By Quinn Burns ASP Class of 2017
  

I started in musical theater at the Academy of Saint Paul and have performed in many shows during high school and college. I have made great friends in theater. I credit theater for teaching me important life skills during the process. 
 
Of primary importance, being on stage teaches you to be comfortable in your own skin.  From solos, and dance to improvisations and monologues, the audition process builds self-confidence and enhances problem solving skills, especially improvisation.  Public speaking and effective communication skills are developed and well-honed in theater. Reciting lines reinforces elocution and enunciation, which often are lost as my generation relies on texting.
 
Equally important, theater has taught me to be flexible, both on and off the stage. Oftentimes, things on stage do not go the way you practiced them. Lines are forgotten, cues are missed, or musical numbers messed up, and it is especially important to be flexible when this happens. We learn to adapt and overcome, and so it is in theater and in life. I have also learned that some nights the audience will laugh at a line while other nights they will not, and it is important not to expect any particular reaction, but rather adapt and “go with the flow.”   
 
Most importantly, theater has taught me to be a leader on and off the stage.  You have to work with all types of students and adults during production.  You must find a way to get along and work with everyone in order to move the production forward. Effectively working with a group is key for a successful musical number or an entire production. All these challenges will then strengthen your leadership skills and abilities so that the show is a success.   Yes, theater has taught me life skills, and along the way I have had a great time learning them.