In spring 2022, Adler’s life was changed when he was invited to see TNP’s production of Mary Poppins. “I had never had any exposure to live theatre – I went in completely blind and had the biggest smile on my face the entire time. I read through the program and saw that some of the performers were also in high school, like myself, so after the show closed, I talked to my theatre teacher and said, “Hey, I kind of want to do that. How can I do that?’ I auditioned for Something Rotten! Teen and got cast as Brother Jeremiah, made lots of friends, and I’ve been doing theatre here ever since.”

Since starting our youth education program last summer, Adler has volunteered as a performer in one production and worked backstage on two productions, amassing over 500 hours since he first began volunteering. Believe it or not, those 500 hours relied on a coin flip. “When I auditioned for the first time, I kept thinking to myself, ‘what if I’m not good enough? What if I don’t get cast? When I was walking in I thought, ‘if I turn back now, no one will know.’ Eventually, I flipped a coin and it landed on heads, and I decided to just go through with it.”

“Going into that audition was so worth it – even if you don’t have experience or knowledge of theatre or have never done anything at the level of TNP, go ahead and audition because that’s the only way to find out if you are ready to pursue this hobby, career, or art. If you have an idea of what you want to do, go out and find opportunities to hone your knowledge and capabilities in that field. It’s okay to be a beginner in things – take the risk.”

All of Adler’s fear around auditioning was instantly extinguished during the rehearsal process, and he found a deep appreciation for acting and the people surrounding him. “It’s a surreal feeling transforming words written on a piece of paper into a character and telling a story. It’s almost like blacking out – as soon as I’m on stage I change into a completely different person. Sometimes I don’t even realize that I’m performing in front of an audience. TNP is a place to try stuff and grow. It’s a playground for creativity. It’s a place where anyone can come in wanting to improve or do better, and then they’ll leave having done just that every day.”

While Adler was becoming more confident and finding his footing on stage, he tried his hand at being backstage as well, and loved the experience. “Working backstage allowed me to have even more opportunities to meet new people and feel a part of this big community and family. It made me realize the importance of stage management, sound, lighting, costumes, run crew – everything that’s happening backstage. It has made me a kinder person and actor. I love having front row seats to every show and getting to see how the actors are in between numbers and scenes.”

One of the largest lessons Adler has learned since volunteering here is that, “family can be made anywhere, and you have no idea where those people will come from. If you’re in a show with someone, there’s a high chance that you’re going to become friends with that person for life.”

Looking back, Adler feels experiencing live theatre has been a “life-changing experience” for him. “If I never had the opportunity to come and see Mary Poppins here, I think the whole trajectory of my life would look completely different to now. Theatre has pretty much taken over my life, and it’s what I want to do. TNP not only opened my eyes to the world of theatre, but helped form me into a proper, functioning person. I’ve grown to understand people from all walks of life and to keep an open mind. Everyone is welcome here, and I’ve taken that into my own life.”

Thank you, Adler, for taking a leap of faith, and being a “good vibes curator” for our community!

We love to get new volunteers into the mix! If you’re new to the area or just new to volunteering at TNP, don’t hesitate to join the fun. Test your skills at the next audition or contact Pamela Larkin Caruso today at 239-434-7340 ext. 104 to find out what other opportunities there are backstage and front of house!