Act I: The Curtain Falls

You already know from last week that the stage raised me.
You know I handed out spotlights like Halloween candy and summoned casts from thin air like a teenaged show witch. 🪄

But what I haven’t told you… is why I stopped.

It happened on a perfectly unremarkable day — the kind of day the fates like to use for plot twists. I auditioned for Western Michigan University’s theatre program. I put my heart on the stage. And they handed it back in silence.

No callback.
No whisper of maybe.
Just a curtain drop.

I told myself I was fine. That I’d pivot. Be practical. Grow up.
But the truth is, something broke.
And I let that “no” become gospel.

I told myself I didn’t belong in the house anymore… just because I didn’t get through one door.

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Act II: Trickster Gods

🎭✨ But the theatre gods are tricksters. They don’t let you go that easy. ✨🎭

Performance slipped back into my life in disguise:

And of course, it’s in the way I’m always busting out into musical numbers, no matter the room, mood, or moment. 🎶

It became mascot costumes — still dancing, still delighting, just with more fur and sweat. 🐾

It became college theatre classes, a few credits at a time to keep the spark alive.

It became quiet crew calls at The Bay, helping backstage during live shows — even got praise from Tim Allen (ah, thank you). 🎭

Act III: New Stages

You don’t walk away from magic. You carry it in your bones.

Maybe I never made it to Disney.
But I’ve made kids believe in books again during March is Reading Month 📚,
posed for photos as the Cat in the Hat,
and welcomed families to new worlds on opening weekend of every big-screen adventure. 🍿

The spotlight isn’t always literal.
Sometimes it’s softer. Warmer.
Sometimes it looks like a mother at the kitchen table, humming showtunes while sewing Halloween costumes.

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Act IV: The Ongoing Show

I didn’t quit.
I just changed stages.

🌟 And trust me… the show isn’t over. 🌟