For nearly 18 years, Audra Rengel’s life moved in a lot of directions. She became a mom, married her high school sweetheart, continued her education, and built a career in mental health and human rights advocacy. Theatre, once a meaningful part of her life, became something she did in the past.
“Somewhere along the way, participating became something I associated with an earlier version of myself. Something I used to do, rather than something I could still make space for.”
Looking back, Audra doesn’t think she lost her relationship with theatre. “I think I put it on hold while I was busy becoming the person I am today.”
Now, as a member of the ensemble in Les Misérables, she’s finding her way back to the stage, bringing nearly two decades of life, love, and experience with her.
Making Room for Something More
Audra’s work has long centered on supporting others through difficult moments. But over time, she began asking herself a different set of questions.
“What brings me joy? What makes me feel creative, fulfilled, and connected to myself outside of everything I do for everyone else?”
The opportunity to audition arrived at a time when she was ready to make space for those answers.
“I think the opportunity to audition arrived at a time when I was finally willing to stop treating my own joy as something that needed to wait until everything else was taken care of.”
There will always be another responsibility, another deadline, another reason to put something off. Audra decided it was time to make room for something that brought her joy.
“Eventually, you have to decide that the things that make you feel alive deserve a place in your life, too.”
For Audra, returning to theatre isn’t about proving she can still do something she loved as a teenager. It’s about discovering what that love means to her now.
“I no longer feel that I need to perform in order to prove something about myself. I get to perform because I love it. There is an enormous difference between those two things.”
A Different Perspective
Stepping back into a rehearsal room after so many years brought a mix of excitement and discovery. Audra found herself returning to something familiar, but with a new understanding of what it means to create alongside others.
“Stepping back into a rehearsal environment reminded me that theatre isn’t simply about performing. It’s about creating something collectively, trusting the people around you, allowing yourself to be vulnerable, and contributing to a story that becomes bigger than any one individual.”
Her experiences as a mother and an advocate have also changed how she approaches storytelling. Years spent listening to people, witnessing resilience, and working to create spaces where people feel seen have given her a deeper appreciation for the connections theatre can make.
Motherhood, in particular, has given her another reason to embrace this return. She wants her son to see that growing up doesn’t mean giving up the things that make you happy.
“I want my son to understand that adulthood does not have to mean abandoning the things that make you happy. That pursuing your passions, trying something unfamiliar, and continuing to grow are not privileges reserved for young people.”
Being back in theatre has also offered Audra something she didn’t realize how much she needed: a place where she can simply participate, connect, and create.
“What has surprised me most is how meaningful it feels to make room for a part of myself that doesn’t have to be responsible for solving a problem, advocating for a cause, or taking care of someone else.
I can just be.
I can learn, laugh, make mistakes, be challenged, and experience the excitement of creating alongside other people.”
Becoming Who You Are
For anyone who has set aside a passion while life took its course, Audra hopes her experience offers a reminder that it’s possible to begin again.
“You are allowed to become someone new without abandoning the parts of yourself that once brought you joy.”
Returning doesn’t mean picking up exactly where you left off. You might have different priorities, new responsibilities, or a completely different perspective on something you once loved. And that’s okay.
“You don’t have to return to something as the person you were when you left it. You don’t have to be as skilled, as confident, or as certain as you once were.
You’re allowed to start again.”
For Audra, that message is especially important for people who spend their lives caring for others. It’s easy to put your own happiness on the back burner while you take care of everyone and everything else.
But joy matters, too.
“Joy isn’t frivolous. Creativity isn’t selfish. And fulfillment doesn’t have to be earned through exhaustion.”
“We deserve lives that are not defined exclusively by what we survive, what we accomplish, or what we provide for other people. We also deserve lives that make us feel alive.”
Nearly 18 years after her last full production, Audra isn’t trying to become the person she was when she first stepped onstage.
“The most beautiful part is realizing that I’m not trying to find my way back to the person I used to be.
I’m making room for the person I’ve become.”
And she’s reminding all of us that it’s never too late to do the same.
Catch Audra Rengel in the ensemble of Les Misérables October 16th-November 1st at the Paramount Center for the Arts. For tickets and more information, visit www.greattheatre.org/events/les-miserables/.
