Humans of Staples – Rachel Beck embraces life’s constant uncertainties

Some seniors know exactly what they want to do once they graduate this June. But ask Rachel Beck ’15 what her future entails, and she will have no specific goals. Her life path is constantly changing.

“I love challenging myself by trying new things,” Beck said.

As a result, she has changed greatly since freshman year.

In her underclassman years, Beck spent much of her time playing with the field hockey team. As much as she loved being a part of the sport, she gradually became drawn to quite a different organization: Staples Players.

“When I first arrived [to the ‘Chorus Line’ auditions] my sophomore year, I was a little nervous because I felt like the odd one out,” she explained. “However, every single Players kid in the room was unbelievably kind and welcoming to me. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a part of Players.”

After initially trying out for “A Chorus Line” her sophomore year and not getting a part, she was not the least bit discouraged. That following summer, Beck auditioned again and made it onto the cast list in the Players production of “Bye Bye Birdie.”

“I’ve matured a lot in the process,” she said. “I think there’s a special maturity that comes with being a different person onstage.”

Her role in Players has continued to rise. This fall, she snatched up her highest role in “Hello Dolly” as Ermengarde, a character who allowed her to be “crazy and throw tantrums.”

“Crazy and throwing tantrums” is quite a contrast to how Beck was before devoting herself to the stage. According to Beck, she was very quiet and reserved at the start of her high school career. She credits the community aspect of Players for helping her come out of her shell.

“I’m more of a goofball now, and I have a more positive outlook on life,” she said. “I no longer keep to myself as much.”

Extracurricular activities are not the only area of her life that has a dramatically changed. In the classroom, Beck formerly self-described as an “English kid” at the start of freshman year, but has now found her passion for math and science. Some classes she has especially enjoyed are Anatomy and AP Calculus.

In college, Beck said she definitely wants to continue her interests in theater as well as in math and science.

However, when asked about what kind of career she may pursue, she replied, “I haven’t really thought that far yet. Circumstances can change so much.”