Lights, Camera, Action!

This is me at age 17 on the front page of our 

local newspaper performing as Dorothy from

The Wizard of Oz.

Many of my friends today don't know this about me but when I was a little girl I dreamed of becoming a MOVIE STAR. I dreamed of walking down the red carpet wearing couture Jean Paul Gaultier gowns and speaking to members of the press.  I was a dreamer, a drama-filled child with my head in the clouds and a giant horizon in front of me. From the time I was 3 years old I was singing duets and solos in public. I started acting in musicals when I was 8 and by the time I was 10 I was competing in music competitions.  My whole life revolved around drama and music so it came as no surprise to my family when I declared Theater as my minor in college. I would have declared it as my major at the time but something was telling me that I should have a good back-up plan.  

I was naturally an introvert but on stage I could be someone different. I could be loud! I could be crazy! I could be a lawyer, a doctor, or a scientist! I could block out the world and be bold and confident. It was a great escape for me.

As the years past, I lost more and more of that confidence on stage, but my daughter found it. This girl does not only exude confidence on the stage but off the stage as well.  She has been speaking eloquently since her first spoken word and her determination is motivational.  What I  lacked as a naturally introverted thespian, my daughter radiates.

Last week, my 9 year old performed as the Aquaduck in her first real musical production, Alladin. She was anxious about delivering her lines on cue but showed no signs of nervousness. She was determined to make this character her own. She lit up the stage and instead of waving at her family in the audience, she stayed in character and refused to break that fourth wall, a skill many kids are unable to achieve. Music and the theater may be in her blood but it is her confidence that will take her places, and ...

"Oh The Places {she} Will Go!"

Looking for ways to build your child's confidence? Here are some fun techniques to get your child's playful imagination going while building speech and improvisation skills...