By Indian Hill High School Student Experience Journalist Vandita Rastogi
When I first arrived at Indian Hill as a sixth grader, I realized that theatre was an integral part of the culture here. The first Pow Wow show I watched was Into the Woods, and I was immediately hooked. Year after year, I saw my own classmates light up the stage — from the talented Smilla Eihausen in Beauty and the Beast, to Reilly Grace in Mamma Mia!, and Claire Hardek in The Phantom of the Opera, I was continually mesmerized by their commitment to the performance and dedication to rehearse constantly until it was perfect. Each one of them has this unique ability to tell a story with their dancing and the way they execute their words, and I wanted to someday be a part of that.
This year, I auditioned for my first ever show, the Pow Wow production of Hello, Dolly! It was quite nerve-racking at first, seeing as everyone already had their little groups of friends and I was a mere outcast. Rehearsals were demanding, and learning the choreography for what would be almost seven songs in the show was quite the task. I spent many hours outside of school watching videos to keep up with the pace. At first, it just felt repetitive — doing the same moves over and over until they were perfect — but I learned that this was the secret to our success in the show.
Although we were initially going to perform in February, due to the pandemic, our show got shifted to April. And from then on, time just flew by. After spring break, we were mostly on the stage, slowly blocking the show, and it felt like it was truly coming together. The feeling of Opening Night was unlike any other. I was jittery, mainly because I didn’t want to let the rest of the cast down if I messed up. But after notes, warmup, and the fun little Pow Wow traditions led by the seniors, I was ready to take on an actual live audience.
Before I go on though, I must say that Brooke Youngblood, who played Dolly Levi, did an incredible job portraying a deeper meaning to her character. What we all needed was to “rejoin the human race” — learning to laugh and cry together — and through live theatre, and Brooke’s (and several others!) masterful tactics, we were able to do just that.
The shows went very well, and I thoroughly enjoyed performing in front of my friends and family. But what I truly learned from this experience was how much theatre is about the community. It’s a judgement-free zone where everyone, no matter how much or how little their experience, is welcomed with open arms. I remember being nervous about opening college applications, and a large group of the cast helped comfort me as I viewed my decisions. I remember Faye Hardek, the insanely talented Ermengarde in the show, always being the first to hug me before and after each and every show. Or John Kushman (Cornelius Hackl) lending me his apron for the Waiter’s Gallop because I had lost mine. Nina Overton (Minnie Fay) constantly asked me how I was and helped me keep up with schoolwork. I think the words that stuck most with me was our director, Mr. Jeff Clark, complimenting me after our Sunday matinee and telling me how much I’ve grown in confidence on the stage. These little things are what kept me going, because I knew even if I fell or if I was ever down, there was a community out there still rooting for me and helping me up.
Overall, I’m beyond elated that I got to participate in my first theatre performance — from rehearsals to the final countdown, I finally understood what it meant to put on a show. Truly, I have no regrets and I hope to come back next year to watch my new friends put on another show!
Photo caption: Vandita Rastogi during the opening song, “Call on Dolly”