I never had a consistent hobby as a kid. My mom would give me an opportunity to try something, and then I’d bounce from activity to activity like a lost ping pong ball. There was no community I truly belonged to. One day, my mom asked me if I wanted to watch a performance of Anne of Green Gables with her. I agreed to come, and I say with full sincerity that this day may have changed the course of my life. We got to ride in a limo there, and it was genuinely magical. The orchestrated music enveloped my tiny six-year-old body. The costumes were dazzling, the singing angelic, and the dancing lovely. I sat there infatuated, the visuals searing permanent memories into my eyes. At that moment, I knew that I had to do this. I needed to be on that stage. So when my mom suggested that I take a camp with Journey, I was more than compliant.
Things took off from there. I wanted to do as much as I possibly could. It continued like this until I was finally eligible for shows. My first show was The Legend of Pocahontas, and even though I was just a museum kid, I loved every second of it. I continued doing every musical I could for around four years until COVID hit. This left me in a depressed state, feeling isolated from the friends I had made and left out from most activities. But deep in my heart, I knew that my obsession had gone too far, and that maybe this was a sign from the Lord that I needed a break.
And so I took one. I kept my distance from most online events and couldn’t talk to most of my friends. Even wh en shows started happening again, I opted out of it in favor of my school production. But like all healthy breaks, this one came to an end. I rejoined Journey, and it was like a reunion with an old friend. I jumped back in with open arms, and have never looked back. It’s been a whirlwind, but an amazing one. I mended a majority of the friendships I left behind, and made plenty of new ones. Even directors have started noticing me more, and that’s how I landed my first lead role in Around the World in 80 Days! Journey has been such a huge part of my life, and I thank my family, friends, and God for supporting me this whole time. It’s more than live theater, but theater that changes lives!