Ebie Lamb

If Ebie Lamb wasn’t in Community Ensemble Theatre (CET), she doesn’t know where she would be.

Lamb started theater in sixth grade at Tappan Middle School, and started to perform in seventh grade. That’s when she fell in love with the art.

Lamb decided to do a show again during her eighth grade year. On the day of her cast party, the production abruptly stopped due to COVID.

“We did our cast party, and then we were sent home,” Lamb said. “We never saw each other after that.” 

CET helped heal her open wounds and find a sense of community once again.

Lamb started CET her freshman year on Zoom with “Working” the musical. Though her passion for theater was reignited, the virtual conditions were not ideal. Lamb sat in her kitchen every rehearsal in front of a green screen: creating relationships was not in the picture. 

When sophomore year started in person, Lamb decided to audition for CET’s fall show, “She Kills Monsters.” 

Lamb landed the lead, Agnes Evans. 

“I was nervous because I felt that I had to make a good show. For some people, this would have been the first form of live action theater since COVID,” Lamb said. “However, the nerves helped to push me through. It helped me memorize my lines, remember cues, and gain friends in which I could rely on.”

For Lamb, landing the lead was not the goal, but to develop friendships with people who shared her passion for theater.

“I’ve always loved theater, watching it, seeing it, being in it,” Lamb said. “So being able to come back to that after a three-year hiatus was amazing to me. It sparked my love all over again.” ‘She Kills Monsters’ was a whirlwind of emotions because I was meeting new people. I was getting the theater experience that I loved and cherished. It made me feel at home.”

The many hours of rehearsals, last minute memorization of lines and lack of sleep during tech week was challenging for Lamb, but it was all worth it when teachers congratulated her in class, crew members walked down the hallway in matching black outfits and actors rehearsed lines under their breath as she passed by.

“You remember what it is all for and you stay with it.” Lamb said.

While Lamb has played and continues to play sports for Pioneer High School (PHS), it’s not the same as being a part of CET and CHS. 

“I only know [PHS teammates], I don’t know anything about the school. So, [if I weren’t doing CET], I would only be doing sports and feel disconnected [from] Community,” Lamb said. 

Balancing sports and theater is also challenging for Lamb.

“In the spring, it’s a lot of rushing. The second theater ends, I’m in the car changing right before practice starts,” Lamb said. “Thankfully, both of the adults that run these events are incredibly supportive and support my decision when conflicts arise.”

CET has given Lamb a community within Community. She has automatically gained 50 other friends in addition to classmates and forum members. 

Over the next couple years, Lamb hopes to continue meeting more CET people through the new and incoming members of each show.