Hello everyone! As one of my final articles on the Voyager, let’s rewind it all the way back to the place that helped drive me to where I am today, the performing arts. When you think of performing arts, Eastern theater and the Marching Band comes to mind. I was very honored to interview 2 seniors who were deeply involved in the performing arts. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
First off, performing arts is commonly associated with theater. So, let’s kick things off with the talented Luke Hoffmaster. Luke Hoffmaster is a senior who has been doing theater ever since he was 10.
A: How did theatre impact your life growing up and what led you to join theatre?
L: Well, at first I joined theatre against my own will because my mom signed all of my siblings up. But then once I started theater, I found out that I really enjoyed it. And I wanted to continue it as far as possible. And here I am, now going to college for Theatre Studies. And I don’t regret it one bit. Theatre has definitely impacted my life for the better. I remember whenever I would have a bad day at school, I would always look forward to having rehearsal at the end of the day. And just having something which I love with all my heart, and being able to share that with other people, and being able to create something is honestly really beautiful to me. And I love theatre so much.
A: As someone who is a part of the LGBTQ+ community, how do you feel about being a part of the queer representation in the theatre community?
L: I find the theatre is a very welcoming and open space. There’s not a lot of exclusion for anybody in theatre. Theatre is a place where all are welcome regardless of who you are, what you are. We all work together to create this piece of art that is bigger than us.
A: What was your favorite memory from theatre?
L: I’d say my favorite memories would probably be performing the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as the fall show last year. It ended up being a really good show and I enjoyed it a lot as Leaf Coneybear..
Thank you, Luke! Our next participant is from my special home, the Eastern Marching Vikings. Next up, we have Josh Kelly! Josh Kelly is the middle of 3 brothers, and did music for all 4 years at Eastern.
A: How did music impact your life growing up and what led you to joining the Marching Band and other music programs?
J: I did very little music before highschool outside of a year or two in elementary school. My older brother at the time had just finished his first year in the Marching Band and he was trying to convince me to join. I decided to join sort of on a whim to challenge myself and see where it goes, and I have no regrets doing so. From there, I just really enjoyed music which led me to all the other programs at school.
A: What was your favorite memory from the Marching Band?
J: My favorite memory definitely is from my junior year in marching band. Our show that year ended in a duet between me and my brother. It was his senior year and I’m so grateful I got to play with him until the very end of the show his last year. It’s something I’ll never forget even years from now.
A: What are your thoughts about giving the next generation an opportunity to learn a new instrument?
J: As I said before, I joined the program on whim, so when I first joined the music programs at Eastern, I never played the instruments in front of me. Learning a new instrument is an incredible skill that I am so glad I was able to achieve, so I feel nothing but excitement for the future of these music programs. It seems that we get more and more newcomers each year, which just means more people are learning this skill. It’s something I am so glad I was able to do, and I’m even happier knowing the next generation gets these opportunities too.
Thank you to Luke and Josh for doing the interviews, I had a really nice time. Since this is the end of my time on the Voyager for new editions, I wanted to thank everyone for the support and love of my articles. I would definitely do it again if I had the chance. Thank you and goodnight!
