Inspired by this year’s yearbook theme, the Blue & White staff is celebrating students who “found the silver lining” in challenging situations. The phrase reflects the idea that even dark clouds have a bright edge, symbolizing hope and growth in adversity. Join us each week as we showcase a student or staff member who has shown remarkable optimism and resilience.
Auditioning. One of the most daunting processes for an actor. It determines everything, what role you will play, or if you’ll even be in the play or musical at all. Sometimes receiving the results can be the most rewarding thing in the world. However, it can also feel discouraging when you don’t get the role you want. It can make an actor feel as though they’ve failed, make them wonder what they could’ve done better.
It’s a feeling sophomore Elliott Smith was all too familiar with, until they landed their dream role.
“Everyone’s always like ‘it’s a dream come true,’” Smith said. “But truly it made me feel like I was worthy of the thing that I’d wanted for a really long time.”
Smith started theatre at a young age, which quickly turned into a lifelong passion. Throughout their years they’ve received many roles that weren’t the ones they wanted. They tried to turn each disappointment into a learning opportunity. Finally, after years of hard work, they landed a dream role: Ariel in “The Little Mermaid.”
Smith started their journey with theatre at the young age of just six years old after their mother enrolled them in a show called “The Magic in Me.”
Smith was a rather wild child, hitting and chasing their parents around the house. There was a lot of energy there, energy which required some way to let it all out in a way that wasn’t smacking and running.
“So [my mother] put me into theatre because she thought it’d be a good outlet for me,” Smith said.
What started out as an outlet for their energy turned into a passionate hobby, which they have continued to pursue over the years. However, every passion has its downsides.
Elliott is well aware that actors won’t receive the role they want every time they audition for a show. Over the years, Smith has participated in 13 shows and did not always land the part they wanted.
“I’ve gotten parts that I didn’t want, but I’ve never gotten a part that I hate,” Smith said.
Instead of being discouraged, Smith always made a point to make the most of the roles they received.
“I try to take it from the point of view of it being a learning experience,” Smith said. “I just try and approach it from a different angle of being more versatile.”
Something Smith has always wanted throughout their time in musical theatre was to play an ingenue, something they were finally able to achieve after so many years. On November 26, 2024, they found out they landed the lead role in Weathervane Playhouse‘s production of “The Little Mermaid.”
An ingenue, a female character who is young and innocent, is an archetype in theatre. Ariel perfectly fits this description, with her curiosity for the world above
They said they’re so excited to play this role and that when it happened they felt like it wasn’t even real. Receiving the role made them feel so fulfilled, like they were worthy enough to play it.
“I proved that I was good enough,” Smith said.
