Dear Students, Thinking About Doing Theatre Next Year? Here’s Why You Should

(Photo: Heritage High School)

by Chris Peterson

It’s summer. Classes are done, the schedule is wide open, and next fall still feels a million miles away. But somewhere in the back of your mind, you might already be wondering what comes next. Maybe a friend told you to audition for the school play. Maybe you’ve walked by the theatre department and wondered what it’s like to be part of it. Maybe you’ve never stepped on a stage but you’re still curious. Maybe you’re not sure if theatre is for you.

Here’s something worth knowing: high school theatre isn’t just for the kids who dream of Broadway. It’s not just for the so-called “theatre kids.” It’s for anyone looking for a place to belong. A place to create. A place to grow. And for a lot of students, joining a school production becomes the most meaningful experience of their high school career.

Theatre is not just about memorizing lines or hitting your mark. It’s about finding your voice. It’s about learning to speak up in front of a room full of people, even when you’re nervous. It’s about listening—really listening—to the people around you, whether you’re onstage or behind the scenes. And maybe most importantly, it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.

When you join a theatre production, you are signing up for more than just rehearsals and performances. You’re entering a space where collaboration matters. Where everyone has a role, whether it’s starring in the musical, running the light board, painting sets, or managing quick changes backstage. You start to rely on each other, and something strange happens. You build trust. You build respect. You build a community.

The process is messy. It always is. Rehearsals run long. Scripts get rewritten. Lines are forgotten. Paint spills. Someone inevitably shows up with the wrong costume. But that chaos is part of the fun. It’s where memories are made and where the learning happens.

You’ll learn confidence, not in the loud, flashy sense, but in a way that stays with you. The kind of confidence that comes from doing something scary and realizing you survived. The kind that shows up later in job interviews, class presentations, and any room where your voice matters.

You’ll learn how to fail. Theatre is full of moments that don’t go as planned. You miss a cue. A prop breaks. The audience doesn’t laugh at the joke you thought would kill. But theatre also teaches you to keep going. You adapt. You support each other. You find the story and move forward. That lesson will serve you far beyond the stage.

You’ll learn empathy. Playing a character means stepping into someone else’s shoes. You see the world through their eyes, even if their story is nothing like your own. That ability to imagine someone else’s life—to feel for them—is something the world could use a lot more of.

And yes, you’ll make friends. Real friends. The kind you stay up late with during tech week. The kind who help you with your lines and bring you tea when your voice is gone. The kind who cry with you when the curtain falls and the show is over. These are friendships built on shared nerves, shared victories, and the deep satisfaction of building something together.

If you are even thinking about trying theatre, trust that instinct. You don’t need to have experience. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room. You don’t need to know the difference between a monologue and a soliloquy. All you need is curiosity. All you need is the willingness to say yes.

When fall comes and auditions are announced, or a teacher mentions an opportunity to help with the play, pay attention. Walk into the room. Raise your hand. Sign your name on the clipboard. Introduce yourself. It might feel like a small decision, but it could be the one that changes everything.