Thursday, September 09, 2010

where did the time go?

I stumbled upon a framed photo (literally stumbled over it since it is leaning against the wall, sitting on the floor of the den) of the boy’s very first public theater show - “Oliver!” Looking at that group photo of the cast, I was flooded with some memories and the question, “where the hell did the time go?”

After several years of our having moved back to NJ, my wife decided that it was time to get back into theater … it was how we met; and she really wanted / needed a creative outlet. So, she found a local community theater’s announcement of auditions for their annual Christmas play. That year it was “A Christmas Carol.” She was cast as Mrs. Cratchet … and in the course of rehearsals and performances she made some long-lasting friendships.

Now up to that point our son had done school plays … yet he was interested in how this “real” theater company did things. So many times I would drive him to the theater to drop him off just so he could watch. And during performances he’d hang out back stage with the other actors. Well … as they say, the bug bit him. And when this same company announced their big Spring musical he wanted to audition.

The boy was getting more and more excited as the audition dates approached … he found a song to use and worked on it for several weeks. The wife and I coached him on how to present himself during auditions … the typical stuff of ‘be confident,’ ‘speak clearly,’ yada yada yada. The day of auditions I found a photo of another production of “Oliver!” and made several little posters – putting them up throughout his room and the house with little statements like, “Break a Leg!” … “Have fun – I know you’ll do well” … and the like.

And the kid got cast as one of the orphans … also as one of Fagin’s gang …

And thus began his “career” in local theater here. Since that show, in only a few short years, he’s been busy doing one show after another; and he’s ventured out into other community theater companies.

But I saw that photo of the very first production he auditioned for and was cast in … where the hell did the time go? The boy was thrilled being in the show!

Yeah – these are the kinds of memories he may not recall … but I certainly do and cherish them.