The flower above is a Lenten rose. My family recently moved to a new house and there is a garden full of plants I had never seen before. This one constantly caught my eye and for this assignment I decided to find out what it was. My mother was the one who informed me it was a Lenten rose. I was educated in the Catholic school system and looking at this rose led me to reflect on one of my favorite memories from school: the school musicals. 

I was a theater kid. While in high school, I participated in six musicals and two plays at my school, Nazareth Academy, and the local all-boys school, Father Judge. My favorite show I took part in happened my senior year. I was Coach Bolton, Troy Bolton’s father. The role did not seem to fit at first considering I was a 18 year old girl. But, I was amazing. It added to the comedy. I often got comedic roles in musicals and I liked it that way. I miss the feeling of making people laugh and the fun of singing and dancing on stage.

It also helped that  some of my closest friends were all in the show with me. My friends got the lead roles of Gabriella, Taylor, Kelsi, Ryan, and Jack Scott. Two of my best friends were the lead dancers in the show. I have never gotten closer to a cast as I did that year. We hung out constantly. It also helped that I was simultaneously in a play at another school with other people in the cast. We would carpool as we hopped from practice to practice. 

The show weekend was also my birthday weekend every year. The celebration lasted for about a week, which was super cool. My birthday was kind of treated like a holiday by my friends because of it. Everyone had a lot of fun celebrating my birthday as well as celebrating successful shows. I once had an impromptu birthday dinner and 65 people showed up at a Chickie’s and Pete’s restaurant to celebrate.  I met some of my best friends doing high school shows. The people I met will truly be in my life for a long time. I truly miss my second theater family.

~Helen Dotchel