How did you get into theater?

When I was a little bit younger, I always had the interest of singing, and then when I got to seventh grade, I had to take a mandatory drama class, and it excited me so much to the point where I wanted to audition for a show, and when I auditioned, I actually didn’t get a very big role, but then I was moved up to a bigger role that was even more fun for me to do. And I just enjoyed [acting] so much that I kept doing it for the next few years.

When was the moment that you realized you were passionate about theater?

I remember being in the sixth grade, when the spring musical would come around, our entire school would be invited to see a preview of it, so I remember seeing people perform and dance with all the lights on stage, and just feeling really excited about it, and wanting to be a part of it, without even knowing the whole structure of it, and I think that’s when I started to break out of my shell a little bit.

What do you like best about theater?

I like meeting so many different people with different experiences, but also being able to connect through similar experiences, and just being able to tell other people’s stories. Being able to express myself. Having all this stored energy project onto other people, and being able to share that with other people and touch them all in different ways.

Who has really mentored you as a performer?

I think my seventh grade drama teacher was one of my biggest influences because he was the one who essentially inspired me to keep going with theater. He made the process extremely enjoyable for me, and even up until now, my high school director has always been supportive of me, and has pushed me to be a better version of myself every time. Those two were very big influences within my whole career.

Do you see yourself, in the future, acting?

I think it’s definitely a possibility. I’ve really enjoyed the whole process, but I think that spacing it out is essential to keep my passion for it going. I want to try new things, but also explore my potential as a performer. So I could see a few experiences with theater in the future, but I think in college I’ll be taking a break for awhile, but definitely don’t think I’ll let go of it completely.

What is next for you?

I think I’ll make a career out of performance, in general, but I think acting, I’ll keep more as a hobby, and sort of explore more of what I can do with my performance overall. Just work those aspects and see where it will take me. I don’t really have a set plan for it, but I’m hoping for the best.