The Real Life Troy Bolton?
Most actors can proudly say that they’ve known they belong on the stage since birth: “I crawled out of the crib straight into dance class!” or, “I started singing before I could even talk!” Well, not me. From the age of four, I was an athlete. I spent everyday in the rink as an ice hockey player in the fall and winter and on the field as a lacrosse player in the spring and summer. Sports were my identity, and I saw my future as an Olympian. When my mom offered to sign me up for acting classes, I scoffed at the thought. “I’m an athlete, not an actor.”
However, I was forced to challenge the label I had given myself when I was required to audition for the school play in eighth grade. I sped through my audition, as I had hockey practice to get to, but to my surprise, I managed to land the lead. I was terrified but also sensed a flicker of excitement, which I buried deep inside of me.
After a few days of begrudgingly attending rehearsal, I had mastered the role. No, not the role in the play, but the role of “Girl Who Hates Acting.” Yet, I started to ask myself, “Is this really how I feel?” One day, I decided to embrace the role that I was given, instead of the one I was forcing upon myself. Once I gave myself permission to enjoy it, I discovered a frightening truth: I may like acting more than sports.
While I had fun at hockey practice once I got there, I always dreaded going. On the ice, I constantly watched the clock, counting the minutes until it was over. My dad encouraged me to shoot pucks in the basement to improve my slapshot, but I didn’t care enough about it to put the work in. When I compared these facts to my experience with the school play, I realized that I might not be the athlete that I had identified as for so long. I was looking forward to rehearsal, and felt sad when it ended. I spent every free moment outside of rehearsal continuing to work on the material: running my lines in the shower, practicing the choreography under the table during school, and doing character work in my notebooks. Acting was quickly becoming my entire life.
I loved many aspects of sports: the build-up before playing a rival or scoring the winning goal. These moments were electric, much like the excitement of opening night, or the feeling you get when the crowd cheers after a big solo. However, my love for acting went beyond the biggest of moments. It was present even in the most tedious ones—line learning included—and I voluntarily dedicated every free moment of my day to the show. No one was forcing me, as the drive came from within.
That same passion has not even remotely faded since then. I know that a life in the theater is my purpose: I’ve tried to avoid it, and failed! If someone takes a chance on me, they can have confidence that I will work hard for them. I will do the work before they ask for it.
