A theatre kid or theater kid is a common stereotype of a young actor, usually a student, who openly displays a talent and/or passion for performance.[1] Common traits associated with the stereotype include obsession with or devotion to school plays,[2] the tendency to spontaneously perform or quote lyrics in everyday social situations,[3][4] and a personal obsession with musicals.[4]

The child cast of a production of A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
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Examples of the theatre kid stereotype have appeared in various film and television productions, including Glee and High School Musical.[5][6] A "theatre kid" subculture exists on TikTok,[7] with The Michigan Daily noting that the content posted to the "theatrekid" tag (and related topics) has amassed billions of views.[8]

Notable examples

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In an interview with Vanity Fair, Andrew Garfield called himself a theatre kid, saying "I wear that badge proudly."[9] Rachel Zegler has identified with the label.[10][11]

References

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  1. ^ Yates, Maggie (2023-03-17). "'Our Time: Celebrating High School Theater Kids Gone Pro'". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  2. ^ "The portrait of a "theater kid"". Die Bärliner. 2014-04-27. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  3. ^ "22 Things Only Theatre Kids Understand". Teen Vogue. 2015-11-14. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  4. ^ a b Ambuul, Brigid. "The Mythos of The Theater Kid, Debunked". Crimson. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  5. ^ "When 'High School Musical 2' Made Theater Kids Cool". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  6. ^ Chaney, Jen (2018-04-19). "Theater Kids Are Everywhere on TV and in Movies". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  7. ^ Dickson, E. J. (2022-04-24). "Theater Kids Everywhere Are Obsessing Over This New TikTok Trend". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  8. ^ Carapellotti, Hannah (2022-04-05). "Can TikTok help make musical theatre more inclusive?". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  9. ^ "Andrew Garfield Loves Jonathan Larson and Lying About Spider-Man". Vanity Fair. 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  10. ^ "Rachel Zegler, 'West Side Story's New Maria, Made Her Met Gala Debut". ELLE. 2021-09-14. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  11. ^ McDougall, A. J. (2022-01-23). "Why Do So Many People Hate Rachel Zegler?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2023-04-20.