling you inner "boss lady" in leading and developing others. It's important to have passion for what you do, but it's also important to understand that it's called "work" for a reason and there are going to be things you don't like to do and that's OK. As long as the overall work inspires you and gives you the opportunity to better yourself, you are in the right place. And if you don't like what you're doing --- change it! It's never too late for a career change.
~Shannon (Harrell) Hoehnen, class of 2003
Always be yourself because you are so much cooler than you think you are.
I remember high school being very hard for me because I put so much pressure on myself to fit in and be liked. The truth is you are your toughest critic. I think I would have enjoyed my time in high school more had I figured that out.
What you do today, it matters, but probably not in the way you think it does.
In high school I thought it was so important that I was this or that. I thought I had to be stage manager or a lead role in order to make a difference and/ or be remembered. The truth is, while I think about the impact drama club has had on my life regularly, until I looked it up I couldn't remember what shows I was in or a part of. While I think what I did in high school matters it is not because of the roles I had or the leadership I held. My time mattered because it made me who I am today. My time mattered because I learned life lessons from my experiences. My time mattered because I made friends, ate a lot of crew candy and donuts and laughed, a lot. I urge you to do the same.
~Lindsay Fertig, class of 2009
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