Student Blog: Seasons of Love

Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes…
How do you measure, measure, measure a year?

All my life, I grew up belting those words from Seasons of Love, one of my favorite songs from Rent. Back then, I sang them simply because I loved the song. I never truly understood their meaning. But today, I do. Today, those words carry weight. They remind me how precious, fleeting, and transformative the years can be.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes.
So when you ask how I measure a year, my answer is not quite like the song says. It is not in love, or cups of coffee, or sunsets. I measure it in growth, in the quiet moments of self-discovery, in lessons learned, and in how I have changed with each passing season. As the world around me shifts, I see how I have evolved too, through the many seasons of my life, as a person, as an actor, and within an industry that never stops transforming. Each season leaves its mark, shaping who I am and who I continue to become.

My first realization of this change in seasons felt like a dream within a dream or, perhaps more fittingly, a Midsummer Night’s Dream. I attended an arts elementary school, and our graduating production in eighth grade was A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This was where I first stepped into the role of Peter Quince. Fast forward to my senior year as a theater major at an arts high school, and life has come full circle as our graduating play is once again A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and I have been cast once again as Peter Quince. Revisiting this role four years later feels like returning to a memory from another lifetime. Back then, I was in eighth grade, eager, curious, and just beginning to understand what theater could be. Now, in my senior year, I look back and see how much I have grown. I have lived, learned, and gathered experiences that have shaped me into someone very different from my younger self. Over these years, I have gained new tools, both as a person and as an actor. I have trained, explored, and taken on numerous roles that have deepened the way I approach a character and how I see theater itself. Revisiting Peter Quince now feels like revisiting a younger version of myself, but this time I bring with me everything I have learned through the seasons of my own growth.

The musical Dear Evan Hansen played a huge role in my changing seasons. I will never forget being eleven years old, sitting in the theater, and thinking, Wow, I want to make people feel the way that cast made me feel. I wanted to make audiences laugh, think, cry, and reflect. That show affirmed my love for theater and performing, and for that, I will be grateful for forever. If I could tell my younger self that many of the cast members from the Broadway and National Tour productions would one day join me on my podcast and even become like older siblings, she would not believe it. If I could tell her that the first in-person episode of my podcast would be filmed in Buffalo, New York, in between performances of the Dear Evan Hansen national tour, she would not believe it. If I told her that Mateo Lizcano, who played Evan on Broadway when she first saw the show in New York for the first time, would later join me as the guest for the podcast’s 50th episode and eventually sing “Waving Through a Window” as the opening number for a show I created about my own life, she simply would not believe it. I also had the pleasure of singing Sincerely, Me in the show I created with various members of the Dear Evan Hansen National Tour. Being found by these people through this show is something I am deeply grateful for.

The season that would shock her most is the one that became the most impactful in my life, my blessing in disguise, the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world went into quarantine, my main form of self-expression, the stage, was suddenly stripped away. As a theater student, losing the ability to do what I loved most was an incredible challenge. Instead of falling into despair, I found another way to tell stories. I created a podcast called The Inspiration Show, where I interview people who have inspired me. The mission of the show is simple yet powerful: to inspire others through the stories and courageous journeys of those who have inspired me.

What began in 2019 as a small idea born from isolation has, six years later, grown beyond my wildest dreams. It has become the heartbeat of my life. I have had the honor of welcoming over 100 Broadway and television professionals whose artistry and wisdom have shaped not only their fields but my own personal journey. Through their stories, I have discovered that the magic of theater does not exist only on stage; it also lives in the paths that lead us there. The Inspiration Show has deepened my love for storytelling and publicity. It has taught me that the importance lies not just in the stories we tell on stage but in the stories of how we get to the stage. Our offstage journeys are just as meaningful as what happens under the lights. Through this podcast, I have developed a deep passion for learning and sharing these journeys, the real, human stories behind the art that inspires the world.

Not only did the seasons shape who I am, but as Broadway’s seasons changed, I found myself transforming right alongside them. One show this season transported me back to seventh grade, to the young girl who fell in love with literature for the very first time. The first book I ever truly loved had become a musical. The characters I once saw only in my imagination, as I turned each page, were suddenly alive before me. As I stepped into the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater, I had only two things on my mind: the first story I ever loved and my favorite place in the world, Broadway, merging into one. Watching my favorite story come to life on stage was an experience like no other. Getting to interview several members of the Broadway and now national tour cast of The Outsiders Musical is something I will forever hold close to my heart. The connections I have made with the actors in this production, and the new perspectives I gained by seeing these beloved characters through their performances, have reminded me of the timeless message at the heart of the story, the importance of staying gold through every stage and season of my life. 

Another musical helped me discover a brand-new season and a new part of myself through theater: Parade. This show deeply resonated with me. Watching a true story that means so much to me unfold on stage evoked emotions I did not even know theater could bring. Parade did not just move me, it changed me. It opened my eyes to the power of storytelling as truth, justice, and remembrance, and reminded me why I fell in love with theater in the first place. I had the absolute honor and pleasure of interviewing many Parade cast members and building relationships with some of them, artists who have taken me under their wings and become like older siblings and guiding lights in my journey. Getting to sing The Picture Show with Parade cast members in a production I created about my journey was nothing short of a dream come true. Parade became more than a show to me; it became a mirror reflecting the kind of artist and human I aspire to be, one who tells stories that matter.

Two musicals in particular helped intertwine earlier seasons of my life into a new and emerging season. Two of my all-time favorite movies, Back to the Future and The Notebook, came to Broadway, reminding me of the impact they had on me in earlier seasons of my life. Getting to connect with cast members from both productions, to interview them, learn from them, and have some become mentors, was an experience beyond what my younger self could have imagined. Having two of my favorite movies come to life on stage as musicals felt like watching pieces of my past meet my present. It reminded me that just like these stories, I too am constantly being reimagined and evolving with each new season, each new act of my journey. 

A new act of my journey that I recently discovered this Broadway season was my love of plays. My entire life, I had been captivated by musicals, never fully exploring the world of plays until I had the chance to sit front row at the Booth Theater and witness the play that would change me forever: John Proctor is The Villain. From the moment the lights dimmed, I was transported. By curtain call, I walked out of that theater a changed person. I often think of myself as having two versions: the person I was before John Proctor is The Villain, and the person I became post John Proctor is The Villain. There are truly no words to capture the depth of what I felt. The play challenged me, moved me, and made me think in ways I had never experienced before. It showed me the profound power of storytelling in its purest form, inspiring me to dedicate my passion for theater not just to performance, but to stories that provoke, question, and illuminate the human experience. Connecting with, interviewing, and building relationships with members of the cast, many of whom have since become mentors was one of the most beautiful and transformative parts of this journey, as hearing their reflections on the show and its impact was truly life-changing.

But most importantly, there was a show that became an entire season of my life. On June 10th, 2024, I stood beneath the lights of The Green Room 42 and stepped into a moment that changed my life forever. That night, I performed The Journey of Inspiration Through Theater, a cabaret I created, wrote, directed, cast, and produced that told the story of my journey as a performer and podcast host. It was not just a show; it was a piece of my heart brought to life. From Toronto, to the creation of The Inspiration Show, to the stages of New York City, the performance traced my path, exploring what it means to chase a dream that sometimes feels out of reach. I had the honor of performing alongside Broadway guests who had joined me on my podcast, mentors whose talent, resilience, and generosity continue to fuel my artistic fire. Using songs from beloved Broadway shows to tell my story, paired with spoken monologues about the different seasons of my life, I shared the struggles, triumphs, and lessons that shaped me. For the first time, I stood on a stage as my true self, not a character, and felt the weight of every sacrifice and the beauty of every victory. I was not just performing; I was living my story out loud. That night, I understood the power of art to heal, connect, and ignite something within others. My mission has always been to inspire young people to follow their dreams, no matter how big or unreachable they may seem. Your story matters. Your voice matters. And when you stand tall in your truth, you give others permission to do the same. One person is all it takes, and that is enough. This show created a new season for me as a director, writer, and producer, and I discovered the passion of writing shows and telling stories that empower and inspire others to follow their path.

I now find myself standing in one of the most important seasons of my life. Funny enough, this season is named after one of the movies that shaped me most growing up: High School Musical. I am currently rehearsing for my senior play, and after closing that show, I will dive headfirst into our senior high school musical, my final production in high school. Looking back, I reflect on this season of life we call high school. Going to school every day, receiving a great education, and studying what I love most has meant the world to me. Building friendships, stepping into countless roles, and discovering new things about myself as both a person and an actor has been an extraordinary gift. It is bittersweet to look back at the past seasons of high school while also going through the preview process, rehearsing, and preparing tirelessly for the next one, university. I am already getting a preview of these future seasons as I audition and apply to schools around the world, imagining what the next chapters of my life will look like. I have discovered a deep passion for Occupational Therapy and hope that in future seasons, I can blend this calling with my love of theater to continue developing The Healing Stage, a practice I created that merges both theater and occupational therapy. The same spark I once felt under stage lights I now see rekindled through occupational therapy. It has become clear that the stage and the clinic are not opposites, they are mirrors. Where Occupational Therapy empowers people to engage meaningfully in daily life, theater awakens emotional freedom. Where therapy teaches life skills, performance teaches life force. Together, they can heal both nervous systems and narratives. Children will not just learn to walk, write, or reach; they will learn to take the stage of their own lives. I hope the next seasons of my life allow me to continue blending these passions and to change lives in ways I never thought possible.

Another season of my life that feels beyond my wildest dreams is being a Student Blogger for BroadwayWorld. Growing up, and still to this day, I spend hours on BroadwayWorld, reading every article, soaking in everything about the Broadway community. To now get to write my own pieces is an incredible honor. I get teary-eyed every single time I open one of my articles on the website and see my name listed as the author. BroadwayWorld has always been my main source for information on all things Broadway, and to now make my own contribution to something that has meant so much to me is an unforgettable and deeply meaningful experience, a season in my life I will always cherish. Truly, it is beyond my wildest dreams.

Another incredible season in my life that has shaped me is not a feeling, a movie, a memory, or a piece of theater; it is a place. That place is the greatest city in the world, New York City. The first time I stepped foot in the city, it was transformative. It felt like home, like I had always belonged there and was meant to be there. It is often said that if you feel a pull toward a place, it means your story has already been written there. For me, New York City has become my home away from home, a city that inspires me to embrace my authentic self and strive to be the best version of who I can be. New York City is its own season in my life, a season of growth, discovery, and possibility. Just like the other seasons I have lived through, it has shaped me, challenged me, and inspired me to keep evolving. Every street, every theater, every moment in NYC is a reminder that life itself is made up of seasons, and this city will always be one of my most transformative.

In conclusion, the most important seasons of my life have been defined by the incredible people I have connected with and the impact that their work has had on me. These seasons have helped me find what brings my life meaning, and that is inspiring others and shining light on stories. The final question I ask every guest on my podcast, The Inspiration Show, is always, “Looking back on everything you have achieved in this industry, what advice would you give to your younger self?” Every conversation on this podcast has been a gift. Every word, every story, every laugh, every piece of advice shared has shaped me and my seasons in ways I cannot even begin to describe. As the leaves fall and change color, as snow begins to form from the sky, as flowers bloom in the spring, and as the sun shines bright in the summer, seasons change, and so do the seasons of our lives. I am forever grateful for every season of my life that has made me who I am, and the advice I would give my younger self is simple: change with the seasons.