Friday, November 5, 2010

When God-Allah-Buddha-Oprah-the Universe Speak

Last week, Scarlett was invited to a callback for the show with the biggest child-actor buzz in the history of local theater: Annie! At the Mother Ship, no less.

Text message between child actors were flying! Much intrigue, drama and hope.

The day of the callback, the Matron's diva woke up, sick. Head cold: congestion, drip, head ache, low grade fever, entirely unwell.

Here is Scarlett, on the way to the audition: "Mom I can't sing. I just can't sing. I'm never getting in."

Here is Scarlett, after being summarily released from the callback: "That was the worst audition of my entire life. I can't sing!"

That evening was stormy, and we're not talking the sky. Scarlett took to her room and refused to speak to anyone, except to say: "Why do I have to have a COLD on the day of such a big audition?"

Today? She found out that she is definitely not invited to be in the show -- one of her two major disappointments in theater (the other the role of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird, for which she was a contender).

Her response? Overwhelming joy that two of her dearest friends are orphans.

Scarlett: "Mom, there's always another show. What can we get for winter? I need a winter show somewhere and then there's a summer show I found, too. The good thing about being an actor is sometimes you're sick or have a bad day, but there's always another show."

Now, the Matron has written two novels. She had -- has, she thinks -- a very famous, nationally respected and influential New York-based agent. Said agent once shopped the Matron's second novel extensively.

One day, eight months later, the Matron received a packet from her agent. The packet -- can we say mortal blow -- contained 27 rejection letters from publishers and an unsigned, dictated note from the agent.

No book.

Yours truly retired to her bed for the afternoon. It took her nearly a year to write again. Indeed, this blog was part of that initial healing process.

Scarlett? Rebounded and happy, after 24 hours.

Scarlett: "If all these kids are in Annie, there's more chance for me to be a lead in another show! Can we start looking? There's tons of good stuff to be in-- I just know it!"

Thank you, God-Allah-Buddha-Oprah-Universe. Sometimes, the parent has nothing to do with what happens.

9 comments:

Suburban Correspondent said...

God bless her. But I do wish she could have been Scout - what a perfect role for her!

Minnesota Matron said...

Yes, she IS Scout. But alas, Scout is six and Scarlett? Twelve. An eight year old got the role.

MJ said...

As they say, kids are resilient!

Anonymous said...

What a blessing that your daughter can see the silver side of the cloud. I hope she helps you see yours, too. (And I get it, right now it's just dark without a glimmer of a silver lining. What's wrong with those publishers anyway?!?)

Viktor said...

God, she bounces back easily. I feel with your afternoon in bed, I am in the sciences - living with the 'publish or perish' motto, etc, - and a simple rejection of one of my papers can spiral me into weeks of dejection and border-line depression.

Good for her that she can deal with it so well.

Anonymous said...

And Matron? There is always another novel--and another publisher.

Cindy in Walla Walla said...

She already is the quintessential Annie. I can hear her "The sun will come out, tomorrow..."

JCK said...

She's going to go far, your girl.

I'm glad the blog helped your healing.

Xtreme English said...

I hope you're writing a novel about being a mother of a child actress. It's practically written already.