Is V-Show worth it?

     Every year a large number of students at Maine South rack their brains, trying to come up with a witty idea for the annual V-Show. Thoughts and planning begin in early summer, when a few bright people conceive fantastic ideas; and even just a week before tryouts, many rushed and nervous procrastinators struggle for any kind of act, much less a funny one.
      The long-awaited day of the organization meeting arrives, and as half of Maine South crowds into the auditorium, you find yourself wondering what in God's name you're doing here and how you'll ever make V-Show. The fearless leader announces when tryouts begin.
     One gloomy, rainy morning you wake up and realize (gasp!) it's tryout day. As you smother your trembling body with baby powder and antiperspirant, you find yourself thinking of excuses to stay home sick from school. But as it's kind of late in your life to begin being a coward, you trudge off to school.
     As you walk into the dreaded tryout room, you notice that there's about ten silent faces seemingly trying to pick you apart. You give them a weak smile in an attempt to be friendly, but all you're rewarded with is a stony stare. Your act begins. At one part of your act you can't hold back the giggles at an extremely funny line. As you look up to share a moment of mirth, ten bored faces gape back at you. "Uh-ooh," you think, "I bet they don't like the act!"
       "Thank you!" booms Mr. Martello. "That was a very good idea and uh ... funny as heck," he says halfheartedly.
     "Well, you guys," everyone starts screaming once outside the room, "You screwed it up! You idiots!" Oh, well, making V-Show isn't important to me at all, you think to yourself, I mean, I'll just go home and cry for about 20 hours, but it really doesn't matter that much.
     One day, you hear that the cast list is up. As you slowly stroll down to the call board, ready to face defeat, you see your friends jumping up and down. "Must be delirious with pain," you diagnose. Then you glance at the call board. Your name stands out, looking straight into your bewildered eyes.
     "I knew we'd make it all the time," you say calmly as your friends pick you up off the floor. "I mean we were just sure to get in."
     After practicing diligently for a month, you start to ask yourself if it was all worth it. You're about ready to tear each other apart when Dec. 2 arrives. Yes, it's opening night! As you stand in the wings, your body trembling with nervousness, you realize that you've forgotten all your lines! Then it's time to go on. The spotlights dance wickedly on the stage. Millions of people stare at you, hanging on your every word (you've remembered your lines), laughing at the appropriate times. As you leave the stage, happy and a bit proud, you remember that difficult question you had asked yourself just a few days ago: Is it worth it? You bet it is!