Naropa University Essay #1

When I first heard Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken", I was twelve years old. My life at that point hadn't solely become my responsibility, so the idea of a "road less traveled by" was taken more literally than figuratively. Still, although the poem's underlying meaning wasn't completely clear to me then, it resonated with me, and in the years that followed, it became a very vital part of my life.

After I graduated, I decided to take a year off from school. Senior year had left me more confused than ever about what I wanted to do with my life. For three years I'd been completely enamored with my high school's drama department, and was certain my life's path would somehow be connected with theatre. During my senior year, though, my beloved drama teacher that I had looked up to since my first day of high school, decided to retire mid-year. The woman who ended up replacing him was actually a very close friend of my mother's I'd known for years. This made the transition a lot easier, but my attachment to the drama department still started to fade. A new generation had begun before the old one could finish, and though we were happy about the changes the new teacher was making, it was still hard to cope with the loss of a drama legend.

I finished out the year with 2 more productions, and received the Bank of America Award for theatre. Then in the summer, I got hooked into doing a youth production of Bye Bye Birdie. I got a lot of community praise for my role, and my interest in theatre started to come back. I began work as an intern at The Rubicon, a local professional theatre company. I got to work with equity actors, people who had just about done it all. I felt encouraged to audition for theatre schools, and set out to do so.

In the meantime, I'd still been helping out the high school drama department with casting, set pieces, lights, just about anything. I got to coach a few of the actors, and sit in on rehearsals. It was neat working with this younger generation, and getting to see that even though things weren't the same and never would be, the department would still live on, and live on even more vibrantly than it had. In the new teacher's first full year, she was able to put on four separate plays, compared to the old teacher's one and a half average. I worked on all four productions in some way or another, whether it was in casting or on the set or just getting the word out. Because of this, I became a drama legend, and a well-admired figure in the drama department. These kids welcomed me with open arms, and looked forward to me being at every show cheering them on with the loudest laugh in the house. No matter the outcome, I was always proud. I loved every show, every actor, every mishap, and every line flub, and their respect for me grew each show. It was wonderful.

Although the deep admiration was nice to have, it wasn't what kept me hanging around. The greatest joy I got out of watching these performances from start to finish, was seeing the growth of each person. Each actor held a little piece of myself in them, and watching them grow was like witnessing the past four years of my life. I got to see just how the theatre arts effected each person, not just acting-wise, but socially, emotionally, mentally, physically...

I'd always believed that creativity is the single most important aspect of anyone's life, and that it is the main developmental tool in the human body, and here I was seeing it in action. Kids of all interests were a part of this one department, this one place that encouraged creativity and artistic license. The captain of the football team played a part in Tennessee Williams' Glass Menagerie; this unknown sophomore stole the show after playing the Teen Angel in Grease; the number one loud-mouth superfan transformed into an old Jewish man for a bit-part in The Odd Couple. And I was so proud of all of them. It's one thing being a part of the productions, and it's a whole other thing watching from the outside.

I didn't get paid for any of my contributions to any of the productions, though by capitalist standards I should have. That never worried me, though. I was just happy to be there at the root of creativity, watching these young kids develop into artists, even if they didn't know it or realize it. Witnessing and being a part of that is the most valuable thing I have come across in my life so far. It breaks my heart when I hear about how some public schools had to cut back on funding for the arts, or even get rid of it completely. I've always believed that an understanding of the arts is an understanding of the world, and I don't see how plugging the creative flow could be a just and fair way of improving the public school system.

I am now nineteen years old. It has been seven years since I first heard Robert Frost's chilling words, and it has finally become clear to me. I took the road less traveled by. I chose a different path than most of the people my age, and because of it I became a different person. I'm not saying I chose the better path, or the more rewarding path, just a different one. A path I know will echo within me forever, and has taught me more about myself than any path ever could. My opinions on the world have changed because of it, as have my personal interests. I gave up on becoming an actor, and now I'm in search of a higher calling. I'm not exactly sure what it is yet. All I know is that I wish to keep the arts alive in this world, and re-instill the appreciation we had for the arts so many years ago. All thanks to a hand-full of kids from a small southern California town.