Senior Rae Eide has always been inspired by theater, but finally decided to take the leap last year and scored minor roles in Theater on the Hill performances “Get Smart” and “Into the Woods”. Eide’s senior year had even more in store for her, with roles like Taylor in “The Play That Goes Wrong,” and Roxie in”Chicago “. Eide believes she is happiest on a stage and that Theater helped her get out of her shell.
“I’ve always been inspired by theater,” Eide said. “Watching my performances, I don’t know how to describe that, inspiration doesn’t feel like enough. It’s not even just happiness. It just makes you enjoy life the most. I feel like watching theater also inspired me.”
Eide cites observation as what contributed to her drive to perform, but she also believes her friends around her pressured her to join Theater on the Hill. With no prior experience, Eide excitedly joined, needing a club to fill her time after school.
“Other people around me were encouraging me to try,” Eide said “ I need something to do with my time after school anyway. That prompted me to join the theater. So I also had some friends who had gone into the theater and they were talking about it, which got me excited.”
Even though she is happiest on a stage, it does not mean she is comfortable. Eide talks about her anxiety on and off stage, and how the thrill of performing is not always a good thing.
“Nine times out of ten I feel awful,” Eide said. “It’s those moments one percent of the time where everything turns out perfect. It’s beyond that. It’s why I stay in the theater.”
Eide’s transition from minor roles to leads has been drastic, showing her talent and dedication. Eide is grateful for all of the opportunities she has gotten over the past two years, and thinks they have built her skill up little by little.
“[Into the Woods] helped me become more competent on stage,” Eide said. ‘It’s been baby steps on stage. So while you can’t see growth by each individual show, if you put them together you’ll see how far I started to where I am now. It’s not as much as I’d like, but at the same time, I got somewhere. If I did [star in Chicago] last year, I’d be much more nervous. I care less what people think [now].”
Eide’s success in theater has not affected her college plans, with her stating she still has not thought it through. Despite pressure from others, she is still on the fence with her career choice.
“I have no idea [what I am going to do in college],” Eide said. “I am really on the fence with what I want to do in college. I’m doing Brightpoint for the first two years to see what I want to do and not do. I don’t know if I’m willing to take a risk. I might, but I want money.”
