Editor’s note: The following is a submitted article by Greene High School senior Cohen A. Root of his experience though the years with the Greene Footlights Production.
It’s the fall of 2011. A small, bordering overweight 12 year old with hair that could hide a small nest of rats stumbles his way down the hall. He’s being led by his Guidance Counselor, who he’s spent an inordinate amount of time with the past few days. He’s the new kid, that one we all remember from 6th grade. Nervous, kind of doesn’t want to be there, and is trying his absolute hardest to hide it. His Counselor insists that he’s making the transition well, but for all he knew, that was just a comforting lie.
She continues to lead him down the hallway, until they make it to the chorus room. She walks in, and the small child waddles behind her. They turn into a small office, where a woman he’d never seen in his life sat. He was told prior to entering that this was Mrs. Boel, local director of the school drama club, “Footlights.” He hated every second after he accidentally told the Counselor that he was a rather good actor, and enjoyed plays. Mrs. Boel directed musicals, and he didn’t sing, nor dance. As a man, or an overweight tween, he was above singing and dancing. He wanted Opera, Drama, Acting. Not some pretty little school dance off. And, even if he tried to sing, he was tone deaf.
That boy was me.
Fast forward four years, and that boy has been asked as a confident 16 year-old to write an article on how much he loves Footlights, and how it has affected him. What the very word Footlights means to him; I am willing to say that it means family to me. I could be objective and say that Footlights is “just a drama club,” and that although it has some of the best costumes, gear, and people in the High School drama circuit for Upstate New York, it is just that – but having been in the inner workings as an actor and constant help–if not, nuisance–for almost five school years over six shows, I am proud to say that to those within it, these “subjective” aspects are what make Footlights so great.
How it enables people blossom into what they truly are, and how it helps people through hard times.
Drama isn’t easy. Disagree if you want, but it turns the old saying on its head. Drama crews and casts need to gain joy from their strength, a unique characteristic for many organizations. For months, the actors and crew need to stay long hours past their typical occupation to learn the technical aspects of the activity, all while appearing to be going nowhere. And that’s before they have to learn how to actually act, to pull off the performance. This stress of hard work to almost no avail for so long helps create a strong sense of solidarity.
The amazing thing about Footlights in particular is how far it goes. During the performances, the actors are constantly doing their hardest onstage and even harder offstage to keep the ones onstage safe and happy. In particular, the Sunday show is led by the eldest and most respected cast members giving speeches to the other cast members about how much Footlights has done for them. And it is always a lot. For me, Footlights taught me to be a real person. It propped me up, and showed me that I could help in a system and accomplish important goals. In turn, it motivated me to put more effort into the system. Now, I am arguably the loudest cast member, and I can sing (kinda).
It even extends to beyond Footlights. I lost my father at the age of 15, immediately after auditions. And I kid you not, 90 percent of the help I received from this school came from my friends in Footlights: donations, words of advice, words of sympathy, and massive applause when I told them how happy and at home I felt at Footlights.
Overall, Footlights has helped me beyond measure. I will happily say that I will stay in Footlights until I am forced out of this school district kicking and screaming because, they’ve become a second family to me. When I got on a low and needed support, they were there in numbers of over 100 cast and crew members. And for someone who, in his first three shows only had the talent of being loud and not needing a microphone, I dare say that’s more than I could ask from almost any other group I partake in.
Exiting sales pitch: I’ll be in the Footlights production of Hello, Dolly! this weekend as a judge in act two, where I will proudly exhibit my talent of being loud and sounding overly dramatic about everything. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7 p.m. and the Sunday show starts at 3 p.m. at the Greene Central School Auditorium. Come support the family.