Being a Cast Member of Stage FX’s Silver Year: A Tale of Taking Risks THE MEMBERS OF STAGE FX SY 2019-2020 at THEiR PRODUCTION: “We TELL THE STORY”
By Jaden Lim (G11)
A
t the end of ninth grade, an older friend of mine who was much more active in extracurricular activities (ECAs) made me wonder: if all I did until I graduated was go to school, watch YouTube, then cram until late at night, would I take away anything memorable or meaningful from my high school years? I figured that Grade 10 would be the time when I joined a club that was outside my realm. A club that was unrelated to math or science; that pushed me to develop untapped skills; and that compelled me to suppress my shyness was what I was aimed for. Stage FX, the drama club, sounded perfect, but I was hesitant to approach their booth in the ECA fair. I was too anxious of what could happen to me; I might even be casted for all I know! After 15 minutes of worrying and circling around the booth, my apprehension suddenly disappeared. I knew it would soon come back, so I hurried for the pen and signed my name. I would soon see myself attending club meetings in preparation for Stage FX’s silver year shows.
The Beginnings of a New Actor Kabanata, the show for the first semester, ended meaningless in my case. The actors and the core team had a tough few months balancing schoolwork with all the show preparations, but I felt unfulfilled and regretful for my lack of contribution to the production team I belonged to. I reminded myself that if I wanted to make my experience in the drama club worthwhile, then I had to take up more demanding roles. That same feeling came back in my first week of the Xavier China Experience when I was deciding whether or not to record a second take of my required audition videos for the second show. I realized that “We Tell The Story” was the finale for the club’s 25th anniversary, so the cast had to be exceptional. I believed I did not possess enough talent and courage to be worthy of a role, but I was still thrilled at the thought of being on stage. I finally encountered a transformative opportunity that I had hoped for, and I could not let this slip out of my hands. About a week later, I received a barrage of pictures while I lined up for dinner at my dormitory. Each revealed my six song and dance numbers, three of which I had a lead role in. What were the odds of being selected for one-third of the play, even more so
FEATURES 25
