How this Stage Mother Operates

Regular readers know that the Matron is a Stage Mother.

And she is here to tell you that you cannot force a child into the life that Scarlett has, one that largely is structured by, well: WORK.

At the moment, Scarlett is Annie, here, opening Friday.

One week before that show ends, rehearsals for Mr. Fezziwig's Feast, begins. Scarlett plays several roles in that holiday production at Actor's Theater of Minnesota. More money for the college fund, although Scarlett's parents might not see this show based on the $75 ticket price! Lord have mercy!

Fezziwig ends on December 20th.

December 29th, rehearsals for this begin. At this rate, the child will go to Harvard. At least she has nine days off for Christmas.

Matron: "Scarlett, would you like to take a little break?"

Scarlett (screaming): "DON'T MAKE ME STOP ACTING I WILL DIE!!!!!!!"

While Scarlett is falling down as a wan polio victim in Sister Kenny's Children, rehearsals for The Miracle Worker begin -- Scarlett is reprising Helen Keller, at this Theater.

Sister Kenny closes February 14. The Miracle Worker opens February 15.

The Miracle Worker closes at the end of March. Scarlett's plans are to audition for yet another show that will start rehearsing immediately thereafter and includes performances in New York.

Scarlett has an agent. Uh, two. One local and one in L.A.

They called her. Repeat. They called her.

Ring, ring, ring.

Matron: "Hello?"

Agent X: "Is this Scarlett Thompson's mother? The child currently playing Ramona Quimby at The Children's Theatre?"

And so it goes.

Now, Scarlett has been tapped to start recording music by some local heavy hitters, exploring the possibility of the RECORDING label.

No - the Stage Mother did NOT seek this out. Complete 100% serendipity.

Luck follows this child.

Because the Universe keeps opening doors for Scarlett, with no scheme or plan -- and Scarlett is happy, generous, disciplined and loving -- this family keeps walking through those doors.

Indeed--although the Matron has met a few stereotypical stage parents and worse -- some of her ilk are being pulled (more or less dazed and confused) by their driven children. Do you think the parent can force a child to bounce on stage for 74 shows in six weeks and be happy?

Matron: "Scarlett, do you want to maybe make a CD and do music? It might not work out but this strange thing happened ------ "

Scarlett: "YES YES YES YES WHEN DO I START? I DON'T NEED TO SLEEP OR EAT!!!"

Imagine it is 8 am in the morning. You are getting your child ready for school: cereal, banana, coat, backpack. Cereal and banana because, actually, you do need to eat.

Matron: "Have a good day at school, sweetie!"

Scarlett: "Mama? Have you heard from my agent? The girl who is going to get me a movie? Can I be in a new commercial? Am I going to make that record tomorrow? Is there another audition? Ca we watch youtube videos of my shows?"

Trust her. This child is a freight train.

The Matron? If she is the engineer, it's all about slowing down and making sure Scarlett is able to see the "Stop Sign" at the crossroads. For the past three years, luck has followed this child. Doors open. Opportunity? Says: yes!

Parenting the star is easy. Parenting the child who wants to be the star -- with all of her being!-- and isn't? Hard. That's the horizon the Matron follows because no is always ahead.

No exists. For all of us, in one form or another. It's the child you never had, the book that didn't get published (ouch), the job you didn't get, the fame that eluded you. No is the life that you envisioned that didn't really come to be. The no in our lives might be larger or small. But it's there for us all.

It's how we answer that no that shapes us.