Student Blog: What I Didn't See

As an actor, you worry about learning your lines, your harmonies, hitting your marks, executing your choreography flawlessly. You live inside the moment you are given, your track, your character arc, and trust that everything else will fall into place around you. For most of my life, that was enough. The stage was my sanctuary, and I was an actor.

I was blissfully unaware of what existed beyond the stage lights, the countless conversations, revisions, compromises, and quiet miracles that shape the work before a script is ever handed to an actor, before a show reaches its audience.

Now, stepping into the creative team of a new musical, I am seeing what I did not see. I am witnessing the architecture behind the emotion, the late night rewrites, the delicate balance between story and spectacle, and the way a single note or line can ripple through an entire production. I am seeing what it takes to build a new musical that I hope will inspire generations to come.

It is both humbling and electrifying to realize how much I took for granted, and how many hands are responsible for the moments I once simply stepped into. This is a story about that shift in perspective, about moving from being one piece of the puzzle to finally seeing the whole picture come together.

At the age of six, I fell in love with theater for the very first time, with performing, and with the feeling of stepping into someone else’s shoes to tell a story. At eleven, I was accepted into an arts elementary school, and at fourteen, into a high school theater program, where I spent my years as a theater major.

Now, at eighteen, I plan to pursue my undergraduate studies in arts and entertainment management, combining my two passions, performing and the behind the scenes work that brings theater to life. For years, my place in theater felt clearly defined. I was the performer, the storyteller onstage. But everything changed when I was given the opportunity to join the creative team of a new musical, Olivia O, and suddenly, I found myself seeing theater from an entirely different perspective.

I am beyond honored to be part of the team behind Olivia O, serving as a producer, publicist, and marketing assistant. But more than that, I am now part of the process I once never saw.

Olivia O, The Musical tells a powerful and deeply emotional story about migration, immigration policies, and the movement of people across borders. It follows Olivia Ortiz, a 14-year-old undocumented immigrant separated from her mother at the US-Mexican border. As she navigates loss and uncertainty, she must hold onto her hope, her kindness, and her strength in order to find a sense of home and reconnect with family she has never met.

Being part of bringing this story to life has completely shifted my perspective. I have watched self-tapes that were not my own and helped make casting decisions, something I had only ever experienced from the other side, hoping to be cast. I have created "meet the cast" graphics, communicated directly with cast members and our director, and worked on crafting rehearsal schedules. I have taken part in meetings with the music director and in weekly conversations with the rest of the creative team, where every detail, no matter how small, is thoughtfully considered.

Seeing theater from this side has been invaluable. It has taught me to appreciate the complexity of every choice and the countless moving parts that must come together to tell a story authentically. It has deepened my empathy for everyone involved, from actors to crew members to directors, and reminded me that every performance is the result of countless unseen decisions and collaborations. Understanding the process from multiple perspectives has taken me backstage to a world I had never seen before. It has also strengthened me onstage, helping me become a more thoughtful and intentional storyteller. 

I am no longer just stepping into a story. I am helping shape it. I am witnessing firsthand the care, responsibility, and intention it takes to tell a story like this, one that reflects real experiences, real struggles, and real resilience.

Stepping into the world behind the stage has shown me that theater is so much more than the moments we see under the lights. Every choice, every rehearsal, every late-night conversation contributes to the story that eventually reaches an audience. I have learned to value the patience, the collaboration, and the endless care that go into crafting a production that is truthful, moving, and alive.

This journey has strengthened me both offstage and onstage, deepening my empathy, sharpening my perspective, and reminding me why I fell in love with theater in the first place. Reflecting on this experience, I realize that what has changed most is not simply my role in interpreting a piece of art, but how I contribute to the creation of that art. For the first time, I am seeing the full scope of every decision, every collaboration, and every moment that brings a story to life, and finally understanding what I didn’t see.