Some people search their whole life to find that one thing they are passionate about, that comes as naturally as breathing. Some people spend their whole life figuring out how their passion fits in their life. I fall in the later category.
I knew since a toddler that theatre is what I love. Of course, I didn’t know what theatre was at that age, but I knew I love the singing and dancing. Growing up in rural Maine, this turned my life into an ever ending game of ‘where do I fit in?’ I tried sports as a kid. Lots of sports. I quit tennis lessons after maybe two classes. I went to softball until I got my jersey, but then I lost interest and didn’t go back. When I was in my first track race at the tender age of maybe four, the couch asked my mom to carry me across the finish line because I was taking too long (this race was in meters). My shining moment in the pee-wee basketball games was dodging the ball and waving to the audience – er, the crowd? – as I was running up and down the court. So, it became apparent fairly quickly that I wasn’t going to be earning any scholarships for sports.
I was a shy child, so my parents entered me in a state pageant at age 5 to help me overcome my shyness. They thought it would be a one time deal. At least, I think, they hoped. On the way home from Bangor, I just kept talking about the next year when I do the next pageant, they looked at each other and rolled their eyes, but I found my niche – it was performing. As a child, I did pageants from age 5 to about age 13. I had dance recitals, baton recitals and competitions, gymnastic recitals. I felt special to do something that not many kids in my grade – or in my school, for that matter – was a part of. Everyone did sports. I performed, that was my happy place.
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “Introducing Theatre in the County to the BDN blog network,” an article by contributing writer Darci Faye, please follow this link to the BDN online.
