My life as a teenage drama queen

In my four years at Palmer High School, I have been able to wear many hats. You might think I’m talking about my different interests, and how I am sometimes a student, sometimes a farmer, sometimes a swimmer and sometimes a journalist, but the hats I am referring to are literal. I’ve literally worn a lot of hats… and wigs… and makeup… and costumes…

This is because I am a theatrical junkie. High school is full of drama as it is. Everyone there is acting like someone they are not, and I am no exception. Some days I try to act like I’m cool, or incredibly smart, but my cover is always blown. I feel right at home in the theater however, because there I can act like someone I’m not, and it’s actually encouraged!

In the seven productions I’ve been a part of, I’ve played many different parts. Some were easier than others. I can do a spot-on imitation of an immature, homeless, dirty waif, as I proved in “Annie,” and then directly afterward in “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” I also had no problem being a clueless airhead in our last production, “The Importance of Being Earnest.”

Other roles required a lot of work in order to be convincing. “Smokey Joe’s Café,” which prominently featured my right leg, required me to act like a “lady of the night.” Unfortunately, sexiness is something my clumsy, chubby teenage body does not yet possess. Gracefulness is another quality I have yet to develop, which is why portraying a young 19th century lady in “The Pirates of Penzance” was a struggle. And of course, I was born with two left feet, a particular hardship for me in “Footloose,” and “Blame it on the Movies.”

Although I still act in everyday life, I take particular pleasure in doing things on stage that I could never do in high school. I’ve enjoyed biting and fighting like an uncivilized human being, a welcome break from my everyday, professional student life. I’ve also enjoyed randomly bursting into song and dance in the middle of my sentences. (I’ve tried this during school, but people usually don’t sing or dance along.) Of course, the coup de grâce is that thus far I have kissed three different boys, none of whom I have romantic feelings for.

Anyone who has seen Palmer High’s productions knows that they are well done. Everyone in the cast works hard to learn lines, songs and choreography. The tech crew works hard to make sure actors have props and costumes, the stage is lit correctly, and correct sets are designed to fit our tiny, asymmetrical stage.

What the audience may not know is that Palmer High does not have a functioning drama department, and hasn’t since 2003. All the productions we put on are because of our extremely dedicated music department chair, Mr. Stan Harris. Since the collapse of the drama department, Mr. Harris has strived to make sure that students interested in drama have an outlet for their creativity. He has directed musicals, musical reviews, and most recently, a three-act play. From all the drama students at Palmer High, thank you Mr. Harris.

Another man who deserves credit is Mr. Grant Olson, who is directing his fourth musical for Palmer High School. From the casts of “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Footloose” and “Anything Goes,” thank you Mr. Olson.

Even a great play can fall flat. There is nothing more disheartening than performing your best for an audience of empty chairs. The fans are an integral part of drama.

You see, a play is not like a sporting event, or a musical competition. Without fans, a basketball game is still a basketball game. Without fans, a play is a flop. That’s why I am so grateful to all the supportive members of our community who have supported Wasilla, Colony, and Palmer High School by coming to see our productions. I encourage you to come to our next production Anything Goes, this weekend, with the final performance today, Sunday, May 10. If you happen to stop in, I’m the short one, doing my best to look love-struck.

Rachel Kenley is a senior at Palmer High and a columnist for the Frontiersman.