He Opens A Window

MARIA: Sister Margaretta always says, "When God shuts a door --"

CAPTAIN: I know--"He opens a window."

One of the most beautiful quotes from Roger's and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, "When God shuts a door he opens a window."  I never realized how true that statement was until I got the part of Liesl.  I have loved The Sound of Music my whole life.  "My Favorite Things" was the first song I ever sang, and I would toddle around the house at two years old singin "raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens." Ironically it was also the first musical I ever tried out for.  When I was eight years old, my parish was putting on the production.  I wanted so badly to be Marta or Gretl, but I did not make it.  I was devestated when the director called me and told me I would not be in it.  But I have been stronger since then, fine with not getting roles.  Three acting camps and at least one musical a year since fifth grade taught me that.  I have loved every minute of it.  To me it appeared that the door was closed when it came time for high school.  I was leaving the comforts of my small suburbia to attend a private school in the city that I wanted nothing to do with.  I enjoyed musicals thouroughly, but had not yet realized my intense passion for them.  So deciding to stick to familiarity I auditioned from the musical and made it as a chorus girl. 

At first I was wary since I knew no one and many of the actors were older than me, but I started to fit in right away.  The musical was Working, one that has a strong chorus and a wonderful meaning.  I could not have wished for a better musical freshman year.  The cast was incredibly talented and I became a part of a beautiful family.  He opened a window.

Sophomore year was much easier.  The musical was Jesus Christ, Superstar, and this year I knew the drill.  I went to auditions feeling much more confident, greeting old friends and meeting the freshmen with whom I would become incredibly close over the years.  The casting for that show was perfect.  The cast was, if possible, more talented than the previous year.  I came away with a chorus role again, but I did not expect much more as a sophomore.  It seemed as though a door was closed then, but I knew I still had two more years ahead of me.  The performance of this show was amazing.  Teachers, friends, and other audience members were left in tears, because the message was even more powerful than Working's had been.  My most vivid memory was closing night, when the actor who played Jesus was carried off of the cross to the wing I was standing in.  When he was set down, he stayed on the floor, sobbing from the power of the show, the poignancy of the story, and the sadness of it all coming to an end.  That June, we were nominated for the high school musical awards in my city that are similar in style to the Tony's.  We won best musical, a feat that had never been accomplished by my school before, and the euphoric feeling lasted days.  He opened a window.

 Junior year came around rather quickly.  College visits began, along with SAT class and the hours of homework.  I faithfully auditioned for the musical, which this year was Cinderella, a little disappointing after two such powerful shows.  It was fun anyway, with a growing stage family.  I got to know so many more people.  This musical would be the most poignant so far for me, as it would be the last for many of my good friends.  I received a chorus role again, but with a small singing part and part of a select chorus for "A Lovely Night."  It turned out to be very funny, with an extra stepsister added by our wonderful director and a medieval version of the "Cha cha Slide" put in by our choreographer.  Although I was disappointed at not getting a bigger part this year, I tightened incredible friendships and had great fun with this show.  He opened a window.

Finally it is senior year.  Not quite the end, as there are many applications still to finish, but I made it this far.  The musical was The Sound of Music.  I wanted the part of Liesl so badly, as in my opinion it is the sweetest and most fun of all the roles.  Miraculously, I got it.  I was thrilled, although many people were unhappy with some of the other casting decisions.  Rehearsals thus far have been phenomenal, with many laughs often triggered by our fun-loving director or the ever-sarcastic Captain von Trapp.  This year has been the most rewarding of all my experiences in musicals, being honored with a role such as this and able to work with an amazingly talented and beautiful group of people.  He opened a window, one that I will never forget about and will probably alter the rest of my life.