Back from the Dark Side of the Moon

This week marked a very exciting moment for the Gideon family; On Wednesday Evie brought home her very first audition piece for a school play.  For those of you who don't know me very well, I consider myself an actor first and foremost.  I would say I am more of an actor than any of the positions I've held to make a living, my graduate degree qualifies me as a librarian/information scientist but I'm not sure that's my vocation in the true sense of the word - no my calling was as an actor.  It's an extension of the storytelling and writing aspect of my nature - the thing that I think I was best at.  I'm not sure it would still be the thing I'm best at now, it's been awhile since I put on a character and took command of a stage.  Nevertheless acting is in the blood.

My isoisa (great-grandfather) Theodore was an actor in Finland - supposedly quite a good one - who as I remember the story turned down an opportunity to study with a professional troupe in Helsinki (something along those lines).

Now the third generation is ready to give the stage a try.  To be sure I had no (direct) influence over Evie's decision to decide to audition.  It came as a complete surprise to me when she announced that she was trying out for a part in the play.  She seemed very excited and proud to show me the audition script and did quite well reading her part - she's Mosquito One.  I have promised her to help her rehearse her part this weekend and promised myself that I would restrain myself from over-coaching her.  I will definitely not talk to her about Stanislavski nor run her through any advanced techniques...I promise.  I will make sure we have fun together and encourage her to do her best...and I'll give her a pointer or two.  It's sooo nerve-wracking from the parent's perspective.  I don't think I appreciated the stress that it causes parents, sorry Mom and Dad.  

Theatre for me was the opportunity I needed to really bust out of my shell to find my voice and confidence, which have influenced everything that I have done since then.  Beyond the all important transferable skills that I still use today, I will never forget the feelings of being on stage or the high of stepping offstage after a near perfect performance.  There are precious few moments that can compare - in all sincerity I would rank the experience just slightly below a touch from God, falling in love and the birth of my girls.  

I didn't discover the theatre until grade 11; I'm glad Evie is testing the waters much earlier.  Whether she gets a part this time around or not, I hope she simply has fun with it.  I'm proud of my little girl even if she never wanted to have anything to do with theatre ever.  I'm happy and excited for her because maybe, just maybe she'll get bit by the acting bug and one day experience all the joy and excitement that I did through acting.  In the immediate future it just provides another bonding opportunity for the two of us; another opportunity to show her that I'm there for her and that the things she feels are important are therefore important to me, because she's important to me.