My brother wanted to be a “Trash Man” when he grew up. Yep. Hauling trash was something he aspired to at the age of 5. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. People who work in the Sanitation Dept make A LOT more money than I ever will, so please refrain from comments about how elitest I am. I just don’t like to get my nails dirty, and I am NOT a girly girl either.

Since I am involved in theatre and was even a musical theatre maj0r in college, people often ask me how many times I played the role of Annie as a child. Um, none. Just because I’m a redhead who likes to sing and dance for fun does NOT mean I’ve ever played the charming little orphan. I don’t even have a dog named Sandy.

Once I make that very important fact clear, someone will inevitably ask when/how I got my start in the theatre. I guess the easiest answer was that I performed with my mom onstage at her elementary school when I was 3. We sang “All I Want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth” at the Christmas program back before any type of religious activity was banned from schools.

I didn’t start doing “real” theatre until the 5th grade play, when I held the coveted role of Understudy to Christine / Jennifer/ Sally / Whateverthecharactersnamewas. However, I do remember an incident in 2nd grade that I believe shows I had a much earlier interest in the performing arts than I or anyone else realized.

Setting: Rectangular-shaped school table; Top reading group; 1984
Idea: To perform a play out of the book for the class.

The play was about a little girl and a bunch of animals. I don’t remember the moral of the story (you know, the part you’re supposed to carry with you for the rest of your life), but I do remember is BEGGING my teacher to be the little girl. She was trying to talk to the entire group, and I was sitting next to her, repeatedly begging to get that part. She was wholly irritated with me. I think I was even tugging on her sleeve. Can we say “Annoying?” I’m just thankful she didn’t haul off and smack me.

Finally she said, “Alright!” just to shut me up. And that was that. I guess I became an official actor that day.

Do you have a memory like this from your childhood, a time when you were insistent on something? Share it in the comments. Tomorrow, I’ll post them best ones in Comment Roundup for all to see!

Tweet This Post