She has been doing some kind of stage classes or shows since she was six. It started when she say the show Toddlers in Tiara's and begged me to put her in pageants. I tried to be open mined to that, but when I looked in to it the idea of putting my six year old on stage with a spray tan and a bikini was more than I could stomach. So I signed her up for a YMCA production of Annie. She played an orphan and fell in love.
Since then she has been in many different productions with that same drama troop. It branched off from the YMCA and is now a non-for profit. I even got asked to join the board and have been working on creating a parent volunteer group to help support the group. My small rural community has such a great group of parents that have come together to make this wonderful opportunity of a sanctuary for kids that want to learn about theater. The kids don't have to be good. They can be totally talent free, but most are not. I have love in my heart for this group that supports and loves drama geeks (from super geek to mild geek to actually really not geeky). All are treated with respect and get that moment to shine. I have committed to helping on the board for at least three years, which is the amount of time that Lily can be in that group before she ages out.
Over the years Lily has done many shows with them but has not had a main role. Every small role breaks her heart in half. I tell her all the parenting things - it's about the experience, learn what you can, soak up the learning, you'll get bigger roles soon, etc, etc, Really, I think they are totally crazy. This kid has serious talent and she gets passed up for roles she would rock. Don't tell her I feel this way. I put serious effort into painting the right picture for her, but in reality - WHY CAN'T THEY SEE MY KID IS A STAR. But then I remind myself - I don't actually know anything about drama. At all. Ok - I know when to clap and when to be quiet. That is pretty much it. They asked me to join the board because of my hyper active organizational drive. I swallow my mother biased opinions and encourage her to go for her dreams, and hold her when she cries.
This fall her drama group decided to do Legally Blonde. Lily auditioned for a fairly large role and she didn't get it. She did get a nice little role. Something I thought was pretty sweet. But she was heart broken again. She got the role of Kiki who is one of the hairdressers in the salon. She was the main vocalist for the song Bend and Snap. I thought she rocked out the part and the girls that got the main roles where older and well cast. Even with these smaller roles, she is sad at first, then she is just so happy to be part of drama that the role itself doesn't really matter.
Max tagged along to be part of this play and he was wonderful as a frat boy, a janitor, and Paulette's dog. He was wonderful, but I think he was just so happy to have an activity that he didn't care what it was. He showed a stunning gift for memorizing dialogue. That kid had the entire script memorized with in three weeks and was feeding other people their lines.
Shortly after she was really getting going with Legally Blonde her school announced that they would be doing a school play. Lily put her whole heart and soul into her audition. I went to that audition and watched from the back. I really try hard to stay away from those things because I get so nervous for her that I am afraid she will smell my fear. She killed the audition - killed it. But if she isn't right for the role, than it doesn't matter. AND SHE GOT THE LEAD!!!!!!! Finally, all her hard work paid off and she got the lead. I was so happy for her that I cried. She worked her tush off, and learned some good lessons about how hard it really is to be the lead. It took a ton of work, but she pulled it off and was amazing. I was so proud. (Mr Max skipped this one because he was too young.)
Legally Blonde had six shows over the course of two weekends. The shows went great but it was a little much. The school play was two shows, one during school and one for families at night.
Now summer time has rolled around and these kids are having a blast getting to go to a two week drama day camp with a further away drama group. The are doing Honk (which is an Ugly Duckling story). They audition for roles the second day of camp and then that night an email is sent with parts. Max got a great roll as a duckling and Lily got THE LEAD!!!! AGAIN!!! WOWOWOWOWOW! She was over the moon, This drama group is much bigger and more professional than the one she usually does. She was blown away. It meant so much to her.
I'm so glad Lily has found something that she is so passionate about. It drives her. I'm not sure I would pick drama for her, it breaks her heart sometimes and makes me mad in the process. But she loves it so much, that I can't help but love it with her. Now we need to find Max his real interest - maybe American Ninja Warrior classes?
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