I first started Journey in 2016 when my parents decided that I needed to come out of my shell and make some new friends. I wasn’t super athletic or sporty, and I certainly wasn’t into computers and STEM, so theater was the perfect fit for me. We had heard about Journey from some friends, so we decided to give it a try. My parents signed me up for one of the summer camps they were offering that year. I was very nervous, and to be honest, I didn’t really want to go, but I’m so glad that I did. By the end of that week-long camp, I was hooked.
Soon after, I did my first show, James and the Giant Peach. What I didn’t fully grasp before my audition is that getting up on a stage, by yourself, in front of at least 100 people you don’t know, is scary. In fact, I didn’t fully realize this until I was onstage. The result? I cried through my entire audition song. For an eight-year-old who dreamed of becoming a Broadway actress, I was crushed. I was sure that I would be cut from the show and never do theater again, I actually almost refused to go to the dance callback the next day. Luckily, the artistic team saw my potential and were kind enough to give me a chance. I got into the show, and of course, had the time of my life.
Now, thirteen shows, twenty classes, and twelve summer camps later, I can say for sure that that first, miserable audition was absolutely worth it. I’ve gained confidence I never would have otherwise, learned new skills that will help me for the rest of my life, and met so many amazing people that are now some of my closest friends. My Journey experience has shown me that no matter how bad something might seem at first, there will always be a brighter side if you stick around long enough to see it. God always has a plan for you, you just need to be patient and trust that everything will work out exactly like it’s supposed to. I’m lucky enough to still have a few years left in Journey, and I can’t wait to see where they take me. They say there’s no place like home, well Journey is my home, and I can tell you for a fact that there’s no place like Journey.