The Final Bow
Applause, Applause, a flash of a camera, a quick bow, then we head out the doors. The rustle of costumes, the crowds of people, the sudden wave of tears. We knew this time would come, but we didn’t think so soon. “Congratulations, well done, you did such a good job.” We hear these words, but we don’t hold on to them. We’re clinging to each other, afraid to let go, knowing that this is our last show. Eighteen of us seniors from the troupe are leaving, and my theatre teacher is a mess. We were her favorite class, and she was our favorite teacher. More tears, more hugging, more trying to freeze this moment in time. The lights are off, the curtains are closed, the costumes are all hung up, and now it’s time for us to put away the characters and step off the stage, into the real world.Flashback to freshman year: A shy, nervous girl stands hidden behind a brick pillar, waiting in a small group of kids. She’s waiting for the teacher to arrive and open the doors to a place the girl will soon call home. She’s scared out of her mind. She does not know any one in the class; she does not know any one at this school. She came from a private school, where she spent eleven years of her life. She did not know what to expect. She did not know that the majority of the kids around her will start to become her best friends, her family. That girl was me. What I expected, was not what I got. What I got was so much more. When the teacher finally arrived and we all filed into the lobby of the theatre, I immediately became relaxed. I was still scared, because I was a very anti-social person before I reached high school, but the feeling was like being home after a long day. At first, I did not take the class too seriously. I knew it was going to be an interesting, fun class, full of weird kids who were way too hyper, but it became so much more than that. Sure, it was full of weird kids who were way too hyper, but I would not have wanted it any other way. In no amount of time at all, I was breaking out of my shy shell, and fitting right in with the hyper kids, and some times, even out-weirding them. I knew this is where I belonged, who I belonged with, and where I wanted to stay. Soon enough, theatre literally became my entire life.
I did all I could to get involved in theatre, because I did not want to miss a thing. I joined the Thespian club, was initiated into being an official Thespian, stayed after school many hours to help in any way possible, and by the end of my sophomore year I was elected to be an officer of the club for my junior year. Theatre started becoming the reason why I was so motivated to get up in the mornings. When I saw that I have put sweat, blood, and tears into that theatre, I am not over exaggerating. My after school hours for four years were spent devoted to the theatre whether it was painting sets, building sets, rehearsing, cleaning, and even some sleeping. I loved the people, the teacher, the atmosphere, the rehearsals, the set designing, the memories, everything. It was a small black box, but to so many of us, that black box was home.
The people I met because of theatre have changed my life forever. Most people lose touch with people the knew in high school once they reach college, but I know for my group of friends, that will never happen. Sure, we’ll grow up, and we get busy, but we’re a family, and no matter what, families are always connected. I do not know if I would have been able to make it through high school as well as I did without them. When my days were bad, I could always rely on walking into that theatre, and my mood suddenly lifting. Most people view theatre kids as weird, crazy, hyper, nerdy people, and you know what, they’re absolutely right. But that’s what I loved about them. I fit in so well, and I would never change any single one of them. Even though we’re all separated throughout different colleges, I know that if I needed them, they would be right by my side.
Flash forward to the present: A confident, yet slightly nervous girl enters a classroom on her first day of college. The class? Intro to theatre. She’s a theatre major, because high school theatre made her realize her dream of being on Broadway. She sits in a classroom full of people she does not know. It’s like entering high school all over again. Know one she knows goes to the college she is attending. The teacher arrives, and immediately starts his lecture. He cracks a joke, the terrible silence in the room is filled with anxious giggles. She’s more comfortable; she already likes the teacher. Though her old theatre friends are not here, she knows she will meet new ones. She relaxes, and feels at home once more. That girl is me.
Applause, Applause, a flash of a camera, a quick bow, then we head out the doors. The rustle of costumes, the crowds of people, the sudden wave of tears. The time came, but it was all too soon. “Congratulations, well done, you did such a good job.” We remember these words, and hold onto them. We will always cling to each other, but we know that was our last show. The lights are off, the curtains are closed, the costumes are all hung up, it’s time to grow up, but we will never let these memories or each other go.
