As the lights dim in Kasdorf auditorium, the room begins to fill with joy, excitement and panic from students who are ready to step on stage and perform.  As the panic settles in, junior Obed Gonzalez Aguilar is ready for his role. 

As a newcomer from Mexico, Obed Gonzalez Aguilar brought his experience to the Loy Norrix stage.

“During my first performance, ‘Oklahoma,’ I thought it was going to be very difficult because of the big audience,” said Obed. “With the big bright lights, I couldn’t see anyone. I was very excited and nervous.” 

Growing up with his parents, Evelyn Aguilar and Ezequiel Gonzalez, who have a passion for performances, music and dance has led Obed on a path toward the theater and arts. 

“My dad studied audio engineering, and my mom is a dancer, so when I encountered theater they gave me all the support,” said Obed.

Although there were many struggles like learning a new language, connecting with students, and even adapting to a different scene throughout the change in environment, Obed has shown immense growth. 

“Entering mixed choir has helped me with English pronunciation, and theater helped me with my vocabulary and meeting new people,” said Obed. 

Many students have used the valuable resource of theater to help with their problems.

According to the website On The Stage, theater helps students make emotional and intellectual connections to help them better understand their peers. Obed has connected with many of his peers in theater, which helped him develop a more comfortable and safe space when performing and learning the arts.

 “It wasn’t difficult for me to connect with my classmates. You can relate very easily with them, because they understand that we like theater and we enjoy what we do,”  said Obed. “With the teachers Mr. Lafferty, Mrs. Bergh and Mrs. Davis, they were very understanding with me when it came to the language.”

Throughout his performances, Obed felt the new environment as a source to continue his growth in his form of speech and pronunciation. 

“One of my motivations was the language, being able to enter a place where Spanish is not spoken, and I would have to improve my English,” Obed said.

This past year has been filled with many ups and downs for Obed, with learning a new language, culture and environment, yet in the end, he will continue to grow, learn, and pursue his dreams with pride.