I've been in love with theatrical performances ever since I was in 3rd grade, when the elementary school I was in had a music program about the 50 states. I remember learning songs about states, having two speaking lines to memorize, and performing alongside my classmates. Something was born inside me during that music program; something that at that time I only recognized as just happiness. I remember feeling so happy to be in front of the audience, happy to sing and perform songs, and happy to have my own special speaking part to share.
In 4th grade, there was a spring musical program that the students could audition for. It was centered on the theme of Mother's Day. I auditioned for the part that I REALLY wanted, which was reciting a lengthy poem, but I didn't get it. In fact, I still remember EXACTLY who did! Although I still got to sing with my classmates during the program, I didn't have a speaking part, and it really bugged me. However, that rejection gave me an extra push in my desire to perform theater.
And from 5th grade on, I was involved in as many theatrical productions as possible--elementary, junior high, high school, church, and community plays. It became my passion, my livelihood, the talent that made me feel, and come, alive. I lived to perform onstage, to learn and perform songs, to have speaking roles, to be a part of a team that built sets and wore costumes and put on each other's stage make-up and rehearsed and performed together.
As my love for performing grew, so did my love for theatrical productions of which I wasn't even a part. I loved any opportunity to watch plays--other high school, college, and community productions. I enjoyed listening to tapes/CD's and learning lyrics from Broadway plays I'd never seen, and learning to play and sing songs from plays that I'd only heard about. I just couldn't get enough of the theater in any aspect! I yearned to watch professional plays; I had a strong desire to watch plays on Broadway. I wanted more than anything to go to New York to see the plays that included all the music that I already knew and loved.
The older I've gotten, the more I appreciate the details in theatrical productions. I find myself more on the directing end of productions than the performing end now. As a result, I especially admire all the work that goes into the casting, costumes, set, music, and the details that are the special touches that make a production come alive. I wholeheartedly support all the local high school productions, and I enjoy watching the traveling productions that come to Salmon through the Arts Council. I love when plays are turned into movies, because they're so accessible to me in Salmon (which still doesn't have an auditorium). I try to make time to watch plays put on by community theaters whenever possible when I'm out of town. I've even seen professional plays done--once when I was a teenager I saw Phantom of the Opera in SLC traveling from Broadway, and once I was privileged to watch the play Wicked when I was in London (which was incredible)! But, something in me still yearns and craves to be able to go to New York--I'm dying to see the plays on Broadway! And the more I see family and friends and acquaintances go there and hear of their play-watching experiences, the more that desire within me grows stronger! My husband has no desire to ever go to New York, or to watch plays in general, but that hasn't stopped me from wanting to go. I just know that I'll go myself or with girlfriends! Someday I'm going to make it happen!
So, Item #10 on my Bucket List is to Go to New York to watch plays on Broadway!
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