Under dimmed lights, the audience remains quiet and motionless, filling the Golden Hill Elementary School’s theater with only hushed whispers and rustling programs.
It’s opening night, and then-10-year-old Abigail Veyna feels ready to explode from excitement and nerves.
Waiting backstage for her cue, her heart pounding, Veyna can only think of one thing: I hope the audience loves it.
She never imagined that the night would spark her own love for theater, or that she’d walk away having caught “the bug” for good.
In theater, catching “the bug” means developing a sudden, irresistible passion for performing, which happened to Veyna when she first experienced acting in fifth grade at her elementary school, Golden Hill’s “Disney’s Aladdin JR.” play, an adaptation of the “Aladdin” animation.
“Anyone in ‘show business’ will tell you that there’s a magic to the storytelling, costumes and music,” Veyna said. “I think that’s what drew me into theater — the idea of being a part of something very special and important.”
Senior Veyna used her early sense of wonder to overcome health obstacles, and it has become a lasting passion that guides her through numerous theater productions and leadership roles today.
BEGINNING OF HER SHOW
Upon discovering her newfound passion, at 11 years old, Veyna joined the Sunny Hills Youth Theater because she wanted to pursue the field, but it was not offered at her middle school, Parks Junior High School, she said.
A few months later, she joined the Spero Program for the Performing Arts [Spero PPA] for the same reason, participating in musicals such as “Bye Bye Birdie” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
“They were so fundamental and formative for me because I got to meet a lot of my friends, and I got to have so many professional experiences that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” she said. “I’ve been able to meet professional actors, dancers, musicians and screenwriters, and another really cool thing I’ve done is an original and independent show.”
Veyna is a swing, or an understudy for several ensemble roles, for the musical “Remember Jericho,” an original retelling of the biblical story of Jericho, written and composed by Caleb Herbert and performed at various churches in 2024 and 2025.
Out of all the musicals she’s done in the Sunny Hills Youth Theater and Spero PPA — both of which she is currently taking a break from to focus on the Lancer Theater Company — Veyna said her favorite was Hope International University’s “Beauty and the Beast” musical, in which 13-year-old Veyna was part of the ensemble.
“I have such good memories from that show because I was so young, and I had no idea of the level of production I was doing; I was just having fun with my friends,” she said.
WHEN THE CURTAIN FELL
Though she found herself falling deeper into theater, she stumbled into an obstacle: juvenile arthritis.
Having been diagnosed with the condition at age 10, Veyna said the condition placed limitations on her physical abilities onstage, requiring her to be especially careful while dancing to not trigger a flare-up.
In addition, Veyna said the arthritis made her more susceptible to viruses, and the combination of her condition, fatigue and stress caused her to catch colds easily, leading her to perform often while sick.
The senior said she receives help from her rheumatologist at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, who makes sure Veyna is healthy enough to perform, and her mom, who researched with Veyna on getting rid of flu symptoms quickly.
“Unfortunately, this year, I’ve been experiencing more pain [than last year], because as of April, I’ve been sick four times and I’m even fighting a sickness as I speak,” she said. “But I don’t say this to throw myself a pity-party; I say it because I know there’s other kids out there who feel limited by their health, and I want them to know that while they may not be able to do everything that others can, they can certainly do things they love.”
Veyna said another part of theater she struggled with was the emotional strain that comes with it.
“Acting also takes a toll on your emotions because you’re tied to this piece for so many months, and you become so close to the people that you work with, but then in one day, it’s all over,” she said. “You have to pour your heart into it — and it’s worth it, because it’s what I love to do — but it’s definitely hard.”
Over the years, Veyna said she learned to adapt to the flow of life amid constantly changing environments.
“I’ve never been very comfortable with change, but knowing that God always stays the same even when my world is shifting helps me to let go,” she said. “My Gramma also tells me this every closing: ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because you had it.’”
Throughout every trial and hardship, Veyna said she finds the biggest support in her community, family and faith.
“Definitely all my directors and my coaches that I worked with, my theater companies in Fullerton and my family — especially my mom, because she’s the one that drives me to every rehearsal, brings me food, picks me up and she’s at every show I do,” she said. “I know God is the one who provides me with the opportunities, strength and talent for theater, so I hope that every aspect of my life can be a thank-you to Him, whether I’m on stage or backstage.”
STEALING CENTER STAGE
Entering high school, Veyna said her first Lancer Theater Musical, “The Sound of Music,” further fueled her passion for acting.
“When you leave your home company, you wonder, ‘Is it the friends that I made that made me do theater, or was it the craft itself?’” she said. “But when I did ‘The Sound of Music,’ I realized that, ‘Wow, I really love to do this.’”
Theater teacher Christian Penuelas said he had watched Veyna’s acting skills grow over the years, from her performance as Brigitta von Trapp in “The Sound of Music” to her most recent role as Miss Honey in “Matilda.”
“She was a freshman with a ton of energy, and she was so much fun to work with and watch on stage,” Penuelas said. “She started out by playing a little kid in ‘The Sound of Music,’ but now she’s playing more adult and complex characters as she’s getting older, and she’s able to portray those quite effectively.”
Senior Taylor Flores, who became close with Veyna while attending Parks Junior High School and Wilshire Avenue Community Church together, said she is skilled at embodying her characters in the musicals, whether it be the sassy, outgoing god Hermes in “Hadestown,” a motherly nanny in “Mary Poppins” or the empathetic Miss Honey.
In “Matilda,” a musical based on the children’s book by Roald Dahl, Flores said the role of Miss Honey was a perfect fit for Veyna because of the similarities between the two.
“Miss Honey was one of the most perfect roles I could have imagined for Abby — sweet, whimsical, caring and childlike,” Flores said. “I think that whatever role Abby plays in, it really connects to a part of her own soul, and she creates this atmosphere around her that’s so powerful.”
Offstage, Veyna is as kind as Miss Honey and as energetic as Hermes, Flores said.
“Abby is bright, fun and kind, and I think she has all these little silly quirks about her,” she said. “And she has this wisdom, I don’t know if it’s from God, but you can see it in everything she does.”
Veyna said her love for theater extends beyond acting to stage production, sparked by her experience helping stage manage Hope University’s “Cinderella” production in her freshman year.
“That really changed the way I saw theater because I had only ever performed onstage,” she said. “Working backstage and being part of that has definitely excited my love for leadership and helping with the whole production and creative process.”
Then-freshman Veyna couldn’t perform in “Cinderella” because she was doing “The Sound of Music” with the Lancer Theater Company, but still wanted to be a part of the production.
“This sparked my love for ‘invisible tasks’ — things that no one notices but are still really important, such as cleaning up trash, safety pinning costumes or even just making sure there are Band-Aids accessible,” she said. “I’d argue that these small details are what make theater truly happen.”
Building on that experience, she has continued to take on leadership roles behind the scenes, serving as head of wardrobe for Sunny Hills’ Vocal Ensemble, being a cabinet member of the Lancer Theater Company and stage managing the “12 Angry Jurors” play, which will be showcased from Wednesday, April 29-Saturday, May 2, in the dance room.
THE NEXT ACT
After years of countless rehearsals and plays, Veyna said she still holds a deep love for theater, a field that continues to inspire her now.
“Theater is such a unique craft because it incorporates so many different things, and also the community you create backstage,” she said. “It’s an art of moments — there’s just so many moments and memories that you make.”
Though her time as an actress at Sunny Hills is coming to an end, the senior plans on studying theater at Fullerton College in the fall and pursuing acting as a career.
“Of course, I’d love to be a big star in Broadway shows and Hollywood Blockbuster films, I believe that’s everyone’s secret dream,” she said. “But, it really doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing, because I’ll always be telling stories — it keeps us alive.”
