Buried Treasure

This long weekend was filled with wonderful adventures, trips down Memory Lane, and re-discoveries.

My honey, Rob, had to work on Valentine’s Day, so we celebrated early by going to see HAIR on Friday night, and it was FANTASTIC. It reminded us both of our first year together when we were hired for the acting company at the PA Renaissance Faire. That sense of unbridled joy, freedom of expression and self-discovery, coupled with the actors coming into the audience to play – it was very similar to the Faire.

The thing that blew me away about HAIR was the raw, naked vulnerability of the piece. I had heard about the famous nude scene, but was completely unprepared for how emotional it was. Just powerful stuff. And Let the Sun Shine In? I always thought it was a joyous revel, never realizing what an incredible anthem the song is. It was more like a plea to open your mind. Really beautiful stuff.

Then Valentine’s Day came and my honey had to work. That was a drag, so I decided to start Spring cleaning early. And you know, I made a whole bunch of wonderful discoveries. I came across a lot of stuff from shows I’ve done the past 3 years, and it felt like finding buried treasure.

There was the invite to the NYMF gala to receive my award for The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun. There were postcards and playbills from Johnny on a Spot, Lucky Stiff, Hell’s Belles and Kaboom. Wonderful cards of congratulations from friends, fellow artists and family. And it just gave me a much needed boost.

I’m known for my positive outlook. One of my friends even asked me the other day, “How do you stay so positive?” And I just thought, “Well, it’s better than the alternative.” Why not be positive?

But every artist, heck every person, goes through their challenging times. I’ve known many talented people who’ve wondered if they’ll ever work again. And I guess you could say I wondered that myself. I hit many auditions and get many encouraging nods, but sometimes I feel like a young Liza Minnelli singing, “All I Need Is One Good Break…”

So as I went through my buried treasures (inadvertently, mind you - remember, this was a spring cleaning expedition), I recognized that, Yes, I can do it. I’ve DONE it! I’ve been making my dreams come true since I was a little girl and wanted to sing professionally and ended up onstage in Annie at The San Bernadino Civic Light Opera.

Fast forward to last Friday night when I was dancing on the Broadway stage with the cast of HAIR. The cast invites the audience onstage at the end of the show to dance with them, and my husband and I jumped right up there.

Afterwards, Rob said to a bunch of friends, “It was the chance of a lifetime! I mean, how many chances are you going to get to be on a Broadway stage?”

And in perfect unison, they all looked at me, and said, “Well, except for Laura. You know that’s where she belongs.”

And it made me smile because I know it’s true.

So many of the folks I’ve worked with or am working with right now are making their Broadway debuts, and it’s thrilling to see.

And I feel so good about the work I’ve been doing, the studies, the growth… it’s all building up to something spectacular.

Still, it’s nice to look back and see where I’ve been. It helps remind me as I take that next step forward that dreams really do come true.