--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In high school I did some musicals, but I…" description: "\"In high school I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher asked me to audi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fa/forest-whitaker-3022_communication_in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i_922418.jpg" --- # In high school I did some musicals, but I never took… ![“In high school I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher asked me to audition for this play and I got the lead. And she helped me to get into a conservatory, with a scholarship as a singer, and then I was accepted into…” quote by Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fa/forest-whitaker-3022_communication_in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i_922418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fa/forest-whitaker-3022_communication_in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i_922418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3fa/forest-whitaker-3022_communication_in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i_922418.jpg) > “In high school I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher asked me to audition for this play and I got the lead. And she helped me to get into a conservatory, with a scholarship as a singer, and then I was accepted into the acting conservatory. This agent saw me, the summer before I went to conservatory, and while I was in school, I started working right away.” [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A chance encounter and mentorship can pivot a career, opening unexpected opportunities and rapid professional growth. **In simple terms:** Mentorship and timing can change a career path. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and stay open to new chances. Themes career mentorship opportunity growth talent Mood inspired optimistic Type personal narrative career advice When to use this quote - college auditions - conservatory admission - early agency representation Key Concepts networking skill development career pivot Questions to Reflect On - How can you create or recognize pivotal opportunities? - What role does mentorship play in your career? A Different Perspective Success may depend on being in the right place at the right time, not just talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [In high school, I tried out for every sport there was. But none of them would have me. When I was a freshman, someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morse/in-high-school-i-tried-out-for-every-sport-there-was-but-none-of-them/) [David Morse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morse/) > [A teacher asked me if I'd audition for a play, and I ended up playing the pirate Red Dog in a production of 'Treasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-gehlfuss/a-teacher-asked-me-if-i-d-audition-for-a-play-and-i-ended-up-playing/) [Nick Gehlfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-gehlfuss/) > [I think my parents wanted me to do something very normal, have a normal person job and not be confronted by the instability of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-debicki/i-think-my-parents-wanted-me-to-do-something-very-normal-have-a/) [Elizabeth Debicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-debicki/) > [Even if I wrote 'The Kay Cannon Show,' I would have to audition to play Kay Cannon. And I probably wouldn't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-cannon/even-if-i-wrote-the-kay-cannon-show-i-would-have-to-audition-to-play/) [Kay Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-cannon/) > [What's funny is my mom took me to the theater for the first time when I was six years old, and I was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-davis/what-s-funny-is-my-mom-took-me-to-the-theater-for-the-first-time-when/) [Dana Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-davis/) > [I was horribly shy all through grade school and high school. But somehow I got up the nerve to audition for one play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-metcalf/i-was-horribly-shy-all-through-grade-school-and-high-school-but/) [Laurie Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-metcalf/) > [I was called to audition for a play when I was very young, following which I continued to act as well as write and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imtiaz-ali/i-was-called-to-audition-for-a-play-when-i-was-very-young-following/) [Imtiaz Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imtiaz-ali/) > [It was my freshman year. I was living across the hall from a girl named Kasey Klepper, whose brother, Jordan Klepper, used to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-yeun/it-was-my-freshman-year-i-was-living-across-the-hall-from-a-girl/) [Steven Yeun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-yeun/) > [I wanted to be an actor, like, so, so bad. I took acting classes, I auditioned for Disney, and then I realized how nervous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-like-so-so-bad-i-took-acting-classes-i/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [My friend was interning at the Miss India office and asked me to go for an audition. I just wanted to clear one basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sobhita-dhulipala/my-friend-was-interning-at-the-miss-india-office-and-asked-me-to-go/) [Sobhita Dhulipala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sobhita-dhulipala/) > [I wasn't originally taking drama, but the drama teacher asked me to audition for Bye, Bye Birdie. I did and got the lead role.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-richardson/i-wasn-t-originally-taking-drama-but-the-drama-teacher-asked-me-to/) [Kevin Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-richardson/) > [The first few times I was asked to audition for the part of Angelica Schuyler in 'Hamilton,' I turned it down. I was convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-elise-goldsberry/the-first-few-times-i-was-asked-to-audition-for-the-part-of-angelica/) [Renee Elise Goldsberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-elise-goldsberry/) > [I was asked if I'd audition for a part in a Broadway musical because the director just loved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-macdonald/i-was-asked-if-i-d-audition-for-a-part-in-a-broadway-musical-because/) [Amy Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-macdonald/) > [I was shooting for 'Maaya' when I got a call from John Abraham's office. They told me about the film and asked if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/i-was-shooting-for-maaya-when-i-got-a-call-from-john-abraham-s-office/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) ## More by Forest Whitaker > [To try and act like we haven't had great progress is not true. Obama didn't fail - he changed the psyche of the nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/to-try-and-act-like-we-haven-t-had-great-progress-is-not-true-obama/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I'm really excited that people are receiving my performance like this. It makes me feel good, because I've been working really hard. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-m-really-excited-that-people-are-receiving-my-performance-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I go to a reunion in east Texas, my mother's side or my father's, one out of ten is a preacher or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-go-to-a-reunion-in-east-texas-my-mother-s-side-or-my-father-s/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [ As an artist, it's a great opportunity to play a character like this \[Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland\]. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/as-an-artist-it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-play-a-character-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's all about destiny. That's why people look at the zodiac or the I Ching - because there's a certain order to life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-all-about-destiny-that-s-why-people-look-at-the-zodiac-or-the-i/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [My wife is completely different from me: she's good with everyone, whereas I'm good at directed conversation when I have a purpose for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/my-wife-is-completely-different-from-me-she-s-good-with-everyone/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I was a curious child. I'd debate with anyone who came to the door - people from the Islamic community... Jehovah's Witnesses... anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-was-a-curious-child-i-d-debate-with-anyone-who-came-to-the-door/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [There was a time in my acting career, where I was trying to figure out if acting was the thing to do. You know?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/there-was-a-time-in-my-acting-career-where-i-was-trying-to-figure-out/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [The first time I ever went out of the country, it was to London. I was with the choir from my college, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/the-first-time-i-ever-went-out-of-the-country-it-was-to-london-i-was/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I were to mark three, I'd mark Bird, because I grew immensely as an artist, I learned a lot, and also, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-were-to-mark-three-i-d-mark-bird-because-i-grew-immensely-as-an/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I try to be like a forest: revitalizing and constantly growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-try-to-be-like-a-forest-revitalizing-and-constantly-growing/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I stay true, because whatever the project is, I'm still looking for inside of that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-stay-true-because-whatever-the-project-is-i-m-still-looking-for/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's a contract of connection to be in the same space and watch and listen to stories and be caught in them. When you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-a-contract-of-connection-to-be-in-the-same-space-and-watch-and/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) [Explore all 142 Forest Whitaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In high school I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher asked me to audition for this play and I got the lead. 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