(Cardell, "Tennessee")
 

Theater means a lot to me. It’s always been a place where I can express myself, even though I’m not even playing myself. It’s been a place where I can be different people. It’s been a place where I can escape.

Why do I spend all this time working on shows? Well, I don’t really know. I think it’s the thrill of the performance night. I would have been a drop out of many plays if it wasn’t for the thrill and excitement. I’ve been in two plays where I had to get into a used trash can, one play where I had to come everyday from three to at least four-thirty to practice - and still had homework to finish, one play where I had three lines but had to go to every practice, one play with a bad cast, and the list goes on.

But all the complaints fade away performance night. Then it’s fun. And maybe you’ve had bad rehearsal experiences, but you can only remember the fun parts. That’s what I always look forward to.

And when I do think back on all the plays I complained about, I can only remember when I was practicing off-book, blocking my movements and laughing over messed up lines (don’t make me start on that!).

Theater has always been a place where people can go to escape from their daily lives, whether it’s the actor or the audience. In the 1930’s, people went to the movies and theater to see comedies; to escape from their lives of the Great Depression.

I hope to reach to anybody who holds out their hand by theater. I want to give to the people who want to accept (I don’t know if that makes any sense, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?). It’s nearly impossible to give a present to someone who doesn’t accept it. Drama is a present, and I’m glad somebody gave us all the gift.

You won’t believe how much theater has inspired me, almost to the point where I had to say "Okay Daniel, enough is enough!" I’ll see a play, and go home talking about it. That’s all I’ll think or talk about for awhile. Then I’ll read a play and think about what it’d look like if I could direct it. I’ll be in a play, and then go home with lines running out of me everywhere. I’m surprised my parents can live with me after I’ve been cast in a play!

I look forward to being in the Anti-Shakespeare Festival this year and I hope I can make it into other plays in the future!