She stepped on stage and immediately became utterly consumed with what was in front of her. It was a feeling of something new that struck a sense of passion for the world of performing in senior Paige Harsevoort.
“I think it’s [why I’ve stuck with performing]—because theater is an outlet,” Paige said. “It’s a way for me to just have a good time without having to be me.”
Ever since she was little, Paige has been fond of the idea of being on stage. She started off by attending camps at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre where she learned how to walk in a new world.
“I learned how to utilize my stage presence and definitely [obtained] more acting skills,” Paige said. “I got a better look at the audition processes for professional places, and I think it really helped me with my auditions in the future.”
After being a part of the production of multiple shows with Civic, Paige continuously found herself auditioning for a spot under the lights. Although she comes from a family where being on stage is a foreign act, Paige has discovered a true interest of hers and has held onto it like no other.
As more options became available to her, Paige, without hesitation, became a part of the theater program at FHC. Here, she has continued to immerse herself in not only the characters she plays on stage but also the environment this program has created.
“It’s so healthy,” Paige said. “I love everyone that does it, it’s a great way for me to express what I’m interested in surrounded by people that are also interested in similar things, [and] I get to take a little break from being myself and get to be another person.”
Even though Paige is surrounded by amazing people on stage and behind the curtains, nothing can put an end to the pre-show nervousness of a performer.
She is an exceptionally outgoing person but still finds herself consumed with fear at times on stage.
“I just had to sing the other day, and I was so nervous. I didn’t have that long to prepare the song that I was singing, and it was really scary,” Paige said. “But just doing it over and over again and having trust in yourself that you got it and that you can do it is what gets me through it.”
The experiences Paige has encountered during her time in theater have taught her to go out with assurance and believe in her abilities.
Paige has found adoration within herself for theater over the years that is simply incomparable to anything she’s ever been a part of. While she may face some ups and downs, whether it’s in the writing, costumes, or some pre-show nerves, the theater has given Paige more than she could have ever imagined it would.
“Theater has definitely only ever impacted my life positively,” Paige said. “It’s a great way for me to have a good time and to do things that I love but also improve leadership and presentation skills, which I think is really helpful for the future.”
While many people may say that it is not for them to get up in front of more people than they can count and put on a show, Paige would, without a doubt, advise those even considering it to join the theater.
“It’s so amazing and such a good opportunity,” Paige said. “It’s just so much fun. I think that a lot of people who don’t do theater, or only do it their senior year, really regret it because they don’t realize the type of environment that it is and how much fun you can really have. Don’t think about what other people think because we don’t have enough time to worry about that.”
