OK OK, I couldn’t resist the urge to include a few Rush references in my title..!
Hey friends! Long time no type! :)
Thanks for bearing with me during my unintentional blogging break. Life's been full of surprises lately, and I'm excited to share some of them with you.
I've been thinking a lot about growth and trying new things, especially when it comes to rediscovering old passions. Life is often cyclical; interests and curiosities are continually rising and falling on my radar, only to be picked up again at a later date (is it nostalgia or resilience? who knows?). Lately, that renewed interest is theater. Like many high school and college students, I was involved in theater programs as a young person. I was cast in shows like "The Real Inspector Hound" and "You Can't Take It with You," and loved every minute of it. But after graduation, theater took a backseat to other priorities.
Fast forward to recently, when I caught a few wonderful Shakespeare productions at Lane’s Coven, an outdoor theater on Cape Ann, MA. Something clicked, and I found myself itching to get involved again. But it had been ages since I'd done anything onstage besides playing guitar. The idea of auditioning was both thrilling and, frankly, a little terrifying…
Then, as luck would have it, I spotted an audition notice for "Legally Blonde: The Musical" at a Stage 284, local community theater. Seeing that the audition window was already about to close, I almost talked myself out of it, but decided to take the plunge. I dusted off my resume, got some quick headshots from a colleague at school, and picked "Stars" from "Les Mis" as my audition song.
Let me tell you, standing up there singing in front of a group of strangers was unnerving. I speak in front of crowds pretty regularly, but I hadn’t sung solo like that in many years. But somehow, I got a callback. Cue the frantic cramming of "Legally Blonde" songs before round two..!
When I got the email saying I'd been cast as Professor Callahan, I was over the moon. It's a meaty role with a big solo number, "Blood in the Water." I threw myself into rehearsals, relishing the chance to sing and act alongside a fabulously talented cast. Even the marathon dress rehearsals of tech week couldn't dampen my enthusiasm, although I’m not sure I’ve been that tired since our twins were born!
There's nothing quite like the energy of live performance. Throughout our eleven-show run, I found myself grinning like a kid, giddy and amazed at what we'd created together.
Now, I've truly caught the theater bug again. I recently auditioned for "Groundhog Day: The Musical", an incredible stage recreation of the Bill Murray movie of the same name. With music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, this show is brilliant, witty, and provocative. As such, I was beyond thrilled to be cast as Phil Connors. I’m knee-deep in the process of learning blocking, choreography, lines, and songs, but it’s the kind of busy-ness that fuels me.
This whole experience has reminded me how important it is to keep growing and challenging ourselves. It's not always easy to dive into something new (or in this case, something old made new again), but that's often where the most rewarding experiences lie.
So, if there's a passion or interest you've been wanting to explore, I say go for it. Embrace the discomfort of being a beginner. You might just surprise yourself.
Love this Dave! Both the writing again and the bravery it takes to change it up and put yourself in front of an audience!! Ps I was in that Inspector Hound play in high school!! Weird!!