Personal Narrative: High School Musical

I raced into the living room, my sister trudging in behind me with a bowl of popcorn and my brother dimming the lights. It was the premiere of High School Musical! There six-year-old me sat, eyes glued to the screen, trying and failing to sing along to the songs even though it was my first time even hearing them. As my eyes twinkled in awestruck wonder, I began to think, is this what a musical is like? Winter of sophomore year, the school began teeming with flyers for the musical Fame. One blustery Saturday afternoon, I ventured to the auditorium of my high school to see what our performing arts department had to offer. I sat, enamored, and told myself that next year at that time, I would be the one on stage. The one belting out notes, the one shimmering under the limelight.

That day I decided to take a chance and try something new. To take a chance on myself. I was not going to run away and hide like a frightened child during a thunderstorm. Now was the time to learn how to take risks, instead of hoping. They sent everyone who wanted to audition into the back room. I sat near a dusty piano, singing through “Beauty and the Beast” and chanting the lines I had to read like a prayer. “Andrea!” At the sound of my name, my body ran cold, like it had been drained of all its blood and replaced with liquid nitrogen. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself before walking toward the main rooms. I gazed into the eyes of the choir director and the drama teacher; the ones who would determine if I was good enough for this musical. As I auditioned, their eyes pierced my very soul, with them scrutinizing every word I spoke, every note I sang. My voice did not crack, my voice did not shake. After speaking my final word, I felt a wave of serenity wash over me. I finally did something I’d yearned to do for years and learned to take risks instead of sitting back and watching my life pass me