Tate Russell

It is the most exciting day for any theater kid. And that's the day when the cast list for the High School Musical comes out. I get out of my first hour class, I rush on over to the music room, I take a look at that cast list and I see that the worst possible scenario has happened. I see my name right at the top of that list.

It is the most exciting day for any theater kid. And that's the day when the cast list for the High School Musical comes out. I get out of my first hour class, I rush on over to the music room, I take a look at that cast list and I see that the worst possible scenario has happened. I see my name right at the top of that list.

It is the most exciting day for any theater kid. And that's the day when the cast list for the High School Musical comes out. I get out of my first hour class, I rush on over to the music room, I take a look at that cast list and I see that the worst possible scenario has happened. I see my name right at the top of that list.

I've been cast as the gregarious confidence trickster Harold Hill, the lead in The Music Man. But that's not the bad part. Right underneath my name, next to Marion Peru, the love interest, is the name of my ex-girlfriend. My mother actually knew about this casting decision before I did. She was one of the directors on the show.

I've been cast as the gregarious confidence trickster Harold Hill, the lead in The Music Man. But that's not the bad part. Right underneath my name, next to Marion Peru, the love interest, is the name of my ex-girlfriend. My mother actually knew about this casting decision before I did. She was one of the directors on the show.

I've been cast as the gregarious confidence trickster Harold Hill, the lead in The Music Man. But that's not the bad part. Right underneath my name, next to Marion Peru, the love interest, is the name of my ex-girlfriend. My mother actually knew about this casting decision before I did. She was one of the directors on the show.

But she had removed herself from the casting process when it came to my ex and me. And at that point, I kind of wished that she hadn't, because my ex and I were on bad terms. She did not want to interact with me, and she made sure that I knew that. And I was having a really hard time coping with that reality.

But she had removed herself from the casting process when it came to my ex and me. And at that point, I kind of wished that she hadn't, because my ex and I were on bad terms. She did not want to interact with me, and she made sure that I knew that. And I was having a really hard time coping with that reality.

But she had removed herself from the casting process when it came to my ex and me. And at that point, I kind of wished that she hadn't, because my ex and I were on bad terms. She did not want to interact with me, and she made sure that I knew that. And I was having a really hard time coping with that reality.

She was a senior, I was a junior, we had been friends since middle school, and I didn't want to get back together with her at this point. In fact, I was with somebody else at the time, but I just couldn't fathom the possibility that she would go off to college and we would be on bad terms and never talk again.

She was a senior, I was a junior, we had been friends since middle school, and I didn't want to get back together with her at this point. In fact, I was with somebody else at the time, but I just couldn't fathom the possibility that she would go off to college and we would be on bad terms and never talk again.

She was a senior, I was a junior, we had been friends since middle school, and I didn't want to get back together with her at this point. In fact, I was with somebody else at the time, but I just couldn't fathom the possibility that she would go off to college and we would be on bad terms and never talk again.

And it didn't help that now I knew for the next three months I would be seeing her every single day, and every rehearsal I would try and seduce her as part of a long con, and each performance would culminate with a shared on-stage kiss. And so realizing this, standing in front of the cast list, I realized I needed to text her, and I did. I said something like, oof. And...

And it didn't help that now I knew for the next three months I would be seeing her every single day, and every rehearsal I would try and seduce her as part of a long con, and each performance would culminate with a shared on-stage kiss. And so realizing this, standing in front of the cast list, I realized I needed to text her, and I did. I said something like, oof. And...

And it didn't help that now I knew for the next three months I would be seeing her every single day, and every rehearsal I would try and seduce her as part of a long con, and each performance would culminate with a shared on-stage kiss. And so realizing this, standing in front of the cast list, I realized I needed to text her, and I did. I said something like, oof. And...

I said, like, we need to work past some things, I guess. And she did not respond. But we started the rehearsal process, and the most amazing thing happened. We actually started getting along. We were hanging out. And by hanging out, I mean rehearsing. And we were talking to one another again. And by talking to one another, I mean running lines.

I said, like, we need to work past some things, I guess. And she did not respond. But we started the rehearsal process, and the most amazing thing happened. We actually started getting along. We were hanging out. And by hanging out, I mean rehearsing. And we were talking to one another again. And by talking to one another, I mean running lines.

I said, like, we need to work past some things, I guess. And she did not respond. But we started the rehearsal process, and the most amazing thing happened. We actually started getting along. We were hanging out. And by hanging out, I mean rehearsing. And we were talking to one another again. And by talking to one another, I mean running lines.

And we even choreographed our own dance to the song Marian the Librarian, which turned out really well. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire show. And throughout this whole process, I was just really grateful that we seemed to be getting past this animosity that we once had.

And we even choreographed our own dance to the song Marian the Librarian, which turned out really well. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire show. And throughout this whole process, I was just really grateful that we seemed to be getting past this animosity that we once had.