As the lights dim and Eric Vance (’17) walks out on stage, everything stops. He is no longer the senior in high school going through the motions of homework and school, he is whatever character he plays.The stage fright melts and he forgets all about the people watching. For that moment in time he steps into a completely different world.

While Vance isn’t performing this year, he still holds theater close and works in stage manage who is above everyone else. He is expected to be next to the director the entire time, make sure everything is running smoothly, that all the characters are in their place and in there costumes and that everything is happening when it should.

Vance has 3 older brothers, but his brother Scott is the one he most resembles. A former Broadway performer, he has casted in big name plays like Mama Mia, Wicked and Hairspray.

“He performed for the longest time and then he just hated being away for so long. Now he’s on contracts for about two weeks out of the month,” Vance said.

Like many performers before him, Vance has certain rituals that he participates in to keep himself in prime condition so he can perform to the best of his abilities.

“I’m actually a very stereotypical Broadway performer, I have a steam machine so I always steam. I don’t drink milk, at all, I don’t drink dairy products, it creates plegm. During the show, Ill eat Sour Patch Kids, its good for the moisture. Any sour candy really, but sour patch kids are the best because they don’t leave stuff in your mouth,” Vance said. “Of course [I do] vocal warm-ups, its always good to vape your throat because it really opens up your chest and vocal cords.”

Vance has been performing from a very young age, but he got his big break in middle school when he was casted in the ice skating show at Busch Gardens.

“I used to play the little kid in the show, then I got a little too tall for it,” Vance said. “That one was really fun to do because I was one of the original cast members so I got to put my own little twist on it, it helped to fully get me out there. That was the biggest [show] I’ve ever done.”

Vance isn’t just in theater for the novelty of it and said he takes his performances very seriously.

“I want to go to school for it, I would love to do it in the future. I would love to do shows as soon as I get out of school.”