5 Steps to Have Fun at Peddie (Theater Edition)

5 Steps to Have Fun at Peddie (Theater Edition)
From the Winter Musical to concerts to our annual Declamation Contest, Winter at Peddie is filled with opportunities to perform. Whether you’ve never set foot on a stage before or you already know you love to act or sing, there are so many ways to get involved with the arts at Peddie. And who better to tell you how than tour guide and theatrical veteran Brooke Gomez ’24?

1. PARTICIPATE IN YOUR FRESHMAN MUSICAL

What’s a Freshman Musical? Freshman Musical is the most fun class you will ever take at Peddie, where you are given a term to put together a musical with other members of the freshmen class. No matter if you have never sung before, only like to play instruments, or have been in theater forever, this is a class I highly recommend to feel Peddie spirit during your first term here.

Brooke as Matilda in her Freshman Musical
Brooke as Matilda in her Freshman Musical

2. DON’T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF

If there’s one thing that Peddie Theater has taught me, it’s to never give up on myself, no matter how hard an audition process (or anything, for that matter) may be. In my sophomore year, I auditioned for the musical and was cast as an understudy. However, I did not let that stop me from being involved in the show and participating in all of the cool theater traditions that we have here at Peddie, and even got to work on some of the technical aspects of the show.

3. TRY NEW THINGS

During my sophomore year at Peddie, I auditioned for my first play, meaning that I was only acting- not singing like I usually did in chorus and in musicals. Although I was extremely nervous, the Theater Director, Ms. Sherman, worked with me to ease my nerves during the audition process, and I actually ended up getting cast as the lead in the show, something that I definitely did not think was going to happen. In addition, I was able to learn that I had as much of a love for acting as I do singing, which I never would have known if I had not auditioned for the play.

4. PARTICIPATE IN YOUR FRESHMAN MUSICAL (AGAIN!)

One of the things that made my Freshman Musical experience so great was the upperclassmen who were there to guide us during the audition process, rehearsals and performances. When I became a junior, I decided that I was going to become one of these upperclassmen, and it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. It became a way for me to connect with underclassmen as an upperclassman, and share my love of theater.

Brooke stage managing the Freshman Musical Revue
Brooke steps backstage for the Freshman Musical Revue, keeping the production running smoothly

5. GO TO SEE A PEDDIE PERFORMANCE

Even if you do not consider yourself to be someone who would ever participate in theater, going to see a Peddie Theater performance is a fun way to spend a night. It’s a way to support peers that have worked hard to put a show together, and provide yourself with entertainment for a night. As a person who participates in most shows, some of my favorites to see have been the Reeves Speaking Contest, where contestants form their own speeches and give them in the Ding Music Hall, and the Declamation Contest, which is a monologue-reading contest. The musicals are definitely a crowd pleaser though, and for me, are the most fun to perform in. (The last one we did was Legally Blonde, where I got to play Elle Woods!)

No matter what you are interested in, it is a must to participate in Peddie Theater at least once while you are here, whether that be in a Declamation Contest, as an audience member or one of the main stage productions. You’re bound to feel the Ala Viva spirit!