1.
Making a list of your ~dream roles~, and sharing it with your friends.
2.
Being nervous and shakey before you went into any audition.
3.
Being at least a little bit jealous of those same two or three students who got the lead roles EVERY TIME.
4.
The anxiety of checking to see if a cast list had been posted yet.
5.
That one trip you took to New York City, where you saw as many Broadway shows as you possibly could.
6.
Knowing at least ONE person who owned this T-shirt.
7.
Being glued to the TV for every Tony Awards — especially during the performances.
8.
Listening to the Rent or Spring Awakening soundtracks and thinking you were ~so~ grown up.
9.
Collecting playbills from every professional show you saw — Broadway or national tour.
10.
The sheer stress of TECH WEEK, aka hell week.
11.
Feeling all excited to try on your costumes for the first time — and then realizing they were the fugliest things ever.
12.
The thrill you felt when the director announced that a show was completely sold out.
13.
And the inevitable disappointment of those Saturday matinees, where only the first three rows were full.
14.
The opening night jitters as everyone got ready in the green room.
15.
Having to do all those silly warm-up activities like zip-zap-zop and massage circles.
16.
Going out for food with the cast after a show while still wearing your makeup.
17.
The slightly cringeworthy cast parties where everyone rocked out to showtunes together.
18.
Dating a boy who would eventually come out as gay.
19.
Volunteering to help out with strike...but then not doing much of anything.
20.
Hearing all sorts of rumors about what next year's musical would be.
21.
And finally, feeling a strange, indescribable sadness whenever a show closed.
