Stage Right

🎭
Performances start this Friday for Coleman’s play.
“Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
Jason and I saw it years ago in Toronto - with THE Donny Osmond.
It’s a family fave, for sure.

This youth theater group runs on hard work, laughter and parent volunteers.
For the last few years, I have had the same volunteer spot.
Stage Left.
With my friend, Debbi.
She is in charge and am happy to do what she says.
We manage the props table.
We help with quick costume changes, zipping dresses and pulling off accessories just in time for the next scene.

There’s action. There’s downtime. Coleman is around. I’m with my friend.
Volunteering for Stage Left is fun.

I got an email this year.
“Stage Right” it said.
The regular Stage Right coordinator needed help because her mother is sick. Someone who could be in charge in case she had to leave.
They were asking if I would do it.

I froze.
My heart stopped.
I even started to panic just a little.
All I could see were the words “be in charge.”

The old Kolette would have said, “Sure! I can totally do that.”

But I’m still not the old me. I’m the new me. The one who shies away from volunteering. The one who lets others sign up first. The one who panics, just a little, when asked to be in charge.

I took a deep breath and called our producer.
“Beth,” I said, “I can’t do it.
I’m forgetful and instructions are hard for me right now and I know it’s not that big of a job but this feels super stressful.”

She supported me 100% and another mom stepped up to conquer Stage Right.💪🏻

I know. Bummer, right?
The old me might want this story to end differently, too.
🏆 Kolette, rising to the challenge, busting through her panic and singing in a triumphant Broadway voice, 🎶”Yes! I will overcome! I will do Stage Right!”🎶

But this is still the new me.
The one who knows that a victorious ending can look like a lot of things.

It can look like showing up.
It can look like smiling.
It can look like being kind to a rambunctious pre-teen actor.
It can look like an encouraging word to a nervous dancer.
It can look like tweaking a mic cord or fixing a hair clip.

And it can totally look like that safe space called “Help Debbi with Stage Left.”

Stage Right is handled.
Everything is taken care of.
It’s ok if I’m not quite ready to be in charge, yet. I can still be victorious.

Come see the show.
I’ll be on Stage Left.💙✊🏻

Here's Coleman - the FIRST time he did this show. He's the cute one on the top right!
Thank you, JAKS Youth Theater Company!