How Do I Manage to Do Things Like This?

I accidentally tried out for a community theater play.

But, Becca, you ask, how does one accidentally try out for a play?

Well, I answer, one loses one's mind.

Clearly.

Like this. I took Kid 1 and Friend to the community center so they could try out for the show. They sat/wandered/paced nervously for a while before filling out the audition forms. I yuk-yukked them up and got them comfortable (through the parts of the form that said "You may attach a resume here*" and "You will hand over your firstborn at our convenience**") and basically helped them giggle their way through the nerves. That's the kind of Mom-slash-Friend's-Mom I am. (Right now.)

Then they started telling me I should audition. I was, as you certainly recall from the above paragraph, making a real effort to loosen up some uptight freshmen, so I said, sure. No big deal. Auditions, psht. Whatev. I'll try out with you guys. First I made sure Kid 1 was really okay with that, because all I need is for her to go all "ick, my Mom follows me everywhere" on me. But she was sincere, and her friends (now there were two) were sort of amazed that I'd even consider it.

So Kid 1 went in first, and she sounded great (even though she has a beautiful singing voice, she is a really quiet kid, both singing and speaking). We lurked and maybe pressed our ears to the door. She absolutely shouted her cold read (as she was supposed to - it was an Angry Scene). She got a call-back.

Then Friend went in. She's darling. She sang and read and came out flushed and relieved to be finished.

My turn.

Hey, audition committee. How y'all doing? I'm really here as moral support for the girls. This singing in public part is just icing. Do you have music here that's made for an alto? (Kid 1 is a soprano, and brought Phantom music. Not so much in my range.) So I sang a totally not rehearsed version of Amazing Grace, and did a cold read that was printed in teeny-tiny font not made for me. But it was fine.

I got a call-back, too.

This may end in comedy. We shall see. I'll keep you posted (get it? Posted?). If Kid 1 and I end up as the hottest musical theater sensation mother-daughter act since Judy Garland and Liza Minelli, you can say you knew us when...

*True.

**Not true.