The Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) selected Cary Academy senior Bella Nesbeth (’22) as one of thirty Performing Arts Ambassadors for 2021-2022.

The thirty high school student ambassadors, hailing from across central North Carolina, are given exclusive, unique opportunities to view, interact with, and work in support of DPAC performances – everything from Broadway musicals like Hamilton and The Band’s Visit, to musicians like Jason Mraz, Watchhouse, and John Fogerty, to speakers such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and Stacey Abrams.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to the chance to see shows like Hamilton and RENT, but I’m really excited to hear Stacey Abrams speak,” beams Nesbeth. “When I applied for this, I thought it would be a great opportunity to broaden my experiences – I love the theatre, but you have to pick and choose what you can afford to spend time and money on to attend; this not only gives me the chance – but actually requires me to broaden my experiences.”

As part of the program, Nesbeth and the other ambassadors write reflections on the opportunities and experiences they are gaining through the DPAC program.

Already, Nesbeth has stepped outside her comfort zone to view The Band’s Visit, a musical about confronting the stereotypes and assumptions we make about each other. “It wouldn’t normally be the sort of show I’d choose to see, but I’m so glad I did. I am passionate about bridging connections across differences and the performance showed me another way to do that.”