Theatre lights, and a pen to write
Juliet Tenoso (fourth to the right) performing during Maria Carrillo High School’s production of Mary Poppins (Courtesy of Quinn Stahl / The Puma Prensa)
By Mia Landaverde, Staff Writer
Life is one of those many things that come with a series of mysteries, Juliet Tenoso, junior, is one of those people that can seemingly navigate through it all. Though it all comes with its ups and downs, Tenoso’s journey is incredibly story-worthy and deserves any light shined upon it.
Middle school was the obstacle of obstacles. In eighth grade, one of Tenoso’s very best friends sadly passed away. This, though a really rough time for her, opened doors that let her explore the means of writing. “Amid hardship, particularly sprouting in middle school, my hand naturally gravitated toward the keyboard of my computer when my mind could not recalibrate on its own,” Tenoso explained thoughtfully. “That event launched air that flew a whirlwind towards my hand, which was briskly delivered to a Google document, and all of a sudden, the words that were a lost little girl in an escape room finally found their exit.”
Tenoso was part of Spring Lake Middle School’s creative writing class, where she read her poem dedicated to her late friend. “When I read the poem out loud to my creative writing class, the muffled sobs and abrupt squeaks of their throats were far more than enough to make me realize that poetry speaks volumes,” She said, reflecting on the impact her words have brought to several of her peers. “Words are a form of communication that don’t have to be initially audible to be heard.”
Tenoso participated in this year's poetry slam competition at Maria Carrillo High School. In that very competition, she recited a number of poems she wrote herself, reflective on simple moments in her day to day life, and also humongous events that left an impact on her as an individual. She’s gotten far with her passions, and has openly expressed that it’s out of honor for her friend. “I was beside one of my now late best friends, splayed out mindlessly on the scrappy carpet of the classroom constructed with dull, distorted coloring, when we were fueling a rant that seemed to burn for hours. That banter that I long for, that is no longer reachable by a regular school day or a brief phone call, was characterized by a novel we dreamed of publishing,” She expressed. “I note that my love for creative writing sprouted before I started exchanging the art with others, but I want to honor the best friend I had then, who gave me the gift of inspiration, insight, and sparks.”
Yet, even when different circumstances led to the start of her journey with poetry and creative writing, it’s become an outlet that Tenoso often escapes to, which aids her in her emotional processing and relief. When it comes to her writing, many of her friends and classmates have felt the emotional pull she had to bring, the feelings she wanted to communicate, and the turmoil she needed to decipher. These emotions that she expresses come through so strongly because of her ability to perform. Along with creative writing, Tenoso joined Spring Lake’s drama class in seventh grade after strong persuasion from creative writing and drama teacher, Samantha Tuor.
Theatre is another major outlet that Tenoso has absorbed into her being. It quickly became more than just a hobby, and has been something she’s been incredibly passionate about since the beginning of her journey. “Your search engine would likely define the word hobby as an activity, visited quite often, that gains your attraction because it brings you joy,” Tenoso explained. “Theatre, to me, can no where near be belittled to that context, because theatre blessed me with volume–with pride–with perseverance–and those attributes are what define me as a person.”
Tenoso was part of Carrillo’s Mary Poppins this year, and her portrayal of her character had the audience amused and laughing the entire time. Her freshman year, she starred as the Wicked Witch of the West in the school’s Wizard of Oz, putting on an extremely captivating performance that left the audience shocked with her ability. In sophomore year, one of her more notable roles was Marcus Brutus in Julius Caesar, showing just how capable she is at performing a range of roles.
“Shouting my desired words to someone sitting in the audience of a theatre, or plummeting them into the irises of someone studying a literary piece, was able to define myself as someone who was embraced by somber and a gnawing itch to make all voices of all beings heard and comprehended,” Tenoso expressed when asked how she found herself through her passions. While on stage performing her iconic roles, or sitting at a desk as her handwriting is painted on lined paper, Tenoso was able to discover new profound qualities within herself.
That is how theatre and creative writing became so important to her story. They were the keys to her discoveries and the cradle to her being. “When weeks get boring, and tasks are unfulfilling, I peek through the door that is often slammed shut between my day-to-day life and my tenderness. The only reason why I fiddle with that doorknob of emotions is because literature and theatre are on the other side: two art forms that don’t really care about what I do or how I do it,” said Tenoso. “Sometimes, the stage lights and fountain pens are just flumped there, listening to what I want to say, and are just there. They have been there, and they will be there. Not because I demanded them to do so, but because they are just there.”
Creative writing serves as more than just an outlet, it is the door to her emotions. Tenoso uses creative writing to express her feelings about the past, her recognition of the present, and her hopes for the future. Theatre serves as more than just joy, it is the drive for her accomplishments. It taught Tenoso how to speak, be seen, use her voice, gather courage, discover her talent, and exist beyond the boundaries of negativity. These passions have become her.
Of course, there have been times where these have contributed to burnout. One of the most significant periods where burnout has affected her immensely was during theatre’s trip to Lenaea sophomore year. Tenoso and her theatre class experienced losing at the competition. “I left the closing ceremony of the Lenaea Theatre Festival medaless and promptly empty. I was only dragged away from the out-of-body and surreal sensations in the far-away corridors when I was found by friends, alongside the one-and-only Denise Elia-Yen,” she said. “As days flew by after the results of Lenaea’s competition, I swallowed my ego and shook hands with what we call burnout. I was drained dry by the excessive work of a monologue from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, and quite frankly, theatre as a whole.”
“Some would call it selfish. But when I found myself curling up on my mattress, hurdled with abundant bedsheets and a lack of self-esteem, that voice in my brain that told me I needed a break startled the rest of me and managed to make its mark. So, I took that break.” Acknowledging her struggles wasn’t easy for Tenoso, but it allowed her to experience growth and be kind to herself. She even came up with some advice for Pumas along the way. “The note I want to rip out of this notebook of lessons in particular is the message that when part of you draws behind–when that part of you is silently craving for time away–listen to it. Take that break. No matter what, people will never have the moral right to declare that you stopped trying. As long as you are here, you are still trying, no matter how that effort channels or hangs around. Take that break.”
Yet, even when hardships led her to fight off what she loved most, they came back. They began to fulfill again after she felt as if life was drained out of her. It opened her eyes to why these were so important to her development. “The epiphany that greeted me not too long ago was that it was never myself who disappointed me, but it was the life that was constructed around me: a taunting perimeter that plays a cruel joke on you, making it seem like you can control and have the responsibility over everything that happens to you. Loss and accomplishments are never that personal; they just exist, and they exist without your permission,” Tenoso explained. “Acting and writing chewed through my stone of greed, the impression that everything is up to me, and instead scattered the pavement with vulnerability and shock–and to conclude, life may be monochrome at the highest contrast, but we never are.”
“Crying, yelling, or whispering on stage, or on a sheet of paper, are what build my narrative–not the scores, not the awards, and not necessarily the praise. All of us are the gray area, the trophies of existence, and the overwhelming goal to make our marks on this planet, and that largely comes from our emotional outlets. Humans evolved to feel–not to win.”
Outside of Tenoso’s intricate poems or astonishing performances, she is my friend. She is a person filled with so much passion, talent, kindness, and care. She’s the person to go to if you need to get kicked back into reality, but she’ll also let you daydream just a little bit. She chaotically makes people laugh, and lights up any room she walks into. She stands her ground, even if it feels just the slightest bit unstable. She’s the person who always has something new under her sleeve and will keep you on your toes with excitement. Juliet Tenoso is one of the greatest people I will ever meet. How lucky am I to have a friend like hers, and I hope that the world will get to know her name as she achieves every dream she’s ever had under the shooting stars.
Juliet Tenoso is more than just a student at Carrillo, she is the embodiment of wonder.