Peter Pan

    For our second post, we decided to do a little introspective exercise. This is something that Hudson had me do when we were brainstorming themes for our blog. For the sake of this post, let’s just call this the Memory Exercise. The first part was to think back to the happiest memory that I could remember. It could be from last week or my oldest memory. It could be a specific event or a general time. The second part was to deconstruct each part of the memory and really look at what made it my happiest memory. What external things were affecting me? What was happening internally at that time in my life? Funny enough for me, my memory is directly related to my new path in life.

    When Hudson initially asked me to come up with a memory, the very first thing that popped into my head was the first time I ever saw a live theatre production. I tried to think past that memory and come up with a few others to choose from but for some reason that particular memory wouldn’t leave my mind. So I went with it. It was my seventh birthday and my mom and I were driving home from my birthday party (or so she had told me). My mom then proceeded to pull into the parking lot of the largest theatre in our town. Mind you, my mom had never lied to me before so I was incredibly confused as to what we were doing there. She took me inside to our incredible seats right on the isle of the orchestra section as she told me that this was my big birthday surprise, we were going to see Peter Pan. Again, I remained a little hesitant and confused, but the second that curtain came up it all melted away.

    I swear I must have held my breath the entire first act; I had never felt like that before in my life. All of my favorite characters were living and breathing right in front of me…and they were FLYING. I had never witnessed magic like that before in my life. The final moment of that show was an image that I will never forget: at the end of bows, the actor playing Peter flew out from under the proscenium and above us throwing pixie dust into the audience.  I cannot remember a time when I was happier or filled with more joy then at that very moment. 

    So, when I sat down to look at why that memory specifically was my happiest, I realized it was my very first experience with theatre. That was the moment that I connected to the magic happening onstage. And honestly, it makes so much sense, for as long as I can remember my favorite memories have always been onstage or rehearsing for a show.  My seven year old self had been transported to Neverland, seen fairies and mermaids, and witnessed Peter Pan and the Darlings fly right in front of her eyes. The way I felt sitting in that theatre is something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives. And so, it makes sense that I have now changed my life’s path to become an actor. Soon it will be my job to create that magic and inspire people the way that I was once inspired.

    Maybe you have experienced this feeling before and maybe you haven’t but no matter what everyone deserves a little magic in their life.