Written by: Cassidy Hughes - Senior student at Dickinson High School
After many years, the Dickinson High School theatre is known as the home of many DHS students.
The memories the black painted floor and the torn-up curtains have brought can never leave the minds of those that have performed on such a stage. It inspires students to become more than what they are. With the walls of the “Nerve Center” painted in remembrance of past performances, it’s hard to believe that a vast number of students have walked through such a place and had to say goodbye.
Strolling by the seemingly normal double doors on an afternoon like every other, you’d be surprised to see a group of kids creating lasting impressions on one another. Their energy reverberates around the auditorium filling it with love and inclusion.
Talent forms upon that stage. In an actor’s beginning years, it’s hard to tell, but one day they will become amazing individuals capable of standing in front of an audience to make them laugh or cry.
As an individual that has taken part in theatre for six years, it’s heartwarming to see just how much students love acting. In the seventh grade, I was introduced to a family like no other, a group of people that I could call my own that accepted me for who I was.
I learned and grew through theatre. It helped me to expand my abilities not only as an actor, but as a person. It’s odd to think that my years of high school theatre are coming to an end. The experiences I have made and learned things like, “Never have gum in your mouth when you are practicing, you will get yelled at..” thank you, Mr. Stevenson! “Enunciation is key to success in theatre,” thank you, Mrs. Brandvik. Or “Give love a chance,” a special thanks to Mr. Kralicek for adopting all those struggling high school theatre kids.
The coming and going of actors has always been difficult to bear. We’ve lost many amazing people as they graduated out of high school.
To think that I will become one of those “simply graduating” kids is hard, but what's harder is leaving behind the relationships and memories not only I’ve made but that others like me have made. Things like: the fear of falling off the ledge of the tote storage, the random latch that stores hats which we joke is where the directors hide dead bodies, the old and broken power tools, and the collective “Act Two everyone!” “Bless you!” will forever be engraved in the hearts of theatre kids now and forever at Dickinson High School.
If you ever stop by Dickinson High School and walk past those double doors leading to the auditorium, just think: there might be some theatre kids behind those doors creating lasting memories. We hope you can join in those memories in our last performance of the school year in late May when we perform our student-directed one-acts. The drama club hopes to see you there!