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cobrastiles · 7 years ago

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A SACRED TROUPE.

“That’s the point of Art, right? To reflect the world? To take something raw, painful, maybe even hopeless, and make it beautiful?”

I have never felt so devastated about the cancellation of a TV show. Like I don’t even know how to react. And no one in my house understands why I’m so upset. They think I’m being overdramatic.

Which in all honesty, maybe I am.

But if anything deserves an overdramatic reaction, it’s the cancellation of RISE- because it is so important. I know some people probably expect this to be some narrative of how it brought the importance of performance arts to the attention of the masses, and I know I could go on and on about the representation it has and how important that is too. But this show is doing so much more than that. We’ve had TV shows which have portrayed performance arts programs, like Fame and Glee, but while they were great- RISE IS REAL. I know a lot have people have said that, but it is so true. When I talk about RISE, I mention there’s a musical in it, but I can’t shut up about all the amazing storylines and how every single one of them means something that is so much bigger than whether there’s representation for performance arts.

(Also, I could talk about how theatre programs and other performance arts programs are actually really beneficial for education and human development- but I won’t.)

The most important part of RISE is, as previously mentioned, it is so REAL.

Every storyline is something that has happened.

Every storyline is something that is happening.

Every storyline is something that will happen.

And yes, there are so many shows that do the same thing, but this is the ONLY network television show that does this with all the extra production. RISE doesn’t need a season/series long mystery that needs solving, it doesn’t need tons of special effects, it doesn’t need superpowers and epic fight choreography, it doesn’t need fairytale magic.

Because RISE creates magic on it’s own- by telling the true and authentic stories of a small town that echoes so many small towns in America and around the world.

If you’re unaware if the stories this show is telling, using Stanton Drama’s production of “Spring Awakening” as a backdrop- I’ll give you a brief overview:

(Also, done in a way as to not give away characters’ stories or ruin the plot for those who haven’t seen it yet.)

· A single working mother.

· A teenage girl who works to help cover rent and shares in providing a family income.

· A transgender student, PLAYED BY A TRANSGENDER ACTOR.

· Teenage Alcoholism.

· A teenage boy who is the sole caretaker for his sick mother.

· A teenage boy raised in a strict catholic family, struggling with his sexuality, while fighting his own internal homophobia.

· Marital Affairs, Divorce, and how both effect the children involved.

· A teenage boy whose struggling to balance everything in life, while the whole town is counting on him to carry the football team’s wins and losses on his shoulders.

· HOW FUCKING HARD IT ACTUALLY IS TO BE A TEENAGER IN THIS WORLD!!!!!

· Actual teenage relationships with actual communication and function properly.

· Even though they come from broken homes with parents struggling with relationships.

· A teenage boy who’s been in and out of the foster system and has finally found somewhere where he can finally call home and is truly loved even though he doesn’t really know how to handle it.

· A young girl with Down’s Syndrome who is literally the pure embodiment of sunshine.

· Teenage pregnancy and the struggle when you realize what you want to do might not be what others think you should do and dealing with the lack of support.

· TEACHERS CARING MORE ABOUT HOW WHAT THEY DO CHANGE THEIR STUDENTS’ LIVES THAN ANY PTA OR BOARD OF EDUCATION EVER WOULD!!

And that’s only a fraction of what they could do in the future.

This is why this show is so important, because it is telling real stories in a real way. Without sugarcoating it.

Without shielding the audiences.

Without shying away from the hard and uncomfortable stuff.

RISE is telling these stories- these gut-wrenching, uncomfortable, sometimes ugly, seemingly hopeless, and realistic stories- that we need in society (and not just in our America, but everywhere) because these things and worse things are having everyday.

Another important thing to mention is how the show uses “Spring Awakening”. One of the main points of the musical, is to show how dangerous it can be when young adults are sheltered by the adults in their lives from the inevitable in life. And at Stanton High School, by petitioning the performance of this musical, the adults are doing the same thing to the Troupe.

The actions the adults in “Spring Awakening”, in RISE- they are trying to stop the young adults from expressing themselves, discovering themselves, from being themselves.

And the young adults don’t let them stop them.

They keep going.

The Stanton Drama Troupe doesn’t stop their show.

They don’t let the PTA get the better of them.

And now, to NBC Entertainment- I know you are only looking out for your Network. But this is more important than that, trust me. Tonight, as the Season, and now suddenly, Series Finale Airs- I urge you, I beg you, I plead with you, to watch the show tonight and remember every time someone told you something wasn’t appropriate, or possible, or that you just plain couldn’t do something and you didn’t listen.

Because I bet if you’d listened, you wouldn’t be where you are today- you wouldn’t be working for NBC Entertainment. (Just Saying).

Watch tonight’s episode, and put yourself in the Town of Stanton’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in The Stanton Theatre Troupe’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in the shoes of the Young Adults.

Put Yourself in the Shoes of the Sibling’s.

Put Yourself in the shoes of the Parents.

Put Yourself in The Character’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Gwen’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Simon’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Lilette’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Robbie’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Jeremy’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Maashous’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Michael’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Jolene’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Gordy’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Harmony’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Sasha’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Clark’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Francis’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Cheryl’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Lexi’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Annabelle’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Kaitlin’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Sundeep’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Violet’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Sadie’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Emma’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Vanessa’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Gail’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Sam’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Patricia’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Denise’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Robert’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Detrell’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Andy’s Shoes.

Put Yourself in Tracey’s Shoes

Put Yourself in Lou’s Shoes.

Put yourself in these human’s shoes, and think for a moment- “What would I do it I were them? What would I do if I had to do what they were doing?”, because I’m sure it will tug at your heart strings and force you to change everything you thought about this “Little Show that Could”.

And now, to the Creators, Crew, and Cast of RISE.

I don’t want to accept that this is the end. We only just began, didn’t we?

And maybe that’s why this is so hard.

And honestly, I am not ready to say goodbye.

But I do want to Thank You.

Because you deserve it so much.

So here we go.

Jason, thank you for taking this story and giving this beautiful story a voice- It means the world to so many people, I promise.

Josh, Thank you for showing how real and true teachers care and how we take on the jobs we never thought we would when it comes to our students.

Rosie, thank you for being that tough as nails teacher, who really does just want to love her students as her own children and goes above and beyond for them because they are.

Auli’I, thank you for so wonderfully portraying the strength it takes to carry yourself when your parent won’t be your parent and it becomes your job to provide for yourself.

Damon, thank you for showing the pressures put on the “Golden Boy” and for really showing how much teenagers can be dealing with that no one knows about.

Shirley, thank you for giving single mothers all over the world such a amazing voice and for so gracefully proving that they actually are superheroes, no matter how many mistakes they might make.

Joe, thank you for finally giving the struggle of divorce and that decision an accurate portrayal, for showing how much it can take out of a person.

Ted, thank you for giving the struggle of discovering your sexuality and the fear of self-rejection a voice full of grace and truth, for showing the world how difficult it is.

Amy, thank you for such a gorgeous and heart-wrenching portrayal of what it is like to have your world torn into pieces in front of your eyes and how much a broken family impacts a child.

Rarmian, thank you for giving children of the foster system a voice, for showing that true impact of and broken parts of being in the system and for showing how these children get their hopes up and get them broken down.

Casey, thank you for shining such a genuine light on a story which no one wants to talk about, for so genuinely portraying such a beautiful struggle that is so real and prevalent.

Taylor, thank you for your bringing such a wonderful light to the show and the world, for showing how being positive always makes things better, even if it only better for a little while and showing us how to hope for our own futures.

Ellie, thank you for finally telling a story in a format which it’s never been told, for telling the part of a story everyone seems to believe doesn’t matter, because it really does matter.

Shannon, thank you for portraying the side of a coming out story that no one talks about, and for doing so with such patience and honesty.

Sean, thank you giving a voice to the out person who is just trying to help someone through a struggle, for showing those who are struggling that one day there is a light waiting for them.

Erin, thank you for giving such an honest voice to the struggle of the part of teenage pregnancy stories which aren’t talked about often enough. (and for “SASHA, WHY ARE YOU EATING A BANANA?”)

Jennifer, thank you for showing the strength of a mother, and for showing how it transcends borders and can help give out compassion even when you don’t want to.

Stephanie, thank you for portraying a story that proves that your beliefs are not always the most important thing, even if it turns your world upside down.

Stephen, thank you for showing the struggle of fighting for what you believe and what is right, for showing the struggle of keeping your family the same.

Mark, thank you for portraying a father who only wants what’s best for their child, even if it may not be what the child wants.

Alexis, Thank You.

Tiffany, Thank You.

Caroline, Thank You.

Taylor, Thank You.

Brooklyn, Thank You.

Rachel, Thank You.

Donald, Thank You.

Nacho, Thank You.

Sergio, Thank You.

Katherine, Thank You.

To those, who have not gotten the chance to tell their character’s full stories, thank you for always being there- for always making us laugh, and smile, and sometimes cry- for being our favorites even when you’ve not yet gotten to delve into your characters.

Thank You, to RISE.

Thank You, to Stanton.

Thank You, to Stanton High School.

Thank You, to the Stanton Theatre Troupe.

For being here when we needed you.

For helping us believe in the power of theatre.

For giving us a way to escape our real world but to not forget it entirely.

For giving a voice to the real stories and experiences of teenagers today.

For showing us how to fight for what is right.

For believing.

For being Glorious.

Thank You for Everything.

And as a Thank You- the Risers will Fight for You and Our Little Show, as Stanton Drama Fought for “Spring Awakening”, because this is important and no one will ever change that.

And if our journey really is over, this Little Show will always be ours, and the Stanton Spirit will always be inside each and every one of us.

Because we are a Troupe.

A Sacred Troupe.

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