My high school theater teacher is easily one of the best people in the universe and I’d go as far as to say quite possibly my best friend.
I absolutely adore her, and I can’t even handle her retirement.
Anyone currently working in the entertainment industry (which btw, is tons of her students because she inspired so many) was invited to make a little video message for her.
I tried shooting mine like a million times. In these random screenshots of my video message you can tell I look all tired and cry-y, because I seriously started balling in every single take. I could not get ahold of myself!
I definitely cried in the one I ended up turning in. I figured lots of other people would cry (and have heard that is indeed the case).
I’m not going to post the whole video on the blog since it’s a little personal for internet consumption. However, I will give the highlights of my message to her, which were:
In February of my freshman year of high school, I was in my first show ever. For short years later, in February after my senior year, I was already in Actor’s Equity. No one could’ve taken me from a newb to a pro in 4 years but her.
Then I talked about her patience and how I felt that I grew a LOT and learned a LOT but that I guessed they had to teach the same lessons about dedication (and blocking and such – both technical theater things plus bigger ideas – ) over and over and over every single year. But even having her decades into her career, I felt special and like she was teaching it all for the first time.
I talked about her putting me in a one person show and how it was a little… stressful (said with a wink and laugh… although, seriously it was… in a wonderful way). But way more than being stressful, it was really magical.
Finally, I said that many people say I’m very lucky. And I am. Heck, I won a car on The Price is Right this year! But nothing luckier has ever happened to me (imagine the tears breaking out, by the way) than the luck of my dad moving us to Ohio for his job because that’s why I got to have this teacher.
She truly changed my life. (This part isn’t on the video, but I’m saying it here.) While I complain sometimes about the entertainment industry, and while every once in a while I think about where I wish I were already and how far I have to go and the people who are ahead of me. I’ll admit all that.
However, I’m SO much farther than a) where I started b) where I could be. There’s a ton to be thankful for, and I wouldn’t have even done 1/10th of what I have done without B.
There are literally no words in the English language (or any language) to express my gratitude for her.