Growth

I used to be in a shell.

In it, there were rules:

1. Don't talk, unless spoken to.
2. Don't be yourself, because you're pathetic.
3. Don't ever try to leave.

That's how I lived.

For 14 years,

that was my life.

Play the never-ending act of what society wants,

All from my tiny little shell.

My shell brought

comfort...

ease...

dishonesty...

pain.

But one day,

theatre knocked on the door of my shell.

For once,

something actually discovered

that there was a man in the shell.

And frankly, he wasn't doing well.

Theatre didn't ask for my GPA,

my test scores,

or the number of friends I had.

It reached out its hand,

and offered to take me out...

to an audition.

At first, I was nervous;

I've never left the shell before.

But I looked back at my shell,

that dark, lonely hell,

and I turned to theatre,

took its hand,

and went to The Audition.

A girl named Antigone was there,

she showed me my passion.

There were 12 Angry Men

who taught me dedication.

And finally, the Moon People

demonstrated how to be a leader.

Theatre took me to

The Merry Old Land of Oz,

Let me visit the Munchkins,

And they made me their king,

Their

Wizard of Oz.

Sometimes,

I think back to that shell,

Why I spent so long inside of it.

Being able to talk,

Be me, and never return to the shell

is a blessing.

And the theatre gave that to me.

Thank you,

Theatre,

for all that you've done.

And all you will do.

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