There are so many memories behind the stage, on the stage, upstairs, downstairs, and even in the lobby. I’m still making so many more.

Backstage reminds me of ballroom dancing and laughing our heads off even though we were supposed to remain quiet and unseen. It reminds me of telling boys to stop talking over and over and over again until I almost slapped one of them.

It reminds me of doing shadow puppets on the walls with the blue light casting over our script. It reminds me of signing to each other and singing “Super Freaky Girl” across the stage.

Backstage is where some of my favorite memories exist, and I see shadows of them every time I step foot there.

The stage reminds me of singing my heart out despite being so nervous that I almost threw up. It reminds me of taking vicarious notes on when and where pieces needed to be so that I knew exactly what was going on.

It reminds me of running around to let the spotters practice and singing musical songs with the crew.

The stage embodies the shows that I’ve done and all the ones I will do, and despite feeling more comfortable behind it, the stage will always feel like home.

The lobby is where I meet people after a show. It’s where I wind down and complain about everything that went wrong.

But now, it reminds me of shouting at the top of my lungs to make 25 4th-6th grades pay attention to me. It reminds me of fighting two girls about whether or not they could play a different character. It reminds me of the children making me so unbelievably proud.

The lobby is where I became a mentor to 25 children, and it’s where I will always be reminded of them.

Downstairs is where I always get a headache. It smells like perfume, deodorant, sweat, and hairspray. It gave me a headache, but I still love it down there.

It reminds me of people falling in love with their costumes. It reminds me of meltdowns that caused people to become closer.

It reminds me of burning hair while trying to learn how to use a curling iron. It reminds me of throwing out a bunch of moldy makeup.

Downstairs is where I made unexpected friends and where I am always afraid I’ll get lost without service.

The green room is where I spend all of my free time. It reminds me of community food and yelling at people to leave.

It reminds me of sitting on the floor with a veggie tray and laughing our heads off. It reminds me of fretting about what I’m doing.

It reminds me of napping on the couch and killing a bunch of ants. It reminds me of the camaraderie that we have and how we always, always pull it off.

That place is my second home, and there are shadows of memories everywhere I go. There always will be, and I will continue making more.