Stage Mom

A little background on my performing experience- when I was a teen growing up in Staten Island New York, I tried out for a production of HMS Pinafore at a children's theater and was cast in the lead. I went on to get two more leads at that same children's theater, and I have been coasting off of that experience for the past 20 years. I went to BYU, were I was very mediocre at best, I taught school and directed plays (not very well), I sang with the BSO (in the chorus), and recently, I have been in three community theater plays, all in the chorus. In church, I'm the second or third choice when someone needs a soloist. The truth is, I'm not very good. But in my mind, I was a star once, and therefore will be again.

Then I became a mom. To five daughters. And I am ashamed to admit, it is VERY HARD not to project my aspirations on them. I wrangle them into a production number for the ward talent show every year. I teach them voice and take them to dance. Megan has been in two community shows so far, Rachel has been in one and is currently in rehearsal for another. Last summer they did a local theater camp, and when Megan got the lead, I was ESTATIC. So I was very excited when we found out her middle school was doing Mulan, very excited when she went to audition, very excited to hear she was cast as...

a VILLAGER.

Ok, not so excited now. I was mad. I blamed myself for net getting her a better vocal coach. I signed her up for voice lessons from someone besides me. And I tried to be positive on friday night, when I went to see Mulan. The opening number consisted of the villagers standing in the back of the theater, singing in THE DARK. And got worse from there. In total, Megan was on stage twice, including the curtain call. Total stage time of one minute or less. I admit it, I was mad . I was jealous of the parents whose kids had bigger parts. I sat there in the dark, seething.

I should add that in the middle of the rehearsal process, Megan had broken her leg skiing. But she went to every rehersal, first on crutches, then in a walking cast, finally in a boot. All that for minimal stage time.

But then after the show, when we gave her flowers and took her picture, Megan was beaming. She was happy. She was proud of herself. And so I need to shut off my nasty stage mom voice and be proud of her too. She was a wonderful villager. She is a wonderful girl. And really, its time for me to grow up and realize that the chorus is an OK place to be.