When one can’t envision themselves doing anything else, that’s the sign that a person’s passion

has been found. That is the case for me and the timeless art of acting.

I don’t believe there’s a person out there who hasn’t said to themself, “Wow. I wonder what it’s
like to be this person or that person.” Whether it be a political figure, parent, or superhero, we’ve
all had the feeling of envy towards another person, and we have a natural curiosity as to what
happen in the lives of these people. Through acting, I can be whoever I want to be, and that is
special to me.

Acting is no extracurricular or hobby. The great Sanford Meisner defined acting as behaving
truthfully under imaginary circumstances. These imaginary circumstances are the experiences I
want to have and they embody the life I want to live. The theatre is my outlet. Performing
cleanses my soul. It is the best way for me to express my feelings, thoughts, and emotions. When
I’m up there, on that bare stage of endless possibility, surrounded by blinding lights and an
audience, everything I have worked for my entire life comes into fruition. It is strange that I feel
most alive when I’m playing “pretend” on stage, but it is my ideal means of expression. I
experience life through filling another person’s shoes and experiencing their lives.

I’ve always had the need for people to surround me. I don’t shy away from people, I feel
compelled to get closer to them. I want to make people feel, not just what I’m feeling, but I want
them to understand my emotions and be affected by my actions. I want to tell stories. The art of
acting presents me with that opportunity. Sharing my stories and articulating my emotions with
people through acting humanizes me, and makes me feel connected with the people I perform in
front of. When I get on that stage, I leave my heart out there with every performance. Every line
I deliver, every move I make, every song I sing, it all has purpose. It’s all or nothing when I
perform. Either I feel to the extreme, or there’s no feeling at all. There’s no in between.

When I’m acting, I enter literal la la land. I forget about everything around me, the time, the next
homework assignment, what’s for dinner, etc. All I care about is that stage and the character I am
playing to the audience. I compare it to God giving me wings to fly away from all my problems,
leaving normal life behind, and creating a world of infinite imagination and endless possibility.

Acting is more than just art. It’s who I am, and everything I aspire to be. The art of acting is
beautiful. It’s a treasure I love it so much, and there’s nothing else I can see myself doing in the
future.