Theater Tales | What I Did and Didn't Know When I Was Young

Music directing for stage productions is a very good fit for me. I did not see that coming!!!

Middle School

My first time participating in a full musical production was in my 7th grade at the middle school. At least, that's the first one I really remember. I was cast in the ensemble and soon after, was assigned a minor, minor role. It was my first time having a libretto, or getting real choreography and being costumed, or doing a show with a live orchestra pit. I got a kick out of the whole thing. The show was Bye Bye Birdie and I LOVED the experience. (I also remember getting a major crush on the pit drummer who was a sophomore in high school--I'm sure the crush continued on for 3 years).

My next experience came soon after--maybe the summer leading into 8th grade. This program was open to a broader age group and I am pretty sure it was directed, and choreographed by real theater professionals. The show was a Broadway revue and WOW I loved that whole experience, also. My favorites were songs from West Side Story, Godspell, Hair, and Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (favs because I was in them--haha). I had an ensemble role, but they liked having me on hand because I was very skilled in reading music and singing harmonies and filling in wherever needed. I just didn't have a strong solo voice, but I could dance, and I had "great" stage presence and could help anyone who struggled with singing parts because of my piano skills.

My third experience was also at the same theater doing a production of The Boyfriend. Another great great time where I actually had a slightly bigger role as Dulcie, and they allowed my character to speak with a lisp and a British accent. HAHA. Its funny how this show was not quite as memorable for me. Probably because I didn't have as much time to see everything else that was happening on stage. I had my own lines and songs and character role to worry about. Plus, 8th grade is a very hormonal stage in a girl's life. I do remember having a smoking-hot red asian-style dress (from pictures).

High School

Ninth grade was the high school production of Brigadoon. Ensemble again for me. Not very memorable.

Tenth grade. We did On the Town. Ensemble. Plus a small monologue. Memorable and fun, but still I had a small part so I didn't really grasp much and I mostly remember my crazy, rollercoaster, emotional life during that production. I was not exactly behaving at that point.

Tenth grade class play competitions--SOOO HILARIOUS! Very memorable.  Other things I was involved with--ShowChoir. Very memorable. I had small roles in everything I did, but I my parts were not unimportant. I'm not sure whether I realized any of that then--probably not. I do remember that my personality had a similar effect then as it has now, which tends to bring the happy, crazy, fun atmosphere most of the time, along with occasional bouts of "steam and frustration." (Those angry rants were WAY worse as a teenager, so be glad if you know me now instead of then).

Leading into my eleventh grade I moved from NY to TN and had a whole new experience with music. MARCHING BAND! My new school, Ripley High, was the marching band Mid-south champs for several years in a row and they/we were really good! Memorable. And chorus competitions!! I ended up being scouted to become the chorus accompanist which I LOVED! (This Yankee girl was a mystery to everyone). Becoming the accompanist was a great opportunity, and little did I know than, a needed piece for my future.  Show choir was awesome. We did this whole performance from Michael Jackson's Thriller album and I got to dance with boys. haha However, Ripley had nothing happening in the theater department my junior year.

In Twelfth grade, My two favorite teachers decided to produce a play and I was cast as the lead role. Wha?!! Up the Down Staircase. Ever hear of it? I got the LEAD!!! Honestly, I knew very little about acting, but I had some natural talent and decent stage presence. It was a memorable and scary experience. Sadly, I don't think anyone video taped it. I've only ever seen a few photos, to help maintain a vague picture of things in my mind's eye. I wish I could look back on some of these events. Cell phones and social media has turned our world upside down. It's weird to think of how it used to be.

College

At college, because I was very immersed in my classical music training (piano and voice) and my spiritual life... and my social life, I wasn't very aware of any theater program on campus until my second and third year! My voice teacher, along with her husband were the heads of the opera department, but I was in no way an opera singer. I left my vocal lessons crying and deflated just about every week.  I did not have the physicality or basics in my "tool belt" to sing the way she was trying to teach me which was very frustrating. I disliked my voice. It was weak and breathy and small. But somehow, I was always a section leader in my choirs because I was excellent at reading music and harmonizing and my tone and pitch were great for blending. I had strengths, but they weren't helping me be a great solo singer.

I auditioned for music ministries the end of my freshman year and didn't get into the summer program. I'm sure I cried about that. Lots of disappointments and reality checks. The second summer I bypassed music ministries and went straight to the missions program and ended up going to India for two months with a team of 12 students. Best experience of my life. We were a music/drama team and I can't even begin to tell you what an incredible adventure that was. POWERFUL!!

Near the end of my junior year, after my big junior piano recital, I auditioned for a student-directed show: Snoopy, the Musical. I was cast as Lucy. I had also auditioned for music ministries and suddenly was faced with making a decision between the two because, the rehearsals conflicted. Sometimes I regret not doing the musical, but I choose the spiritual thing(music ministries) and traveled much of the northwest US and Canada all summer in a van with a great group of students. But truly, I missed being in INDIA all summer long!! side note: my future husband was the one leading the India mission team that same summer (another big story to tell some other time). I missed my piano. I missed the whole summer of preparing for upcoming my senior recital. And I regretted the fact that I missed some opportunities which set me back in ways I didn't foresee, but nothing that upset the entire course of my future. That was still going to happen--in whatever way it would.

Life

All of my growing up, and my growing pains helped shape me into who I am today. Here I am, almost  50, and I'm doing something I would never have guessed in all of those younger years. Music directing for stage productions is a very good fit for me. I did not see that coming!!! I totally enjoy it and I'm pretty good at it. I like teaching music. I like shaping characters and being part of a production team. People are my absolute favorite thing on earth. And I kind of understand the psychology of theater, especially in school settings and the community theater settings. So, that makes the position fit me even better.

Musical theater can be tough. Sometimes its brutal on the self-confidence. But the lessons we learn can be our best friend. Getting cast or not getting cast; having a lead role or winding up in the chorus--once again; It can feel very personal.

But here's a tip or two: Get to know yourself. Get to know your skill level. Make improvements by taking lessons or classes or (hello) by practicing! Get to know the types of roles you could actually pull off in a believable way. Study the field by attending other shows and watching things on youtube. Video tape yourself, so you can see/hear what the audience sees/hears. Put together an audition book with songs and monologues that are good for you, so you'll be ready when an audition pops up. Get to know the important things about casting, and a director's point of view... it makes all the difference.

Growth can't rushed either. So embrace life as it comes. Do your best always, but don't sweat the disappointments for long. There will always be a future with fulfilling and satisfying experiences, but only if you embrace life honestly. Search for the truth in everything.

God knows your future and what you were created for. Ask Him about it. #lovinglife

Large Family Life... or Life in a Large Family

I grew up in a family of eight. My husband grew up in a family of seven. We now have our own family of eight. Some of our siblings have large families as well. Big families are something I know pretty well. It doesn't mean I understand it completely, but I do kind of know some things. I don't think that small families can understand the large family dynamic at all. However, parents can usually remember what their own family was like when it was smaller... you know, before the additional children came along.

I love my life (mostly). My kids are great (the majority of the time). My husband is one of the very best of the best (but his snoring has been keeping me awake lately). We are enjoying the blessings that come from the Lord. Wonderful parents. Successful careers. Happy children, who are growing into fine adults and finding their way. We've had our serious ups and downs in the parenting arena as well as the marriage and even in the relationships of the extended family. Its life. Sometimes it sucks. Mostly it has been good for us.

Truth is, we, as parents, don't know for sure how things are going to work out for our children. Some children are extremely rebellious or challenging in their youth and once they get over fools hill, they become lovely, successful adults... or maybe they struggle all their lives with baggage because of their foolishness. Other children find success in their education and their careers, their families, their spiritual walk. Or maybe success in one and failure in another. Some have addictive behaviors that sabotage every success. We just don't know what roads they will take as they walk out their journeys. We try to steer them in the right direction or what we think will be a good path for them, but the choice is always theirs. Our choices are our own. We don't really have any control over another person's choices or the outcomes.

We can choose to stay in a destructive relationship too long or find help out of it and learn the tools to having healthy relationships. We can choose, when we've been hurt, to allow unforgiveness to remain in our hearts until a root of bitterness has grown, or we can surrender ourselves to God and allow Him to heal our wounds.

I've been hurt along the way. I've hurt others. Everyone has. Family's have hurts and family members hurt one another. Families can have healthy characteristics and yet also have crippling dysfunction. I am thankful to have learned during my adult years and from my own failures what it means to have healthy relationships. I'm still learning, of course, and I choose to and want to continue learning. I would want that to be my legacy, that my children would have healthy relationships with healthy people. I don't mean perfect when I say healthy. No one is perfect. To me, healthy is someone who is genuine and honest, who will admit their own needs, who is willing to admit wrongs, and who wants to respectfully work out differences. In that context, I believe healthy is someone who loves the other person more than they love their own opinion, but also stays true to themselves.

It can be a process for an individual to learn what healthy relationships are supposed to look like. But it is possible to learn, to become free, to develop and maintain healthy and loving relationships. "The need to control and manipulate others can disappear as we learn to trust those who are trustworthy. It is possible to mend--to become more loving, intimate, and supportive. We have the choice of communicating with our family in a way which is safe for us and respectful of them. As we trust the guidance of the Lord we can come to believe in our own capabilities and gradually experience peace, strength and spiritual grown in our daily lives." ~excerpt from The Twelve Promises of Co-dependents Anonymous (slightly reworded)

I'm so thankful to have discovered the freedom to be myself and have healthy relationships in all my interactions (mostly--haha). CoDA provided me with a lot of tools, ones in which I wasn't able to find in my church life or anywhere else, for that matter. If you find that you need help in your relationships, check out CoDA.  You can read about some unhealthy patterns, useful for a little self-evaluation. And find a meeting near you by clicking here.

Wanna Know What I Did Yesterday?

**I've added a little side note at the end of this post.

I won't give you the details of the entire day... but since it was a "rest" day from my awesome and cruel workout routine, I decided to be productive in other ways. I cleaned up my computer for a good hour and a half. Next, I researched online about how to clean the sensor on my camera because it is annoying dirty, as is the one in Anika's camera. I purchased some cleaning tools and supplies--YAY. And I read some great photography articles. One of the articles inspired me to try a little project... which I will unveil in the near future, once its complete.

Also, since I colored this (increasingly gray) hair of mine on Tuesday, I decided to get a little dolled up yesterday, and try out my new remote shutter release while I was out and about, capturing shots for my other project. I'm still learning many many things about photography, but there's no better teacher than getting out there and doing it. (If only my eyesight weren't weakening..., cuz that view finder is SMALL!!!).

It was a bit windy.

I always find myself rushing against the fading light. It is beautiful though.
And once I returned home from freezing my butt off, I made homemade soup for dinner, fed 13 people, played a game with Caleigh and Raul (who hung out, waiting for Samara to return from youth group) and then... duh duh duh duuuuuuuuuh!!!

Never in all my daze did I see myself dreading my son's hair (or anyone's, for that matter and yes I spelled that the way I meant to). This has been his long standing plan since the summer, and Nate finally decided that he had to get the deed done--LAST NIGHT!

So we sat in front of the TV while I worked and worked.

He was going to have someone do it professionally, but one quote he got from a salon was $400. WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT RIGHT!!!

It took FOUR AND A HALF HOURS!!!!!
We started at 9 pm. I got to bed at 2 am.
All for this RAT'S NEST!!! No one's going to like it, because everyone adored his curls.

Winifred is smiling because he knows he has a new home in which to live.

**I wanted to just mention something regarding Nate's dreds. I don't think he's going to have a great day at school today. I'm sure he felt a little nervous about the attention he was going to get. Probably negative. He has gone unsupported by all his peers, regarding his hair project for this entire year (he's actually doing this for his research paper).

Once his hair began to grow out, and he had such beautiful locks of curls, we all wanted him to leave behind his final goal and keep the curls. But in spite of all the opposition, he has work it through to the final result! He can finish his project with pride, knowing that he did it. I don't think he will keep the dreds for long (fingers crossed), but the fact that he is going to hear everyone's dislike for them all day and for the next... who-knows-how-long, well... I feel a little sad. Personally, I don't like the dreds. I don't like what they represent, in many cases. I don't mind how they look on other people, but the one thing I do like and respect and honor about Nate's dreds, is that it demonstrates his persistence with his goal. It gives me hope for his future.

He is a complex kid, and has been through a lot of ups and downs... and I guess he is the one kid of mine that I try and protect from the harsh world, sometimes. I don't know that he really needs that, but its my tendency. I've seen other moms with large families have that one child that brings out the mama bear; the one that gets misunderstood the most; the one who needs at least someone in the world who gets them.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone here and elsewhere has their distain for dreds... but I've been watching and looking beyond the surface of this endeavor to find a young man, sticking to his guns, and standing on his own whether anyone else likes it or not. He is stubborn. That can be a weakness, but it can also be a tremendous strength, which is what I'm counting on it being for Nate.

The BIG Reality Check

Terry has been on this new weight loss program called The Food Lovers Fat Loss System and he's been encouraging me to join him. While I was in the show I just couldn't add that to my mental stress, but I've been edging my way closer and closer.

TODAY MARKS THE DAY!!!

I listened to the first day of the series, began writing down everything I'm eating, took my measurements as well as the "before" photographs--in a freakin' bathing suit!!

>8-0 Oh dear Lord Jesus!!!

I've known all along the "condition" I've been in, but... but... Well, watch out, good people. This lady's gonna be one hot mama come April... and the papa's gonna be one hot tamale, too! I get to take "after" photos and new measurements at the 21 day mark.

For now, for today, I am eating my meals like I'm suppose to and snacking every 2-3 hours. That's not so difficult, now is it? "We" (the guy on the CD and I) are resetting my metabolism to FAT BURNING MODE!!! Yesssssss. I BELIEVE!!!!