Sharing The Stage

Suddenly my world was more alive than ever before…

It all began when I turned nine. My mother took me to see my first play, "The Nutcracker," and even though I still find it to be one of the most tedious few hours of my life, she began a tradition for us that have become the days I treasure most.

At dinner before Jersey Boys

Each year we dress up, stuff our faces with Atlanta’s fine dining, and wun (my mother’s term of an gleeful half-walk, half-run) hand-in-hand over to The Fox. She has no idea how much I enjoy these times with her, but I’m certain it’s the only thing that got us through my hard-headed, argumentative teenage years. If nothing else, it’s probably the only few hours we can spend together without arguing and trading involuntary eye-rolls. I’m convinced The Fox holds magical powers in its faux twinkling stars above, because our incompatible brains suddenly, yet seamlessly, become one.

Tickets from the best costume display
I've ever seen!

Our roars of laughter were perfectly in sync at Robin Williams, our doe-eyes were the exact same in measurement at "The Lion King," she handed me her used tissue without a single glance in my direction during "The Color Purple," we gasped simultaneously when the phantom disappeared, we sang, horribly off-key, to the random verses of “it’s a hard-knocked life” in tandem, and we both found ourselves physically unable to remove our hineys from the edge of our seats during "Wicked."

These moments with my mother not only bring us closer but also allow me to submerge into the dramatic part of my brain, begging for any form of theatrics that our regimented daily lives refuse to allow. We become a part of the performances. If she takes the stage, than I’m her spotlight with zero stage direction necessary. If I’m hitting a high note, she’s the accompanying orchestra without a conductor.

When I’m at the theatre magic becomes real, beauty holds a new meaning and possibilities seem endless. Simply stated, there’s no one else I’d rather share the stage with.