For Syd, their love for theater began at age 4, when they took the stage at a family camp through the JCC organization in the Wisconsin Dells and sang “Tomorrow” from Annie in front of about 100 people.
What may sound like a frightening experience to some felt completely natural to Syd.
“I was just like, ‘I’m here, guys!’”
From that moment on, theater became a meaningful part of Syd’s life.
“After that, I joined my temple choir. I did that for about five years. Later, when I was about eight or nine years old, I did some community theater. And then around sixth grade, when COVID hit, I started thinking about what had been going on behind the scenes the entire time. The only reason I really liked acting was because I loved singing. That’s when I realized, ‘Oh, wait, Syd, choir is a thing. You don’t have to act if you don’t want to!’”
That realization was simple yet powerful. Syd soon discovered a passion for technical theater - a space where they would grow, lead and ultimately flourish.
Finding a Place Behind the Scenes
Today, as a senior at Stevenson, Syd has become a cornerstone of the school’s theater program. As President of Stevenson Backstage - a goal they set for themselves during their freshman year - Syd helps guide productions from their earliest rehearsals to the final curtain, all while supporting every person involved.
“Honestly, I like watching the whole process come together. To me, it’s so cool, especially when you’re on the rehearsal team, to see it go from auditions to tech week, to shows, and then to closing, sobbing your eyes out. You really see the whole process.”
For Syd, stage management is about far more than organizing cues and rehearsals. It’s also about developing practical skills that extend far beyond the theater.
“I think when people think of theater or even technical theater, they’re like, ‘Oh, you have to be really expressive and really out there.’ And I’m like, no, there are all these really practical life skills. My theater teacher loves to say that theater skills are life skills. Because think about it: with stage management and producing, you have to think about the business side of things. With lights and scenic, you have to think about a lot of math and physics that are involved. So it’s not as artsy as people stereotype it to be.”
Leading with Care and Connection
For Syd, beyond the technical elements of stage management, leadership is a major part of the role - and not just any leadership. It’s the kind that is selfless, the kind that recognizes small wins and offers support when it’s needed most.
“Something else I do is let my team know they can talk to me about anything. Sometimes it’s really daunting to talk to an adult when you’re having a hard time. For me, that was always scary, and it was easier to talk to someone my age. I think for a lot of them it’s easier too. There have been times when I step out of the room to talk with someone and help calm them down. If someone’s really nervous for auditions, I’m the one getting them water and saying, ‘Okay, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“Building that trust with them has been really important for keeping the process going. In my opinion, trust and a sense of safety with your leaders are the key to success and the key to getting things to run as smoothly as possible.”
Syd also finds small but meaningful ways to show others they are valued.
“Another thing I did during Mary Poppins was create this fun little thing where, when people weren’t doing much during rehearsal, I would go around and hand them stickers. Like, ‘You get a sticker. You get a sticker. Everyone gets a sticker.’ It was a way of making them feel seen and giving them individual recognition.”
“If there’s a group of freshmen and I’m this senior leading the whole process, going up to them and talking to them means everything. It meant everything to me when I was a freshman. Going up to them and saying, ‘I recognize the effort you’re putting in. I see you,’ goes a long way. Making sure I notice the work they’re doing also teaches them to do the same thing for other people.”
Staying Steady Under Pressure
Even when the challenges of production are at the forefront, Syd manages to put their best foot forward - even when it may not be the easiest choice.
“Fake it till you make it. That’s a big thing. Sometimes I really have to show that I’m confident in the process, even if I’m not. Once actors and other people I’m leading see, ‘Oh, Syd’s confident,’ they feel like they’ll be fine. They’re not just depending on me to get things done. They’re depending on me to uplift things and make sure everyone’s in a good place emotionally, mentally and physically.”
“If I can present myself as being in the correct headspace, it’s more likely everyone else will follow. If I’m being a Debbie Downer and I’m not having a great day, sometimes I won’t even go to rehearsal because my mood impacts how the process goes so much as a leader.”
One thing Syd has learned throughout their time in stage management - especially during moments of high stress - is the importance of delegation.
“Sometimes, when you’re leading something, I know this was definitely a problem for me, you get in the mindset of, ‘I’m the only one qualified enough to do this. I have to do it myself.’ And you can’t think that way. It definitely took me time to learn. Just letting other people support you and putting trust in them is something that really keeps me out of those high-pressure moments or stressful moments, where I can relax and focus on what I need to get done.”
Success Beyond the Spotlight
For Syd, being part of the theater program has never been about personal recognition, but rather the collective success of everyone involved.
“I feel like it’s the only way to be a beneficial leader. If you’re only in it for yourself, you might think, ‘Other people aren’t going to notice that I have these malicious tactics that only benefit me.’ But they see it.”
“For me, personal recognition has never really gone very far. Watching an entire group of people come together and work to get something done has always meant more to me than personal recognition.”
Still, there was a special moment when Syd received well-deserved recognition after earning a perfect score at the Illinois High School Theater Festival, qualifying them for the International Festival. The Thespys recognize the highest level of achievement in school theater across performance, technical theater, playwriting and filmmaking.
“That’s when it clicked: I’m one of the best at what I do in the state, and I’m nationally recognized. It’s very different hearing that from your friends than it is hearing it from people across the country who don’t know you. That was a huge difference.”
Strength Through Loss
What makes Syd’s accomplishments even more meaningful is the resilience they have shown while navigating the loss of their stepfather during their freshman year following a motorcycle crash.
“He and my mom were on a motorcycle, and the wheels slid, and they fell off the road. He was driving, so he basically gave his life to save my mother.”
“I remember the very first thing my grandmother - my mom’s mom - told me. She said, ‘You need to step up. You need to take care of this family.’ And I was like, message received. I made sure to check in on my mom and my siblings, because I have two younger siblings as well.”
“It really showed me that I had to step up. For me, it was a big adulting moment. I remember submitting my application to be on the Backstage Board the morning after. I found out he passed at 10:52 that evening, and the next morning I hit submit.”
“One of the biggest things that hit me was realizing the world isn’t stopping. Deadlines are still due. Assignments are still going to happen. The world is going to keep spinning. Things are still going. I realized I could either sit around, curl up into a ball, and be miserable throughout high school, or make something of it. I decided being miserable wasn’t an option, so I was going to make something out of it.”
“I put everything I had into that. If I stopped doing what I was doing, I felt like I would start doing nothing and get really depressed. I couldn’t let myself do that because I wasn’t sure if I could get back up again. The biggest drive for me was that mental drive of not allowing myself to stop.”
Even as they have navigated grief, Syd continues to reflect on the kind of person their stepfather was - and the example he set.
“He was a really good man, and he showed up when he didn’t have to. He showed up because he wanted to and because he knew how much that mattered to other people. I try my best to carry that with me - to be the person who shows up, even when they don’t have to, even when it’s hard.”
“I try to make each person feel like I see them and recognize them, even if they feel like no one else sees what they’re doing. My stepfather was always that person for me, so I try to be that person for other people.”
A Lasting Legacy
And life continued moving forward for Syd - through accomplishments in theater and meaningful everyday moments. Once their mother had healed, the two began finding ways to get out of the house together, tackling escape-room challenges, celebrating Syd’s first summer job and even welcoming another cat into the family.
Through it all, Syd’s resilience, leadership and care for others have left a meaningful mark on the Stevenson theater community. When asked what they are most proud of, Syd reflected:
“I think the thing I’m most proud of has to be my lasting impact. It’s flattering knowing that when you’re leaving, the thing you’re leaving is going to be in good hands. I’ve always tried to work toward leaving something better than I got it.”