It's that time of the year where my students apply to be part of the upcoming ISTA festival. As part of the application I ask them to write a brief explanation about why they love Performance and why they want to take part. The answers I receive affirm that this is such an important subject for students to be able to study.
I already posted one of these statements, last year, and again this year I have received some powerful words from some others:
Julia B: "Theatre is my way of life. it is the air that I breathe, the water I drink. The adrenaline of being on stage, the lights, crew, cast, there's nothing better. And it doesn't stop there. The way I walk, talk, socialize has been influenced by acting. My mind thinks of a million different ways to create ideas and possibilities. The ideas flow and inspire myself and others with their concepts and originality. After I discovered my love for the stage, i couldn't stop. It was like a bottle was popped open and the soda started pouring out.
There's a moment on stage that every actor knows about. The room silences, all eyes looking at you. But we don't get swallowed by fear, we use the energy of the atmosphere to embrace the performance. Create a new persona, make the audience forget about their lives and all live in that scene together.
ISTA is about meeting people, making long lasting friendships, and using everyone's passion for theatre to create something magical."
Julia G: "I've loved performing since I can remember. I would get really excited during the holiday season beacuse me and my cousin would always come up with a little skit and perform in front of our whole family. ever since those tiny performances, my love for theatre only grew bigger.
I have to admit, I love the spotlight, but theatre taught me so much more. It taught me how to work in a team, communicate with other and communicate with the audience. It also taught me how to be self-confident and made me more and more like the people that I look up to, that would walk into a room and grab everyone's attention."
Alice F: "I love the experience and feeling of exhilaration and excitement of working with others and performing."
Brenna F: "ISTA is an acting opportunity that I don't want to miss. Only now, I know that it's not just about the light and costumes and applause or even the friends. Now, when I am on stage, I am not Brenna anymore. I become both me and not me. Once timid, acting brought me out of my shell, into the limelight. Without acting, I would still be watching others from the outside. To me, acting isn't just a hobby- it's something you commit to, and once you're committed, you can't go back."
I already posted one of these statements, last year, and again this year I have received some powerful words from some others:
Julia B: "Theatre is my way of life. it is the air that I breathe, the water I drink. The adrenaline of being on stage, the lights, crew, cast, there's nothing better. And it doesn't stop there. The way I walk, talk, socialize has been influenced by acting. My mind thinks of a million different ways to create ideas and possibilities. The ideas flow and inspire myself and others with their concepts and originality. After I discovered my love for the stage, i couldn't stop. It was like a bottle was popped open and the soda started pouring out.
There's a moment on stage that every actor knows about. The room silences, all eyes looking at you. But we don't get swallowed by fear, we use the energy of the atmosphere to embrace the performance. Create a new persona, make the audience forget about their lives and all live in that scene together.
ISTA is about meeting people, making long lasting friendships, and using everyone's passion for theatre to create something magical."
Julia G: "I've loved performing since I can remember. I would get really excited during the holiday season beacuse me and my cousin would always come up with a little skit and perform in front of our whole family. ever since those tiny performances, my love for theatre only grew bigger.
I have to admit, I love the spotlight, but theatre taught me so much more. It taught me how to work in a team, communicate with other and communicate with the audience. It also taught me how to be self-confident and made me more and more like the people that I look up to, that would walk into a room and grab everyone's attention."
Alice F: "I love the experience and feeling of exhilaration and excitement of working with others and performing."
Brenna F: "ISTA is an acting opportunity that I don't want to miss. Only now, I know that it's not just about the light and costumes and applause or even the friends. Now, when I am on stage, I am not Brenna anymore. I become both me and not me. Once timid, acting brought me out of my shell, into the limelight. Without acting, I would still be watching others from the outside. To me, acting isn't just a hobby- it's something you commit to, and once you're committed, you can't go back."
