Turns Out a Lot of People Have Feelings About “Theatre Kid” Being Used As An Insult
Last week, we posted a piece about MAGA using “theatre kid” as an insult, as if it’s some devastating mic drop and not a dead giveaway that they’ve never been comfortable around people who feel things out loud.
It’s become this weird little slur for anyone who’s earnest, expressive, inconveniently empathetic, or God forbid, creative. Political? Sure. But also deeply personal for anyone who ever found refuge under stage lights while the rest of the world rolled its eyes.
And then the responses came in. A lot of them.
Not from pundits or culture warriors, but from our readers who immediately knew what I meant because they’ve lived it.
So instead of summarizing or softening what you shared, I’m just going to step aside. Because these responses don’t need my commentary. They speak loudly enough on their own.
Here’s what you had to say.
“…not me just now realizing that there are people out there who think they can hurt me by calling me a theater kid.”
“I just smile and in my head I think, “May your pillow be warm and your socks damp”.”
“You must be the reason there’s a “no talking” sign in the theater.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault you could never make it past callbacks!”
“Yeah, and unlike you, at least I'm the main character in my story”
“Building something amazing out of nothing, accepting people for who they are, and singing, dancing, and acting all at the same time are my superpowers. What have you got?”
“You mean, I have excellent social skills and I’m highly dedicated, will always show up on time, can quickly learn new information and have zero problems speaking to strangers in any given moment? Yep, that’s me and that’s why I have a good job.”
“Say that again! But this time breathe from your diaphragm so I they can hear you in the back row!”
"Jealousy is a wasted emotion. Focus on yourself, and maybe one day you'll earn your own applause."
"Thank you, long time since I've been called a kid but yes your right I am, and proud its got me through some rubbish times in my life "
“Oh nooooooo…. I’m unique, talented, and have more confidence in my big toe than you do your entire body… aww man…. I really wanted to be boring and bitter like you but I’m just a theatre kid.” All said with extreme sarcasm.
Or tell them they have a face for radio and see if they get it.”
“I sure am! I can sew, run a table saw, paint, sing, dance, write a press release, balance a budget, hang lights, write grants, troubleshoot mics, market a show, teach 50 kids to be an ensemble, and speak in front of an entire auditorium of people without peeing my pants.”
“With an arched brow.... "Well I can understand why you'd never be a theater kid - just like your dating life, you'd never get a callback"
Reading through these responses, one thing became very clear: “theatre kid” was never really about theatre. It was about discomfort with empathy, creativity, and people who refuse to shrink. If the goal was to shame people into silence, well…you can see how that worked out.