The curtains open, it’s dark, the audience is waiting with anticipation. Thump, thump, thump freshman Tori Ward’s heart is beating out of her chest. Showtime; but what exactly is showtime?

“Shows are fun, they’re met for expressing yourself,” Ward said. “Performing makes you feel alive and happy. I like putting in all the hard work and then watching it all pay off on show days.”

Ward has a lot of experience in theater. She has been in 12 productions outside of school, and now that she has started in the Blue Valley theatrical department, she is ready to perform for her high school.

“The department is extremely amazing — I love it.” Ward said. “It’s more of family than a club or a group of people. I want to do shows and audition for all of them and be as big as I can in the drama department.”

Theater has always been Ward’s interest. She said she hasn’t enjoyed anything as much as performing.

“Theatre is different from sports.” Ward said. “You get to express yourself in the deepest ways and become different characters while exploring different stories. When performing you must memorize lines and use your body for choreography. You must focus on so many elements at once and, on top of that, you have to make sure you engage and entertain your audience.”

Even though Ward has been in several productions, the nerves and process does not change. In fact, every audition feels just has hard as the first one, she said.

“I’m usually crazy jumpy — I know everything I have to do on stage, and I know I can do it. But of course it can be scary because it’s nerve-racking to perform in front of your peers.” Ward said. “The process — You walk onto the stage and get asked some questions and then after you slate, then you perform your piece and depending on how your audition went you may get asked more questions and then after all that you will leave and wait until the cast list is posted.”

“The department is extremely amazing — I love it. It’s more of family than a club or a group of people.”

-Tori Ward

Ward isn’t the only one in her family that enjoys theater.

“Performing runs in the family and when I get to Blue Valley I will perform just like my sister,” Ward’s brother Keller said.

Tori also has the love and support of her parents.

“My parents support me and have helped me get where I am.” Tori said. “I am extremely grateful for that.”

Performing gives students an opportunity to try new things and put themselves out there, “I love [performing] and I always will” Tori said.

“Theater makes me happy.”