Taking the Plunge: A Six-Week Journey in Theater

To stand on stage and perform — you can say it’s just like Icarus reaching toward the sun.

I enrolled in PETA’s Weekend Workshops to pursue a childhood dream.

On a day I had intended for rest, I entered their QC building for the first time last February and felt a strange mix of nerves and excitement. 

There I was, in a strange new world, meeting unfamiliar faces. We were 25 in our class, and we would come together for the next six weekends, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., to not slowly build something from the ground up. 

The first few weeks of the workshop were lessons on the basics of theater and the art of improvisation. Disguised as engaging activities, they not only taught us the fundamentals of theater and performance but also allowed us to truly get to know one another. What began as simply knowing each other’s names gradually grew into a connection through shared goals and experiences.

Soon, we learned to set aside our reservations and allowed ourselves to be vulnerable. We all began as strangers, and performing in front of unfamiliar faces can be intimidating, but thanks to the support and encouragement of our facilitators (they’re the best, by the way), we were guided to step out of our comfort zones. They constantly reminded us to plunge into each task and face it with confidence rather than fear. 

It was a comforting feeling to be in a space where we felt safe and free to be ourselves, able to express without judgment.

Team Work Makes the Dream Work  

In the following week, we were given an activity to create a story out of the set of words given to us. We were grouped into 3 and we were tasked to form a tableau. At first, we thought it was just a simple team exercise, but little did we know, it was already the first step toward our final piece.

Shaping the tableau into a cohesive narrative that brought the story to life was an enjoyable process. None of it would have been possible without the collaborative work of each group.

As we neared the end of the workshop, our focus grew from simply preparing for our showcase to getting to know each other better.

The bond didn’t end after class at 2 p.m., we would walk together down Sunnyside Drive to make “pagpag” at the nearest coffee shop. There, we talked about the day, laughed, and shared stories and experiences as if we had known each other for years.

Seeing my fellow workshoppers happy, listening to their laughter as their projected voices filled the café, I was struck by how fleeting these moments were. In a few more weeks, our weekends together would end. We would return to our busy lives, and these simple, shared experiences would become memories—short, but definitely ones I would always cherish.

 

 

 

 

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Closer to the Sun

And then the final day arrived, and with it a roller coaster of emotions. It was our moment to perform on the PETA stage no less and finally share the piece we’ve all been working for.

But what struck me was the realization that this was more than just a performance. It was also an ending. The last weekend. The last time we’d gather in that space we had grown so used to. I had always looked forward to weekends because of the workshop, and knowing it was the last made it feel a little heavier.

We began the morning sharing coffee and vitamins, keeping ourselves energized for the long day ahead. We took photos, capturing memories we wanted to hold onto forever.

Our last warm-up played out to Autotelic’s “Laro,” the song we had come to associate with our showcase, “Matayataya.” 

Then came our final run on stage, the last time we could move freely and carefree, before the the nerves crept in, knowing our loved ones would soon be watching our performance.

We spent our final moments reflecting on the past weekends, sharing our highs and lows, and expressing gratitude toward one another and our facilitators. It was bittersweet to look at their faces as fellow workshoppers for the last time faces that, just a few weeks ago, were difficult to match with names. 

I felt a deep gratitude for having worked alongside them and the memories we had created. Looking back, I realized I couldn’t have asked for a better group to share this experience with, and that these moments would stay with me long after the workshop ended.

Achieving the Dream

Then came our time to perform. In those final moments backstage, every emotion surged all at once. It was terrifying to realize that it wasn’t just our facilitators watching anymore, but an entire audience. Despite the jitters and doubts that kept forming in my head, I reminded myself of everything I had learned over the past few weeks: to commit fully to what I was doing, to take the plunge, and above all, to enjoy performing.

Under the blinding stage lights, was the most bizarre feeling I had ever known—exhilarating and overwhelming. I was finally doing what was once just a dream, and doing it alongside these people as we brought our story to life through our ensemble work.

As the stage lights dimmed and we stepped out of the theater, gathered in the halls, we formed our final circle. In that moment of farewell, we held not just the lessons of the six-week workshop, but the bond and experience we had forged together. We knew that, after this, our lives would be different, marked forever by the memories we had created and the friendships we had built. — LA, GMA News