UM Grad: 'Life's a Show'

By Kendall Ward

"All the world's a stage" is the opening line to a monologue in William Shakespeare's As You Like It in which life is compared to a dazzling show. 

As a lover and veteran of all things theater, this got me thinking; no good show goes up without a decent amount of practice and preparation. Our time spent at Upper Moreland has allowed us to work out all the kinks.

One of the most important things there is to learn from rehearsal as it takes more than just the people on stage to create a good performance. Stage crew, tech crew, costumers, dance captains are all spots that need to be filled.

Not all of us fit the same role and we all can hold a special part our own and all are integral in the success of the show. The cast must also be able to blend well together; something that I think is unique to the Class of 2013.

Our smaller size makes us seem more like a family than a group of kids who just happen to live in the same area. The friends we’ve made just this year are just as close to us as the ones who we’ve known since kindergarten.

For those of you sitting here tonight who still feel as though they haven’t been cast yet, just remember that new shows go up every season! Rehearsal is where you not only grow within the show itself, but develop your skills for the future.

Time management, scheduling and studying are all important for success. We can learn our limits for academics and activities but know we can never stop pushing ourselves just a little farther towards our dreams.

Throughout our time at UM, we've been able to truly discover our character and how we fit into the plot. Some of us have been classified as nerds or jocks but also have been shaped into more than just what the outside may see us.

It’s important for our time in high school and in future endeavors to know that sometimes we get to play the lead but other time we must also fill supporting roles.

Of course we've also had help from our directors, producers and choreographers or as we call them family, teachers and administrators. The ones who have shown us all the steps and given us direction to be ready to stand before you tonight.

An important thing to remember, however, is that a good show is never finished. Professional performers are constantly changing and evolving shows that have been up for decades.

And even with the most practice, everyone flubs once in a while. Life does not expect perfection from its new crop of recruits, just the ability to adapt, correct and move along into the next scene.

We cannot be afraid to put ourselves out there in front of an audience and share our hard work and ideas. Our comrades at UM have always offered criticism as well as praise when we approached them with a new vision.

But it is now time to take our skills beyond the comfort of the Upper Moreland stage. We can credit all of you sitting here with us today with teaching us everything we know and we can finally show it off. And so, in honor of all my fellow graduates tonight, I'd like to welcome you to the opening night of the Class of 2013.