A single spotlight hits center stage, as the lights reflect off of the blue cast wrapped around his arm. Dressed in teal blue, Akhil Arun (12) confidently lip syncs to Frank Sinatra’s lyrics, mouthing the words ‘fly me to the moon’.

“Oddly, the lip syncing was worse than the cast,” Akhil said. “Somehow I thought memorizing dance moves would be worse. It’s scary when you’re the only one on stage doing something different, so being strong and not listening to other people is important.”

Besides dancing, Akhil takes the stage in different forms — as a singer and an actor. From starring as Jafar in the middle school production of Aladdin to playing the character Julian Marsh in the upper school musical 42nd Street, the theater is practically a second home to him. Acting in various roles has also allowed Akhil to personate each individual character truthfully by shifting perspectives quickly and embracing their own unique traits.

“You try to put yourself in the head of the character, and I think that’s really fun because you’re able to take things from a different perspective,” Akhil said. “What’s cool about performing arts is that you can forget about who you are and become another person for a little bit. It’s fun to dive into the character and paint a picture of who this person is in your mind, and just go from there.”

On stage, the key to being a great actor is being believable. During each performance, Akhil imagines himself on TV and envisions what the character would do in that specific moment — the tone, the movements, everything.

“Akhil is a big presence, so when he’s on stage, you really want to watch him,” his musical theater mentor Ms. Laura Lang-Ree said. “He’s fun, has such a great attitude, and is so ready to do anything.”

As the only sophomore in his first year of Downbeat, overcoming the fear of being judged was a struggle, especially with the group predominantly constituting of seniors. Regardless of this, the sense of camaraderie and unity still radiated throughout the choir, and the support from his fellow singers encouraged him to take a few risks during his musical career.

“It took a little bit to grow comfort, but I think when you’re performing or in an ensemble group, it takes a good amount of trust to get out of your skin and not be afraid of getting judged when you’re trying out for solos and things like that,” Akhil said. “I never did any of that sophomore year because I was so in my head about getting judged. But after a certain point, you realize that these are all your friends and no one’s going to care.”

However, his presence around school is far more than just a character on a stage. Before investing the majority of his time to performing, Akhil played varsity baseball, which taught him the importance of persistence and perseverance. The idea of outsmarting his opponents drew him to baseball, but despite the energy and enthusiasm he presented on the field, Akhil still experienced pain and loss from striking out.

“You can’t think about it too much,” Akhil said. “You have to block it out of your mind and just move on. This is something that happens a lot in life in general, but you have to pick yourself up after something bad happens or something doesn’t go your way. You just have to hope for the best in the future and learn from your mistakes in the past. I think in baseball it has a pretty direct application in the sense that if you miss one ball, you’ll probably get another one in that game.”

Although he takes part in a multitude of extracurriculars, Akhil still holds the determination to succeed within the academic field, including his achievements in computer science and research. Through all this, though, he never forgets to appreciate those closest to him.

“My first impression was that this guy is really serious in academics and is really focused,” his friend Sparsh Chauhan (12) said. “I still think that, but he’s definitely opened up to me, and I’ve learned about his alternate side, such as caring a lot about others and about more than just academics.”

Known as the “jokester” of his friend group, Akhil often brings in a light-hearted mood to the group dynamic. Not only does he love making people laugh, but he also knows when to be the supporting friend.

“I’ve been fortunate to experience the more nuanced and emotional side of him, and I’ve learned that he’s one of the most loyal and caring people I’ve ever met,” his friend Shreyas Chandrashekaran (12) said. “He has this innate ability to sense when something is wrong and has come to my aid hundreds of times. He’s made me feel better and talked to me when I’m down, and he’s the kind of guy you want to be on your side when you’re going through stress and tough times. He’ll lighten up the mood with jokes, console you when things don’t go your way, and remind you that the best is yet to come. While his outward demeanor may seem gruff, he’s one of the few people I’ve known who really cares.”