In Part 3 of the Mask Series, I reflect on my third theater experience, stepping into the role of Kurt Kelly in Heathers: The Musical. On paper, he’s loud, arrogant, and easy to dismiss as just “the jock.” But once I had to stop judging him and start understanding him, things got personal. Because underneath the volume, the bravado, and the entitlement was something much more familiar: insecurity.

This episode explores masculinity, performance, and the masks we wear to feel seen. Playing Kurt forced me to examine how confidence can sometimes be compensation, how arrogance can be armor, and how insecurity doesn’t always look quiet, sometimes it’s the loudest person in the room. Through songs like “Beautiful", "Fight For Me", "Big Fun", "Seventeen" and "Seventeen Reprise ,” I learned how to take up space without abusing it, how to be bold without overpowering others, and how accountability isn’t punishment, it’s maturity.

More than anything, this role became a mirror. It challenged how I define strength, masculinity, and responsibility. I didn’t walk away feeling superior to the character; I walked away clearer about who I want to be. Sometimes growth doesn’t come from playing the hero. Sometimes it comes from understanding the villain within.