I know how that feels

I love musicals and I'm not ashamed to admit it. For as long as I can remember, my family always went and watched the high school productions that my mother choreographed and I even got the opportunity to play "second townsgirl" or "small orphan" in a couple. I participated in local theater and high school theater as I grew up and I enjoyed every minute of it. Now I take every chance I can get to watch live theater. This summer will be the second year we have season tickets to the Starlight in KC, which if you ever get the chance to do, I would suggest. It's so great to be outside on beautiful summer nights watching shows, while getting to do some taboo theater things, like drinking a coke or even a beer, and enjoying some cotton candy and popcorn during the show. But I digress...

Anyway, I love musicals. So, I was delighted to hear that the high school was coming to the middle school to perform a few songs from the musical they are performing next week. I've never seen "Bye Bye Birdie" but it seemed pretty cute. The kids looked like they were having fun and it was good to see some kids excelling in an area that you never would have imagined for them. However, when not one, not two, but three different times people lost their place and forgot their words, I knew instantly how they felt. My heart sank for them and I wished I knew the words so I could jump up and save them.

9 years ago, I was cast as Ado Annie in Oklahoma. I was 18, almost at the end of my senior year, and seriously, my life's ambition in theater was to play Ado Annie. It was so much fun, and with the exception of my time as Lucy in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, it was the most fun I've had in a part. I worked so hard, and since I'm a perfectionist, I just had to be perfect. Before the actual show dates, we did a few daytime runs in which the local elementary schools and private schools would attend. Right before I went on for my first scene and song, one of the crew told me that Laurie didn't take her prop money for the next scene and that I needed to give it to her. On stage. Before I sang. Without the audience seeing. What???? Ok, fine. I made my entrance and when I tried to slip her the money, she gave me a look like "I already have this, get out of my face." (She was a very sweet girl, so don't think I'm being rude. She was just prepared with her props and the crew member was wrong.) Right then, my music started and I was so flustered that I missed an entire verse. My heart started pounding so hard I thought they could hear it over the music. My hands starting sweating so much I nearly dropped my basket. I know my face turned bright red under the lights, and if I hadn't had on a high necked dress, you probably would have seen my splotchy red chest. I could have died right there in front of a bunch of 3rd graders. I glanced frantically at the music man who was mouthing the words to me. I eventually got back on track, but I never forgot the humiliation I felt that I had messed up so badly. So when I witnessed it 3 times in the gym of the middle school, I knew just how they felt. I only hope they don't obsess about things like I do, and that they can move on with their lives. Apparently, I could use that advice, too.