Theatre kid stereotypes? Those exist? I didn’t even know that was a thing. Whoever said we burst out into song randomly was 100% lying. Like last week, I definitely didn’t sing “Wait For Me” instead of just saying “hey wait up” when my friend started walking away while I was tying my shoe. And whenever someone mentions limits in math, my brain definitely does not think about that one line in Mean Girls (if you know, you know).

   Apparently, everyone just assumes us theatre kids are annoying, loud, and know the words to every single musical. Well, maybe that last part is completely false, but hey, at least we get free food after rehearsals. 

   What people don’t know is that we never get really, really lazy and definitely don’t have to write down our lines in notebooks or on a prop. I mean, who’s gonna notice if my lines are written on my hand? Nobody, of course.

   I’m also sure no one’s ever noticed that I listen to songs from musicals in class. I would also never, ever, ever in my life work out to a song from a musical. It’s literally the worst thing you could work out to; nothing could be worse than doing bicep curls when suddenly “That Beautiful Sound” from Beetlejuice jumpscares you out of nowhere. What a pleasant surprise! At least I have tech week dinners to look forward to.

   Another thing that I’ve certainly never seen happen is a showmance. It’s such an absurd thing that it would never occur – actors are always just acting, right? So actually, that’s a lie. I may have witnessed it with my very own eyes. I’ve possibly seen relationships go from fiction to reality, from characters to actors. It’s a truly beautiful scene. 

   And don’t get me started on the food; tech week meals are totally not my favorite part about being in the musical or play. The greasy Panda Express, the massive Chipotle burritos, and the unpalatable, sickening Starbird sandwiches; my mouth waters just thinking about it. And, oh, the snacks. You will never catch me loudly munching on Chex Mix or gorging on bags and bags of Cheetos with orange stained fingers. Always the highlight of being in the musical. I mean, who can resist?

   Okay fine, what’s a theatre kid without knowing every single musical and every single musical theatre song? There’s a theatre reference for almost everything someone says. Think about it for a second. In APUSH, there’s “Hamilton” written all over the place. And in literature, there’s “Romeo and Juliet,” “Antigone,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and of course, the “M Word,” also known as “The Scottish Play” (and yes the myth about the “M Word” in a theatre giving you bad luck is real – it’s happened to me).

   I just gotta say, being a theatre kid is so much more than randomly bursting into song or having a showmance or getting amazing food. Look at the big picture, we’re more than just a stereotype.