11.01.10
Nervous for my child? Nah!
Well, maybe a little. But isn’t that normal? Of course.
Since my kids started doing theater, I always found it nerve-racking the closer we came to show time. I would worry about their costumes, whether they knew their lines, if they knew where they should be on stage. Let’s face it, what parent wouldn’t. No one wants to see their child “bomb” on stage. And guess what? The director, cast members, and everyone involved doesn’t want that to happen either (not forgetting the actor). I finally came around to understanding that “it’s all good” and what will happen, will happen. We all need to stumble a bit to learn, especially with youth theater. That is what makes live performances all the more exciting.
That doesn’t take the responsibility away from each actor and crew member to do their part in making good theater. However, it does help me keep it all in perspective. I know that a good director will keep everyone focused (which is always a challenge when working with kids) and he or she knows the right time to coddle and the time to get tough. I have never met a director who didn’t care about the end result. Same goes for all involved in the project.
I have had the pleasure of working with kids on stage and every time the show ends I am always impressed with their abilities. I have found that they always know their lines (sometimes better than the adults), always on cue, and always know their mark. Simply put, they’re “on it”. I have learned to relax and not worry as much.
Now as we get close to opening night, I still get a little nervous – more of a “good nervous” though. I don’t need to play director and tell my child what to do (that’s the director’s job) or worry about knowing lines. I can sit back, relax, and enjoy all the hard work that went in to the production. Instead of getting nervous, I have made it my job to clap the loudest.
