Stumbling in the Dark

Remember last Wednesday? Well, the Matron does! That was Scarlett's 10th birthday and the Miracle Worker auditions. The birthday party, which started at noon and was supposed to end at 4:00, turned into a two-day Birthday Festival at about 3:49 when five little girls wrapped their sweet selves around the Matron and BEGGED for one last sip of summer spontaneity--the spur of the moment sleepover!

The Matron, whose house looked exactly like a house in the midst of a two day Birthday Festivial and whose job had been sort of sitting on a shelf, unattended, did the entirely reasonable thing and said, yes.

Matron: "But are you sure? You have an 8:00 audition."

Scarlett: "I'm SURE!"

Of course, when the time rolled around for the 8 pm audition, Scarlett decided she was too busy and that she really didn't care about that play, anyway. An audition might DETRACT from the fluidity of the Birthday Festival, which could include a fire with marshmallow roasting, if only there were no pesky auditon. There was moaning and wailing.

Whatever, said the Matron, who has learned her lesson. She is staying out of it.

Matron: "You don't have to go. I'll call Famous Local Actress X and tell her you're not coming. It's okay, really."

Scarlett (who loves Famous Local Actress X dearly): "Fine. I'll do it."

So the pack of girls hopped in the van, singing inappropriate songs about sex (thanks, Rent) at the top of their lungs. Scarlett was in hour 9 of a sun-drenched, outdoor, swimming, singing, dancing, playing very long day. She sighed and moaned and groused the whole way there.

But once the van pulled up to the theater, she said: "Hurry up! I don't want to be late!"

When they got inside and those other little girls giggled and talked and swirled around with a shared iPod? Scarlett sat by the door and listened. Because inside the closed auditorium, her dear friend Emma was auditioning--a potential Helen that Scarlett had invited and trained. The Matron and Emma's mom smiled with pride as noise burst from that auditorium! Emma grunted and groaned and screamed as if she were in the original film! There was the sound of chair, crashing!

Emma's mom greeted Scarlett and asked if she was nervous.

Scarlett (darkly): "No. I don't really care if I audition."

When Emma came out, Actress X said this to Emma's Mom: "Now, you said there's a conflict in February. Is that negotiable?" Emma appeared in the running. And the Matron had a little internal laugh at how she and Scarlett bring in competition while Scarlett and Emma hugged and chattered.

So Scarlett went in and the Matron got to hear more grunts, crashes and groans. At one point, the Matron got confused: was this The Exorcist or The Miracle Worker?

When it was all over, the children hopped back in the van and Scarlett said: "Can we go home and watch The Miracle Worker again? I hope I get the role!"

Matron: "I thought you didn't want to do it?

Scarlett: "I didn't know it would be so fun! That audition was FUN! That was the most FUN I've had in my life!"

Good thing she enjoyed herself, because the cell phone rang before they were out of the van. Scarlett? She nailed it! She was hands-down, no discussion, Helen Keller.

FUN to be had by all for the next six months as the Matron has an official third full-time job, driving her daughter.

So Sound of Music in November:



Rent in December:


The Miracle Worker opens January 10:


But Scarlett screamed with JOY when she got the best birthday present ever, Actress X on the cell, asking her if Scarlett if she wanted the role. That child huggied her friends and they all screamed and cheered! They were Michael Phelps.

And the next night when the Matron finally had her daughter alone and was tucking her in, Scarlett said this:

"Mama? I didn't know it was possible for a person to be this happy! It's such a good feeling!"

Matron: "Is it because of The Miracle Worker?"

Scarlett: "Not really. It's Rent, The Sound of Music AND The Miracle Worker all wrapped up together. Now I'm in shows for six months straight and I don't have to worry."

Matron: "You worry?"

Scarlett: "Uh-huh. If I don't have a show, I worry about getting one. I always have to have a show. It's really all I think about, you know."

And sometimes people ask the Matron why she signs her kid up for so much and how she can spare the time to drive her all over, as if she were the one actually steering or had any real choice. She's not going to say no to her child's dreams.

Break a leg, Marta, Maureen, Helen!