10 Years Ago

March, 2008.  I'd been praying for a way to get involved in the community and for direction regarding the fertility struggles we were having.  Both prayers were eventually answered by an audition flyer I found crumpled up on on the pavement of the entrance to the Gardner Walmart. I believe that fateful half-sheet of paper said something like, "Tryouts for Gardner Community Theatre's summer production of 'The Music Man', this Saturday from 12-4 at Gardner-Edgerton High School.  Come with a prepared selection or simply sing 'Happy Birthday.'"

Growing up in a river city in Iowa, I'd always liked "The Music Man."
Fun Fact: In addition to "The Music Man," Meredith Wilson also wrote my all-time favorite song.
I thought to myself, "I might have a shot at making the chorus, maybe even an outside shot at being in the quartet."  But I wasn't convinced I wanted to do it, so I decided that if I got the lawn mowed in time the next day, I'd drive over to the High School and sing "Happy Birthday" to the directors.  Which I ended up doing.  Which lead to me being cast as the lead, Harold Hill.  Which was a huge surprise to me and likely even to the director.

It's really amazing how your life can be dramatically altered due to simple decisions or seemingly random events.  My life, as well as the lives of many other people, were changed for the better thanks to that crumpled-up audition flyer in the Walmart parking lot.  Here are a few of the things that came out of that summer of helping Gardner Community Theatre put on a pretty dang good rendition of "The Music Man."

1) Life Long Friends
You can't spend several summers together putting on shows and not become close friends with fellow cast members.

2) The answer to the question that would run through my mind anytime I'd watch a musical, "what would it be like to be the last person out for the curtain call?"

I'll likely never be cast as the lead again, but man was it a thrill to experience it at least once in my life.

3) A marriage and three children
Kinda a long story, but we met two nice young ladies and decided to set them up with two nice young men from our church.  All four are married now and two are actually married to each other.  I had the privilege of performing their wedding ceremony, complete with tears and a serious foot-in-mouth incident.

4) A Godson
I became (and still am) close friends with the lady who directed "The Music Man."  In fact, we just auditioned together for a show this summer.  After knowing her for about a year, she asked me to be the Godfather for her son, which included baptizing him.









5) The adoption of my son
The first time I announced the adoption was here, but I've told many other stories about his adoption as well.  It was a cast member who called us up in October to announce her niece was pregnant and looking to place the baby in a Christian home.  It was the director who convinced us to at least talk with the birth mom.  It was a member of the quartet (now a professional singer) who's role as Horton in Spring Hill High School's production of "Seussical the Musical" convinced us that "a person's a person, no matter how small"; which we interpreted as a directive to adopt that yet-to-be-born little boy.  Finally, it was another connection through Gardner Community Theatre that linked us to the charity that helped us pay for the adoption.

"All Because of a Flyer in a Walmart Parking Lot"
I believe that might make a great wooden wall plaque like the ones sold in those crafty stores.

I've done a few shows since that magical summer of 2008, some minor roles in larger productions and larger roles in smaller productions.  I've never, however been cast in (or even auditioned for) a role in a production as large as Theatre in the Park.  To quote my friend Franci (also the mother of my godson, pictured above), "there's something magical about the stage at TITP; something special about performing in the outdoor amphitheater, in front of thousands of people, while the sun is setting behind the hill."

I've experienced that magic many times while sitting on the hill.  I can't wait to experience it onstage. Which leads to the pronouncement that I'll be doing exactly that the last two weekends of June, as a cast member of "South Pacific."  The role is perfect for me; minimal acting, no dancing and a lot of singing.  In fact, I won't even have to change my hairstyle to play the role of a sailor (though I'll have to shave off my very short beard).



We start rehearsals mid-May and it's gonna be an intense five weeks.  I'm pumped, though.  Who knows what life-changing relationship could form among this particular cast.