Getting cast in your very first show is supposed to feel exciting, not like something you need to defend to your closest friend.

One 19-year-old with zero theatre experience but a strong singing voice auditioned for Hairspray at her friend’s encouragement, expecting little more than a spot in the ensemble given how many people applied.

Instead, she landed the role of Amber, the show’s mean-girl villain, while her friend, an experienced performer who’d already done three shows with the group, didn’t make the cast at all.

What should have been a moment of shared celebration turned tense fast, with her friend repeatedly pushing her to quit, calling her selfish, and even commenting “I really think you should quit” directly on an Instagram story from rehearsal.

She’s stuck defending a role she genuinely enjoys against a friend who can’t seem to separate her own disappointment from someone else’s success.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for sticking out the play despite my friend not getting in?

We are 19F. I’ve never done theatre before, but I can sing really good.

My friend is a theatre kid who can sing, dance, and act. She told me a few months ago to audition for the play her theatre group is doing called Hairspray.

Getting cast in one of the shows has always been competitive.

She’s done 3 plays with them so far and loved it.

A lot of people applied to do Hairspray.

Before, everyone would get into every show, but due to the amount of people who applied, they said not everyone who auditions will get in.

So after that, I didn’t have much hope of getting in.

The process itself was no joke.

It wasn’t one you audition for a specific part. We sang a song for them and did a dance audition, which I’ve never done dance before, whereas my friend is really good, so I thought she would get in.

A week ago the cast list came out. I’m a girl named Amber in it who’s a mean girl type role. The main villain of the show and a dancer.

Whereas my friend didn’t even get into the ensemble.

Her friend got really mad at her.

She’s really upset, especially because she’d performed with them before and she’s a better dancer and actor than me. She was upset but kept asking me if I was sticking it out.

I said yes.

She kept asking me how rehearsals were going.

I said it’s stressful to have to memorise the lines and dances, and I wasn’t even expecting to get in let alone as anything more than the ensemble. And that some of the ensemble were rude to me getting a good part.

So her friend pushed her to back out all together.

She told me I should quit the show then.

I said I’m committed.

She kept trying to convince me to leave.

One day I posted an Instagram story from rehearsals of the play, and my friend replied, “I really think you should quit.”

I said no, I enjoy the play.

She said I’m being selfish and I know plays are her thing, and so should just quit because I’m not emotionally invested like her.

Clearly this friend is dealing with some serious jealousy.

What did Reddit think?

This commenter sees right through this friend’s façade.

Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to this friendship altogether.

Her friend could really work on her emotional regulation.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a student who did the math and figured out he was better off skipping school than serving detention if he forgot his ID.

It’s time to stop diminishing her considerable accomplishments.

Getting cast in your first ever show is something to be proud of, not something you should have to hide from your own friend.

The pressure to quit was never really about commitment or emotional investment. It had everything to do with her friend’s toxic jealousy.

A real friend celebrates a win even when it stings their ego a little.