Act I: Finding the Stage

In middle school, drama club was where I got my first taste of the spotlight — and I devoured it.

I started as Charlene Bumiller in A Tuna Christmas — sassy, starstruck, and full of teen angst.

Then came my role as the Gatekeeper in The Wizard of Oz — and let me tell you, my version was magical. I wore a black prom dress with green peeking through, sparkly makeup, and enough confidence to make Glinda rethink her gown. I wasn’t just guarding the gates of Oz… I owned them.

Next was Violet Bick in a radio play version of It’s a Wonderful Life — all sultry voice and vintage attitude.

And finally, Lady Tanley in Alibis — an elegant, high-society aristocrat who left sparkles and suspicion wherever she walked.

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Act II: Curtain Pulled, Spotlight Dimmed

But when I moved to Charlotte, the spotlight dimmed. The same names always topped the cast lists, and I was quietly shuffled to the background.

I tried satisfying my appetite in other ways — painting sets, joining drumline bits when I could — but I missed the thrill of leading a story.

Act III: Directing My Own Destiny

Then came an unexpected twist.

A friend tried directing his own play — Done to Death by Fred Carmichael — but the project fizzled fast. Cast members dropped out. Rehearsals fell apart. He gave up, frustrated.

But I believed in it. In the story. In what it could be.

So I stepped up. At 15 years old.

I gathered a new cast of underdogs, rehearsed daily in the balcony of the Eaton Theatre, raised funds, thrifted costumes, begged for stage crew volunteers, and somehow — somehow — pulled it all together. That June, we took the stage at the Charlotte Performing Arts Center.

And we crushed it. 💥

Act IV: The Underdogs Rise Again

The following year, we kicked things off with a comedic warm-up: Who’s On First. Classic Abbott and Costello, delivered with teenage timing and total commitment.

Then came the main act — Break a Leg by John O’Brien. Same mission: give the spotlight to the kids who were always cast aside. Same hustle. Same heart.

And something beautiful happened — the community noticed. We lit a spark.

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Act V: Carrying the Torch

I later went on to student-direct productions like The Crucible and South Pacific, but it was those scrappy, homegrown shows that taught me the real magic of leadership.

Not just calling the shots — but lifting others up with you. Creating a space where people get to be stars, even if no one ever gave them permission before.

Final Bow

That’s what theater was for me.

Not just performance — but power.
Not just drama — but determination.

And I still carry that girl with me — glitter, grit, and all. 💫