Many high school students plan to be successful, especially when doing something they love. For freshman Tyler Regan, that dream is becoming a reality. She is involved in many things such as Theatre Productions and Orange Community Players, and is on the school drill team, the Honey Bears. She also attends many theatre conventions that focus on furthering an actor’s abilities, improvisation, vocals, and dancing.

“I’m working really hard to get good enough to make it either on a big New York stage or into a traveling company,” Regan said. “Performing professionally is my dream.”

According to Regan, people are always acting, whether they know it or not.

“Actors have to experience things and feel emotions and people watch so that they are able to pull a character from themselves that is completely believable,” she said.

Regan said sometimes the acting world can be stressful, especially for a high school student juggling other activities and school. For her, it’s something she’s always worked hard to be successful at.

“I was that kid who used to act out random little scenes starring me and my family members on holidays to entertain people,” she said.  “My mom did theatre throughout high school and college so I guess it’s in my blood.”

Regan said she usually preps for a show by doing vocal exercises, stretching, pacing back and forth muttering her lines to herself, and sitting down in a somewhat quiet place so she can connect with whatever character she’s playing.

“The best part about performing is the moment when the audience is completely silent because they’re spellbound by what’s happening on the stage,” Regan said. “It’s the thrill of knowing that everyone watching is enjoying a show that you’ve worked really hard on. To me theatre is about giving the audience something to lose themselves in and the thrill of stage lights warming my face is just an extra reward.”