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Showfolk are in a special group all their own, which is why when we find one another, we tend to stick together and act, well, a little distinct. If you’re a member of the tribe, you’re probably guilty of doing a few of the things listed below. Don’t worry — you’re definitely not alone.

1. You randomly belt out showtunes.

Whether you’re in the car, in the shower or on the bus, you’re just bringing joy to all those around you.

2. You tap dance whenever you’re waiting in a line.

May as well work on that toe, heel, heel, heel, toe, heel combo at the DMV.

3. You’re always suggesting a massage circle.

Just as long as you’re not the caboose.

4. You’d never throw anything away.

Everything has prop or costume potential!

5. You’ll change your clothes in front of anyone.

You’ve done so many quick changes in the wings that you’ve lost all sense of modesty.

6. You walk overly turned out.

All those musical theatre ballet classes really did a number on your gait.

7. You get a teensy bit overdramatic — occasionally.

Theatre kids are really good at raising the stakes.

8. You’ve been seen stretching in some odd places.

Just warming up my instrument!

9. You practice choreography with your hands.

It’s just more efficient than busting out a pirouette in the green room.

10. The auditions you’ve had lately directly correlates with the answer to the question, “How have you been?”

“Auditions have dried up, I’m done for. How have you been?”

11. When something upsetting happens, you file it away in the “Things That Make Me Cry” file.

Ah, this will come in handy for that “’night, Mother” monologue.

12. You celebrate the Tonys like regular people celebrate the Super Bowl.

The “Hamilton” cast is way better than that puppy-monkey-baby commercial anyway.

13. You’ve been known to freak out over fog and snow machines.

They’re the coolest.

14. You’ve accidently scared a stranger while doing a vocal warmup exercise

“sushi chef…sushi chef.”

15. You quote Shakespeare in everyday conversation.

“All that glitters is not gold.”

16. You talk loudly.

Projection is a skillset you flex regardless of your surroundings.

17. You slip in and out of accents on occasion.

“Right this way, pip-pip, cheerio.”

18. You’re always on the lookout for a great audition song or monologue.

Every play you read, cast recording you hear & show you see is an opportunity for your next audition gem.

19. You save every Playbill and program from every show you’ve ever seen.

No, it’s not an unhealthy obsession.

20. You’ve worn your character shoes out in public.

What? They’re comfortable, plus you never know when you will need to perform a jazz square.

21. You talk to the mirror… a lot!

Hi Mr. Mirror… watch me deliver this line 25 different ways.

What’s your favorite theatre kid-ism? Let us know in the comments below…

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1. You’ve forgotten what the sun looks like

Late rehearsals… enough said.

2. You talk to walls

No one has heard your audition piece more than that wall.

3. You only see your family when they come to your shows

With late nights and early mornings… you’re like a ghost in your own house.

4. Show tunes either excite you or infuriate you

One day you love them, the next day you hate them.

5. Your characters come out in front of other people

Embrace yourself even when others don’t.

6. When you don’t have rehearsal you’re not sure where to go

Having free time is so foreign.

7. School gets in the way of rehearsal

If only you could go to school… and just do rehearsal.

8. Your wardrobe is comprised of only show shirts

Someone else always wears the same show shirt as you to school.

9. You have a natural resentment towards athletes

They might get all the glory, but we know where to find the real talent!

10. You know the proper way to spell “Theatre”

“Theater” refers to a building and “Theatre” refers to an art-form.

11. Limited social life

The only people you are able to hang out with are the people listed in the program with you.

12. You don’t sleep

School + Rehearsal + Homework + Responsibilities + Everyone Else’s Problems = No Sleep

13. You’re broke

You don’t have time for a job and all the fees add up.

14. You keep coming back for more

No matter how much it hurts sometimes… the reward is always worth it!

What are some of the side effects you’ve experienced from being a theatre kid? Leave a reply below…

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1. The Annoying Talent

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The Annoying Talent is very talented… there’s no doubt, but you kind of hate them for it. Everything comes naturally to them and it seems like they don’t have to work as hard as everybody else. They can do no wrong.

2. The Tech Guru

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The Tech Guru can do anything… seriously. We’re not certain when they had time to learn all the stuff they know. If you turn your back for one second, they have the set built. Let’s be honest, the theater belongs to them.

3. The Hidden Talent

The Hidden Talent is the quiet person at the back of room who never says anything until they perform… and when they perform… everyone’s jaw drops. Where did that come from? Then they’re back to their shy ways.

4. The Athlete

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The Athlete thought it would always be fun to try acting. They’re not bad either! By the end of the show they’ll say, “I wish I would have done theatre sooner.” It’s always fun having half the football team in the audience because you cast the wide receiver.

5. The Drama (AKA The Gossip)

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The Drama is the reason we call it the “Drama Department.” When they’re not spreading rumors on Twitter and Facebook… you might hear common phrases like “She said,” “He said,” and “Let them say it to my face.”

6. The Optimist

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The Optimist always has a smile… it’s slightly alarming, but refreshing at the same time. You’re not sure how they’re able to generate a smile as often as they do, but you love it!

7. The Singer

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The Singer knows they can sing… and they let everyone else know it. Yes, we know you know every song in Hamilton. And no, we don’t want to hear it for the eighth time today.

8. The Hugger

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The Hugger loves EVERYONE! They will give you hug. You can’t say no… you can’t escape the hug.

9. The Overachiever

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The Overachiever does everything in theatre. If ever you can’t find them… check the theatre. You often hear them joking that they should just sleep at the school… because they’re always there. The department wouldn’t function without them!

10. The Boss

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The Boss gets work done! These people are usually attracted to student leadership jobs like stage manager, student director, and crew chief. Their favorite thing in life is bossing people around… and they’re good at it.

11. The Mom

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The Mom is everyone’s best friend. They always take care of everyone and wipe our tears when we cry.

12. The Absent

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The Absent is the person who you know is in the show, but you don’t usually see them until show night. They give a whole new meaning to “Empty chairs at empty tables.” They always seem to have other commitments… allegedly.

13. The Fan

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The Fan is everyone’s biggest fan! They attend every show and always tell you how great of a job you did. They aspire to be just like you!

14. The Critic

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The Critic cannot be pleased. No one is ever good enough for their taste. They always have an opinion (welcomed or unwelcomed).

15. The Awkward

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The Awkward is exactly what you think. Every theatre department has that one awkward kid who is too awkward to be in a show… until you finally see them in a perfect role and then you must see them in every show! There is something mesmerizing about all that awkward!

16. The Misunderstood

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The Misunderstood is very misunderstood. They prove how misunderstood they are by wearing elaborate makeup and clothing that you’re pretty certain they stole from the costume closet.

17. The Guitar Player

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The Guitar Player has a guitar. The guitar player has hair that dramatically falls into their eyes. The Guitar Player has a small following of underclassmen who have never heard such genuine and honest music.

18. The Jokester

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The Jokester is hilarious. They always make you laugh… even when you probably shouldn’t be laughing. They’re a child at heart and probably will be for the rest of their life.

18 different personalities, but we need all of them to make our departments so memorable. Which type are you? Which type are your friends? Maybe you’re a dangerous combination!

Did we miss a personality? Comment below and let us know some of the “characters” in your theatre department!

(Cover: Special thanks to Brenna McCulloch of Corvallis High School for letting us use this great photo)

You Might Like This: Only A Real Theatre Nerd Can Ace This Quiz

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To command a stage, and deliver your lines or actions takes guts. The more we practice those skills, the more confident we become in trying new things, taking risks, and gaining personal confidence on the other stages in our lives. This kind of confidence definitely carries over into work, home, school­­, & anywhere we need to step out of our comfort zone or “perform.”

2. Creative Thinking & Problem Solving

Being able to approach a problem from a different angle, or with unique abilities is truly a life skill. Thinking on your feet. Asking questions. Taking notes, adapting movement, adjusting inflection, and trying everything again in a fresh way makes us more creative when we’re tackling other areas in life. It makes us limber mentally and emotionally, and gives us options onstage and off.

3. A Broad Human Perspective

Much of theatre revolves around the script, choices on stage, character motivations, and human interactions. We delve into the human condition and strive to understand others through their own lenses. Human behavior and psychology are central to crafting our characters and portraying their social interactions onstage. We also read many scripts, and experience different historical eras, dance styles, and musical styles. We learn to sympathize, empathize and understand humanity everyday, and this helps us when we interact in the real world.

4. Follow Through

Deadlines, professionalism and quality control are integral parts to every production, both on and off stage. The perseverance required by the theatre makes us stronger people in our personal lives. Opening Night never goes away, and every audience is new, so our practice and performance has to remain solid for the run. The world needs and expects resilient people who step up and make it happen. In other words, “The show must go on!”

5. Teamwork

The very nature of theatre is people working towards a common goal, which is telling a story in a certain way. You can’t escape the team nature of theatre (and sometimes there’s drama that should have been left on the stage), but teamwork is also one of the things we love best about performance! The social fun, interaction, and energy of the cast and crew make those inevitable difficult times more than worth it, and this teaches us to push through problems and conflicts by seeing the big picture, which is the team goal.

6. The ability to work under pressure.

Live audiences! Technical snafus! Lack of sleep! And yet, we learn to thrive under pressure, when needed, by performing. We learn that challenges often bring out the best in us, and we learn that nervous “butterflies” are a sign of life and energy that we can harness. We start to appreciate the adrenaline, the anticipation, and the rush of the stage. We become stronger people by surviving the obstacles and moving forward every day in the theatre.

7. Sheer Enjoyment

Passion for the scripts and collaboration with a team that you care about is deeply fun for those who choose theatre. We learn to bring texts to life. We learn to live in the moment. We learn to improvise when necessary. We inhabit our characters each night on stage. We dance and sing, and call cues, and create something. We face setbacks, but if it wasn’t sheer enjoyment to create and make and perform, we wouldn’t keep choosing this highly demanding work. We find our passion in the theatre. And at the end of every exhausting day, we push forward, for the love of our craft.

Have a skill to add? Leave a reply below…

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1. When You Hear Someone Bad-Mouthing Your Show.

2. When The Director Shows Up To Rehearsal In A Bad Mood…Everyone Pays.

3. When You’re Being Upstaged…

4. When The Glow Tape Didn’t Help.

5. When Someone Approaches You In Public And You’re Still In Your Stage Makeup.

6. When You Get Mentally Prepared Before Auditions…

7. And Then How You Feel When Its Your Turn…

8. When Your Mom Is The Only One In The Audience Clapping…

9. When You Go Back To The Green Room And The Food Is Gone…

10. When You Dread Two Words: Tech Week.

11. When Closing Night Comes And You Say Goodbye To The Show You Love & Family You Have Formed.

12. And Then Realize Auditions For The Next Show Are Only 2 Weeks Away…

Like, agree, have one we missed? Leave a reply below…

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