When I think of a place where I'm perfectly happy, I immediately think of the stage. No matter what I'm doing, who I'm with or how I feel, the moment I step on stage I feel at peace. The pressures and pains of the real world disappear for an hour or two and I can enter a different world, much bigger than my own. Everything that has to do with live performance (whether it's acting, singing or dancing) energizes me and makes me feel alive and happy. By doing live theater, I get to put all my heart and soul into a show, and then I can let it go. The joy of performing live is that it just lives in the moment. The moment that moment ends, it is gone forever. I think the reason I feel so happy on stage is that I know I'll never have that moment again. The live performance is full of pain, happiness, humor, pain, thought and beauty, all in one moment. Live entertainment is life in its purest form - that's what makes it so appealing to everyone. Even playing the smallest part in a live performance makes me feel perfectly satisfied because I get to be part of something that only lasts for a moment, but lasts forever in people's hearts and minds. One of my favorite things in the world is being on stage in the dark and feeling the lights come on me. As they slowly fade, I can feel the warmth of a vague blush of anticipation and excitement on my skin. The warmth of the lights has a sort of magical quality that I can't describe. It dissolves everything negative in the universe and suspends the entire theater in a sort of cocoon that the outside world cannot touch. I remember being in The Boy Friend, a Sandy Wilson musical, and being the first one on stage. For the last 5 performances or...... middle of paper ......ow it's more than just a joke. I have stayed in touch with her for the last 8 years through theater and I can feel her with me on stage. Without the connections and relationships theater has given me, I honestly don't know who I would be today. Over the last few years I've really depended on theater to keep me grounded. With all the stress of finals, AP classes, and friend drama, it's hard to find a place where I can escape. The stage provided me with that place. Theatre, music and dance have constantly shown me the world with new eyes and given me the chance to be truly happy. My life wouldn't be complete without it. The performance showed me how to see the world in the right light and gave me the chance to hear the hum of peace above the senseless noise of the day. On stage I am one hundred percent, perfectly, completely satisfied.