I JUST GOT CAST AS JO IN LITTLE WOMEN.
Wow. So storytime...once upon a time there was a 16 year old girl who gave up theatre. She loved it but realized it wasn't the path for her after a few failed auditions. She found new loves, she became a varsity swimmer, she delved into drawing and moved on to what she was "good at".
She continued to sing in high school choir and private voice lessons because she couldn't completely give up her dream of having a voice that people wanted to hear. At 17 that girl, on a whim, went to an audition, and got the lead in her highschool play.
She fell in love again.
She couldn't believe what she had given up and was the happiest she had ever been. The supportive cast, the costumes, the world of theatre glittered in front of her and she knew she couldn't walk away. That girl decided to take a big leap, and go for a BFA in Musical Theatre. She began to tell people, look at colleges, and plan her future. Some people supported her, but some people of course had their doubts. Most words she could ignore...but certain people, ones she looked up to MOST, looked her up and down and made her believe she didn't have what it takes...That absolutely crushed her.
That night, hopeless and defeated, she went to a voice lesson. Her teacher immediately knew something wasn't right in the girl that was usually so excited to sing. She told her teacher how people had washed away her confidence and she was looking into a new career path. With all the kindness of a fairy godmother that teacher gave a therapy session rather than a voice lesson. She said she should shoot for her dreams and forget what people said, they didn't matter. After many tears, and some cheering up, the teacher finally said "I think I have the perfect song for you to audition with for college" she pulled up some online sheet music and introduced her to the song "Astonishing" from Little Women. It resonated with her and it became her mantra.
That girl got accepted into her choice college with that song. She went for that BFA in Musical Theatre and did it. When she finally graduated, she molded together her two favorite songs to form a quote on her ceremony cap; One from Hamilton, and one from Little Women to read "Wait For It, I'll be Astonishing" This was to represent bookends from her time at college and remind herself that though she hadn't gotten to shine quite yet, her time would come.
She has never forgotten that original place of doubt. It has pushed her through failure after failure, audition after audition. Through a pandemic where theatre seemed to disappear. No matter what happened or what people said she kept TRYING.
NOW that girl has been booked and blessed back to back over the last two years. She has had DREAM roles. And now...in a full circle moment, she gets to be "Astonishing" again.
That girl is me...duh...for those who read this far thank you. I get to step into the role of Jo in Little Women, and sing the song that started it all. I saw the talent in that room and still feel shock to see my name at the top.Thank you Erin Boyd Piepgrass for giving me a shot. Thank you to her beautiful new theatre company for starting their first season with this stunning show. (Ticket Information in comments) Belleville Theatre Company
I couldn't be more thrilled, scared, grateful and most of all so incredibly proud of that 15 year old girl who came back, and stuck it out. Look at you now darling... "Sometimes when you dream, your dreams come true in extraordinary ways..."
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