This summer Madelynne will be making her first debut on a stage that’s not in the church or Mommy’s school. For those of you who were privileged to witness her as the “flying sheep of Bethlehem” at Mt. Carmel or a Seussical fishie at North, you know she’s got a lot of…..well, we’ll just call it being uninhibited.
Or so I thought. On Sunday night I took her to audition for “The Wizard of Oz” at our local community theatre. It’s being directed by my friend and colleague, Mrs. Paula who she knows and likes. So I figured auditions would be a piece of cake. I mean, Madelynne’s certainly not my shy child.
The hardest part of auditions was controlling my overwhelming instinct to direct her myself. Not just because she’s my kid but because theatre has been a part of my life for so long, I have a hard time checking out of that director’s role. She was cute, but not outstanding. In fact, if it was my show, I probably wouldn’t have cast her, but Paula is braver than me. Or she has more patience. I’m not sure which, but this is a woman who will put on a musical with 50 12-13 year olds, so she’s got something I don’t have.
Anyway, Madelynne basically just stood there on stage with the other kids who were auditioning. She hardly moved when asked to improv but preferred to slightly imitate the girl on her left (who was older and taller and quite good). Her shining moment, however, involved some quick thinking. When asked what her munchkin name would be she giggled and announced, “Lollipop!”
On the way home I talked to her about how just because you try out for something doesn’t mean you’re going to get it. I explained what it means to have a good audition, to which she replied, “But Mommy, I will act like a Munchkin when it’s the real play.”
Well, let’s hope so.
Lindsey P. Brackett 