Senior Sam Drust anxiously repeats the lines in her head. This is the moment she’s been waiting for after months of rehearsing. The light from center stage shines on Drust as she takes a deep breath to wash away the nerves.

“For as long as I could remember, I don’t get a greater feeling of satisfaction than I do performing on stage, no matter what show I’m in or what role I play,” Drust said.

Drust has been acting since she was 8 years old, when her dad signed her up to be a part of a show down at the Laguna Beach Playhouse. From that point on, she was hooked.

Acting soon became Drust’s passion and her involvement in SMCHS Talon Theatre says it all.

“One of my favorite memories of acting has been performing in our fall play ‘Museum’ and experiencing a completely unique type of theatre,” Drust said. “I love playing a variety of characters and learning and studying the different techniques in each show and character I do.”

Junior Hannah Baker also takes pride in being a part of Talon Theatre and all the glory that comes with it.

“The most rewarding part of acting is the final product,” Baker said. “It’s amazing to see where all of your hard work gets you because unlike many other jobs, acting has an ending point. I love being an actress because on stage I get to forget about all the problems and stress of my life and make my audience feel something.”

Baker started acting around 6 years old, when she put on shows for her family and took ballet and tap dance classes. She was always happy on stage so she decided to start participating in community theater shows.

“What I love most about acting is that it’s always a challenge to tackle a new character role,” Baker said. “My favorite part of acting is that I get to be myself and do what I love.”

But acting isn’t at all stress-free. With it comes many obstacles participants must overcome.

“The most challenging part of acting to me is fear of failure,” Baker said. “I often find myself doubting my own capabilities. You must be comfortable in your own skin to perfect being in someone else’s.”

Since acting plays a big role in Baker and Drust’s life at SMCHS, they intend to pursue it as a career.

“I plan on going to school for theater and I’m excited to see what the professional world has in store for me,” Drust said. “My main goal after high school is to train my hardest and learn from every experience.”

The intense feeling Baker gets when she hears the orchestra start playing and sees the curtain start rising inspires her to continue her theatrical studies in college as well.

“I really want to learn as much as I can,” Baker said. “I want to grant myself the best opportunities to succeed in this difficult career choice. I understand the many obstacles that come with this job, however I am willing to work my hardest to accomplish my goal.”