Rishika Desai

Name: Rishika Desai

Grade: 11

Future College: I couldn’t tell you

Future Job: I’m not 100 percent sure, but I want to join the military and either fix planes/helicopters or be a war photographer

Years in Theater: 6

Inspiration: My sister was in theatre, and she enjoyed it, so I decided to do it as well. 

Favorite Actor: Emma Watson

Wingspan: Do you do any sort of theater outside of school or any special kind (improv) in school?

Desai: “I did improv last year and enjoyed it, but it’s hard to do it now that I’m virtual. I also have a lot more to do this year, so I don’t have as much time.”

Wingspan: What made you want to choose to do theater?

Desai: “My sister told me I should. I wanted to do pretty much everything she did when I was younger, but I ended up really enjoying it myself and stuck with it.”

Wingspan: How does theater impact your daily life?

Desai: “It takes up a lot of my time, so it impacts my daily life in that sense. Beyond that, I think my personality has really changed because I’ve been in theatre. I’m part of tech now, but I acted for a while, and it really helped me gain confidence. I’m far bolder than I used to be.”

Wingspan: Are you considering continuing theater beyond high school? Why?

Desai: “I really enjoy theatre, but I don’t think I can continue it. I think I might be too busy in the future to be part of a show, and after high school, theatre mainly has to be your career path if you want to be in a show. I enjoy building sets, though, so if a production needs volunteers to help with that, I definitely would.”

Wingspan: What are your personal goals for this year?

Desai: “In terms of theatre, I think my goal would be to be more organized. Being a stage manager, there’s a lot of work, and if you get behind or don’t know what you’re doing, work keeps adding up. If I can be organized and keen about what I’m doing this year, things would get a lot easier.”

Wingspan: What is your favorite thing about theater?

Desai: “I would say my favorite thing about theatre is the sense of accomplishment it gives you. You spend months working on a show, and there are so many different parts that have to come together to make it happen. It can be a lot of work and very stressful sometimes, but when we finally perform, you feel so proud because all of your hard work has paid off. Other than that, theatre allows you to hang out and do things with your friends that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.”

Wingspan: Do you audition/enjoy the plays that the school puts on?

Desai: “I do enjoy the plays that the school puts on. I’m in the majority of them, and it’s a really nice feeling to see the show that you’ve worked so hard on come together. Shows also give you time with your friends, and you form a strong community with each other.”

Wingspan: What’s your favorite memory of theater?

Desai: “Last year, we did the musical Matilda, and there were scene changes that had 20 things going on at once, and we had to accomplish them in less than 30 seconds. On the last night of the play, we had the hardest scene change where we had to move four 16ft high brick walls, among many other things. I was the assistant stage manager, so I was backstage telling everybody what to do. I was waiting for the stage manager to call the cue through the comms so then I could relay it backstage. She called it, and then everyone came together and executed it perfectly. After the show, the stage manager, director, and tech director, and I talkedg about how well it and all the other scene changes went. We had worked so hard, so it felt like such an accomplishment.”

Wingspan: What is your advice to anybody thinking about joining theater?

Desai: “I would tell them to seriously consider the benefits they could receive from joining. Not only can you meet people and make new friends, but it really pushes you out of your comfort zone. That may sound unappealing to some people, but having to perform in front of people can really increase your self-esteem and confidence. I know many people who have a genuine fear of speaking in front of people, and the only way to get over that is to experience it. Theatre allows you to do that and have fun. Also, if acting isn’t your thing, the technical side of theatre is, in my opinion, even more fun, and you learn a lot as well. Now I know how to use power tools, the fly system, and too many different types of saws.”

Wingspan: What is your favorite thing you have done in theater?

Desai: “This year in tech theatre, we started doing costume design. I didn’t think I’d like it that much, but I ended up having a lot of ideas, and it came out really well. Later this year, we’re competing in a design challenge for UIL, and I’m submitting a few of my designs, so I’m working on those right now.”