One Night Changed My Life

In 2019 I was preparing to graduate high school. A year or so prior I had shown my dad the Hadestown soundtrack after seeing it in my city pre-Broadway. He fell in love with it and secretly planned a trip to NYC in 2019 so our family could see it together.

I had never been to New York and the thought of being in a city with such an immense legacy of theatre filled me with unimaginable excitement. I knew it would be nothing like home. I didn’t anticipate such a life-changing experience to find me where it did.

I heard about Sleep No More shortly before going on the trip. I suggested to my [very much non-theatre-regular] mom that we check it out while my dad and brother saw a baseball game. Lined up at the front, I only had a faint idea of what we were getting ourselves into.

I’m sending this letter amongst friends, so we all of course know here what the two of us had gotten ourselves into. My mom’s desperate attempts to find her child in the hotel is a family-favorite funny story.

That experience with Sleep No More is what convinced me to pursue theatre back home. I wrote many a paper on theatrical voyeurism and SNM. I’m now working as a performer, producer, and director trying to bring immersive, challenging theatre to my city.

Without this show, I quite literally wouldn’t be the creative I am today. I got to say “goodbye” in April ’24 (pictured) and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity. Thank you for showing me what theatre could be.

Cheers and happy trails!