Dear Director,

It's nearly impossible to write a letter and efficiently capture the depth with which I am thankful for having the privilege to be your student...but here I go.

You have changed my life for the better. You opened my eyes to the world that is musical theatre. I am thankful for every single moment that I experienced while working on shows with you. Looking back, I realize how minuscule some of the work I did was to the overall production, but you made me feel as if whatever I was doing was the most important part of the show. You did this for every student that worked on the show, and that is an amazing thing that I have never seen from anyone else. We all worked so hard on those shows so we could make you proud. There was nothing better than receiving a compliment from you. We felt like what we were doing was something really special.

The school musical was by far the best experience of my high school career. I made friends there that I will cherish forever. It didn’t matter if you were a freshman or a senior, popular or a dork -- in that auditorium we were all theatre nerds, and it was a blast. Somehow, almost by magic, all the cliques and (ironically) drama ceased to exist. We were all there with one purpose: to create. How beautiful is that? And it is all thanks to you. You created such a welcoming, accepting environment where everyone could shine in their own unique way.

You kept us cooped up in that auditorium for what seemed like endless hours, and sometimes we even resented you for it. Now, I would do anything to get back and do tech week with all of my newfound best friends. We were all exhausted, but you made sure that we were having the time of our lives. It is because of your dedication that those shows came out so beautifully.

High school is such a weird time. We have tons of friends one day, and then suddenly we might have no friends at all. Fights happen. Hearts are broken. Boys are mean. We want so badly to have ourselves figured out, but we just can’t get there. We aren’t sure who we are yet. You gave me, and many others, a home when we were aimlessly searching for a place to fit in. No matter what happened during the day at school, I couldn't wait to get to the auditorium and start working on the show. I had never felt so motivated to work on something before the school musical. You ignited a spark in me that I never knew was there. During high school I often lost my spark; we all did. That time is so fragile and everything we feel is so exaggerated. The world is constantly kicking us while we are down. They give us one test and tell us it determines the rest of our life. They tell us that we aren’t pretty enough or muscular enough. You were always there to reignite our spark. You made us feel that there was nothing wrong with us. You recognized our individuality.

Words cannot effectively describe my gratitude for all you have done. It has been a few years since the last time I worked on that high school stage, but it is still something that often crosses my mind. I learned how to truly work with a team to create something beautiful and unique. You taught me how to pay attention to detail. Everything that happens on stage happens for a reason. It is an exact art. You taught me things that I will keep with me forever. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Your former student