Thank you Ariel, cast and community

As I’ve had time to recover and relax after the musical, I’ve done quite a bit of reflecting on my time as Ariel, and as a member of the Aurora music program.
First and foremost, I would like to extend a great thank you to the community. The fact that all of the shows were sold out was incredible. It is very rare that a school like ours draws crowds of over 450 people for performing arts events, so thank you for supporting the cast and everyone who was a part of the musical.
This musical was very bittersweet for me. I was honored to be the leading lady, but couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that it was my last show here at Aurora. The musical is my main priority for about half of the school year and once it’s over, there’s a sense of emptiness that sets in.
It’s very normal for performers to experience a post-show slump. When all your energy, focus and time goes into something as big as a theater production, it becomes your identity, your driving force. Then, after it’s all said and done, it’s incredibly difficult to find that kind of motivation and drive again.
Of course, I have loved the new-found freedom and free time, but there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t reminisced about the show.
What I try to remind myself of, though, is the fact that I got to be one of the most loved Disney characters of all time. I was given the opportunity to put my heart and soul into a princess that I’ve loved my whole life, and give an incredible experience to members of the community, and especially the kids of our town.
Some of my favorite moments from the whole show were the times that I walked out of the theater and kids crowded around me, asked me for pictures, gave hugs and simply wanted to talk to me -- all because I was Ariel.
After each of the musicals I’ve been in, I’ve made an Instagram post with the caption “Katherine, thank you for everything,” or “Ariel, thank you for everything.” I’ve had people ask me what this means or why I’m thanking a character that only exists on a screen or stage. It’s because these characters have done so much for me.
As a sophomore, taking on the challenge of being a lead was something that terrified me. I had many people telling me I didn’t deserve it, but I knew I couldn’t listen. Playing Katherine gave me a sense of confidence and fierceness that I hadn’t yet discovered, and helped me navigate the naysayers and their belittling words.
As Katherine, I gave some of the best performances that I had ever done and it was greatly thanks to the way I was able to find myself through playing this part.
I made my mark on stage as a performer who was to be taken seriously, and who deserved the role I was given.
Now, as a senior, I was just as terrified to be Ariel. As I mentioned before, she is one of the most beloved characters ever. I didn’t know if I would be able to do her justice.
What I learned this time around, though, was that Ariel embodied the things that I’ve never let myself be.
She is carefree, headstrong, a little wild and endlessly fights for what she wants. I’ve always been the opposite, needing order, following directions and meshing with the crowd in order to avoid any conflict. Playing Ariel taught me that I have every right to fight for myself, to speak up and to simply be myself.
I know it seems a little silly to put so much value into characters, but viewing them like this helps me find closure after a show ends its run. It also helps me realize how much I’ve grown as a performer and a person.
Again, I would like to thank everyone who came to see the show, our backstage crew, our amazing fly operators (especially Jack) and most importantly, thank you to Ariel, for making me a better young woman, performer, and person.
EMMA BULLERMAN is a senior at Aurora High School and is a guest columnist.