At first glance, theater and Speech and Debate seem to be two completely different worlds. One is filled with costumes and performance, while the other is driven by arguments and speaking. But for one RHS senior, Priscilla Mir, these two passions have become deeply intertwined. While theater has become her main stage, both have shaped more than just her high school experience — they’ve influenced her personal growth, confidence, and future goals.
Mir discovered her love of acting early, and it has only grown since. From musicals to UIL One-Act Plays, theater has become a second home to Mir. “I got into theater in sixth grade and have done every CCISD show since,” Mir shared.
On the other hand, speech came a bit later in eighth grade. “I only started speech because my theater director (James Stroud) is also the Speech and Debate coach at Ray.”
She also explained that James Stroud’s wife, Ariane Stroud, was her theater teacher at Baker Middle School. “So naturally, I started speech too,” Mir said. What began as the natural next step turned into its own set of challenges and rewards.
Ariane Stroud has watched Mir evolve for years, stating, “Priscilla has always been talented. I saw it in her when she was an orphan in ‘Annie’ in the sixth grade. I think the biggest change in her has been her increase in her own confidence in herself; the older she’s gotten, the more confident she’s gotten in that talent, and that really helps her to shine on stage as a performer.”
In the theater, Mir has taken on many leading roles, but this year’s performance is especially exciting. “It (the ‘Aladdin Jr.’ musical) had been a rumor since I was a sophomore, and it (Jasmine) had been my dream role since,” she said. “It’s been a lot of fun so far, and I’m a big fan of Disney Princesses, so it’s fun to play one.”
Speech, by contrast, offers a different kind of stage. “Right now I’m in Original Oratory, where students have to prepare a 10-minute speech about the causes and solutions of a world problem that’s relevant to them,” she said. Her current piece focuses on stereotypes surrounding women in the workplace, particularly their emotional tendencies. “I love doing it because it’s Sex and the City themed and very much girl power,” she added.
James Stroud explained what sets her apart as a speaker: “Priscilla does a good job of speaking clearly and strongly. She has excellent projection, and as a speaker, she captures attention. She’s able to make good emotional connections to the words she’s saying, so her speaking skills are fantastic because of that.”
Of course, no journey is complete without its bumps. For her, speech’s time commitment became a major issue. “I couldn’t balance it in my junior year and decided to quit,” she stated. “But I couldn’t let myself not try again one last time, and I started back up for my last year to see where it gets me.”
Theater brought its own challenges. “My sophomore year is when (CCISD) started opening up shows for every school to audition for, so I really had to lock in for the roles I wanted,” she shared. Getting a role meant working harder, showing up more, and learning to trust herself and the process even when times were hard.
Despite the challenges, both activities bring something special: “My favorite part of theater is that I got to know so many people outside of Ray that shared the same passion as me. I really made a family,” Mir shared. In speech, it was more personal. “It challenges me,” she said. “You’re kind of out there on your own, so you’re pushing yourself constantly.”
Though both activities have their differences, they can surprisingly overlap. “They definitely intertwine,” Mir says. “The more I think about it, theater helped me with my confidence in speech, too.” Whether it’s projecting her voice, conveying emotions, or holding the audience’s attention, the skills from each activity carry over into the other and improve both crafts.
James Stroud echoed this connection, noting her growing range as an actor. “She’s capable of playing a lot of lead characters because she understands the emotional maturity it takes,” he said.
He also highlighted how she stands out as a teammate: “She is a reluctant leader. People follow her example a lot of the time. She doesn’t necessarily push people, but she is incredibly supportive and does all she can to lift people up and make them feel welcome.” As for competition, he added, “She wants to be successful. … If she’s not successful, she realizes she’s got to work and get better, and that only makes her stronger every time she succeeds.”
For any newcomers stepping foot on stage, Mir’s advice is simple but powerful: “Give every performance 100%. Don’t hold back, and if you don’t feel stupid, you’re not doing it right.”
With high school coming to an end, Mir isn’t ready to say goodbye to the spotlight just yet. “After high school, I’d love to keep theater in my life in some way, like possibly community theater,” she said. Her love for performance and storytelling isn’t something that will fade with her graduation — if anything, it will be passion that makes its way into every aspect of her life.
