Drama kids are heavily stereotyped. People tend to see us as crazy, loud, sometimes annoying people with an obnoxious love for the arts. We are sometimes criticized for liking Anne Hathaway too much and crying about Les Miserables. There are many memes, or blog pages dedicated to us and our excitability over "everything theater."
Though most of the things listed here are applicable to us and what we stand for, it is sometimes misrepresented, putting into a faulty spotlight, as one would have it. It is hurting our reputations... and our feelings a little bit. This blog was written to raise awareness of how we really feel and how we actually spend our time. We are just calm, optimistic, dedicated kids who do more than people realize. Also guys, we do sports, dance is a sport! Okay, moving on.
1. A common stereotype is that we are always hanging out in the drama room at our school. This is not true! Drama kids are always out and about. For example, getting lunch at the nearest sandwich shop; nothing like a quick burrito at Chipotle before heading to drama rehearsal!
Another place you can find us is on Tumblr blogging about relatable theater things, rehearsal, complaining about how much rehearsal we have, in our cars driving to rehearsal and sneaking out to another burrito because everyone asked for bites of your other one. See, drama kids move around.
2. Another assumption people have formed about us is that we constantly quote musicals. That is not true! I knew a drama kid once who -- once... wait that reminds me of "Falling slowly, eyes that know me"... I'm sorry, where was I again? Oh, yeah! Quoting songs and musicals. You know, most drama kids actual defy that stereotype -- "you and I defying gravity!" I'm sorry, I just love musicals, and they can just be so modern as well as... "everything today is thoroughly modern!" Then there are other musicals that make me sad -- "when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad." Good God, I hope I'm not boring you... "mama who bore me!" Well, okay, maybe just because I do it, doesn't mean all drama kids do!
3. A third misconception we must tackle is that the only thing drama kids think about is the department. That is totally false! We don't obsess about the drama department. We talk about what shows they will do next, who will star in them, what the costumes will look like and who is having the cast party. Not to mention who didn't show up to rehearsal that week, the flu that seems to be going around even though show week is coming up, and much, much more. Psh, they thought we talked only about the department!
I just have a dream that one day -- "I dreamed a dream in time gone by... " -- that one day people will stop encouraging these falsehoods around the drama kids, the department, the notion that we obsess about the possible leads for next year's musical (which should totally be Thoroughly Modern Millie by the way). Also, we aren't always in the drama room. We need to go get food and bring it back -- duh! We are a group that is heavily stereotyped and I hope that doesn't discourage you from joining us, because as the saying goes, "We're all in this together!"