I have been to many different live theatres in BC as a viewer and consumer, but rarely have I ever been able to stand up on the stage and perform for lots of people. The only time I was able to do this was in my twelfth grade choir trip to Whistler Village.

The three-day weekend trip zipped by way too fast, as each moment in the village seemed like a dream come true. It’s basically a resort with all amenities you could think of located very close to your hotel. However, the best part was the many scheduled choir performances I had with my ensemble. We performed for other schools as well as anyone who wanted to watch. Critics and music professionals also attended our performances which was very nerve-wracking, but luckily the bright lights on stage made it difficult to see the audience, so we just pretended that we were singing to no one and it eased our mindsets.

ArtTower . 2012. JPG file. / Pixabay

On the last day in Whistler Village, we were fortunate enough to perform alongside many different other schools who all prepared the same song together. There were at least a thousand people at the venue watching us, and it was the most grand scale event I have ever been a part of. As we were scheduled to leave the village, I wanted to go and see the incredible theatre venues once more but unfortunately the doors were all locked for safety reasons. Thankfully my choir teacher had recorded the whole thing and we all watched it on the bus home, laughing along the way at our different facial expressions on stage.

I have gained a lot of respect for live theatre performers after that experience in Whistler Village. Not that I didn’t beforehand, but I realized being in front of thousands of eyes is incredibly scary at first, but after a while it starts to become enjoyable to the point where you never want to step down from the stage.