Recently I had the honour of performing in a full Southport State High School musical and, I must say, it was one of the most incredible experiences I had ever had. I met new friends, made new memories and discovered new talents that will lead me to embark on many new adventures soon (hopefully!). Here’s a little bit of insight into my experience as a lead actor in the musical that might help guide you on your journey as a performer
First of all, I just want to say that if you have an opportunity to be in any sort of production involving dancing, acting, singing or any other performance art- snatch it up as quickly as you can. The more you immerse yourself in the world of performing, the more you will fall in love with it. I never realised how much I liked be on stage an always thought of myself as quite a shy person but after being part of such an outstanding team of performers and crew members, I have been pulled out of my comfort zone and will never be going back.
I always knew that I loved to act, but I never thought that I was any good at it so I never was motivated to try out for lead roles or any other featured parts; I was perfectly happy to be a part of the chorus in my very small Triple Threat class. My teacher, Miss McLennan, saw my potential and after a lot of consideration I decided to audition for a lead in the full school musical just for the fun of it. I definitely didn’t expect to receive any part, let alone come out with one of the funniest and most exciting roles- Bridget from the musical ‘Bring it On”.
Bridget is a quirky and socially awkward teen who can be a bit dumb at times (especially when it comes to her love interest ‘Twig’), but she never stops wearing her out-there outfits or being herself, which eventually gets her into the cheer squad at Jackson with Campbell and the rest of the Jackson cheerleaders. Bridget forced me to forget about what anyone thought of me (especially my singing) and I just went for it. The more I committed to my character the funnier I was and the better my performance got.
Moral of the story- Never be afraid and always believe in yourself. Thanks to this opportunity and experience in the musical, my comfort zones have been expanding and I will forever find a safe space in performing. If you are considering jumping into anything new, whether it be a new sport, subject at school or performance opportunity, I hope this gave you some insight into the numerous positive things that can come out of trying new things.
Miss Maddie x 