The blue stage lights dimmed as Alyssa Serrano took her hundredth bow. She’d bowed to various lights: pink, yellow, red, green, white, you name it. She’d bowed to hundreds of people, and performed in multiple stages, but the rush of performing was just as beautiful as it always was.

Senior Alyssa Serrano, president of Thespian Troupe 3689, has been doing theater for almost a decade and is ready for more as the lead Elle Woods in the upcoming musical “Legally Blonde”. The show opens on Jan. 18, 2024, and runs until Jan. 20 in the auditorium. Serrano has graced the stage in several lead roles; from Sophie in “Mamma Mia!”, to Elinor Dashwood in “Sense and Sensibility”, she’s an experienced thespian. 

“The coolest thing about theater is you get to be the person other people imagine to be when they’re alone,” Serrano said. “At its core, it’s entertainment. Theater is beautiful and it’s very cathartic.”

Although Serrano finds theater very rewarding, she said it’s a little “taxing” sometimes. Serrano spends anywhere from two to six hours a day in the theater and sometimes only sees her family on Sunday. To handle her course load, she does the majority of her homework in class and frequently takes advantage of extensions. The time commitment is important due to the rigor of her work. 

“For “Sense and Sensibility”, I hadn’t played a role that required that many lines before, so I started memorizing very early on,” Serrano said. 

Lines are not the only thing to worry about. In order to truly express herself as an artist, Serrano revealed her process for mimicking life. 

“It’s all about attention to detail,” Serrano said. “Mimicking life is hard because I struggle with it too, but once you get to do it, it’s very beautiful and you get to discover new things about yourself.”

Serrano is definitely discovering new things about herself as the lead in “Legally Blonde”, a vocally challenging part to play. 

“I was definitely a little insecure since I’m not a singing-based actor,” Serrano said. “But I’ve made friends with choir kids and they’re welcoming so I’m feeling much more comfortable with that.”

Serrano’s capabilities exceed acting and singing –  she also plays an important role behind the scenes. In the most recent production by Clements Theater, “Arsenic and Old Lace”, she assistant directed the show. She has helped with the set and tech on numerous occasions and encourages anyone remotely interested to give theater a shot because performance art caters to a wide range of interests.

Although she isn’t planning to pursue acting professionally she will continue to support theater. 

“Performance art is a really beautiful thing,” Serrano said. “I’ve loved the feeling of making people laugh and feel things they didn’t think they could feel by watching other people on stage.”

Anyone can easily support theater, either by watching shows, being a part of it, or donating. You can donate to help Legally Blonde’s production here.