To be or not to be

This week "My Wife Asks..."

Based on your love of theater in high school, did you ever consider doing something professionally in that area?

When I was in elementary school, I was certain I was going to be in the NBA.  I spent hours at the basketball court across from my house practicing to become the next John Stockton.  My friends and I would spend hours having dunk contests on their back yard basketball hoops.  Our junior high basketball team was pretty good.

Then came my freshman year of high school and everyone around me got taller while I remained short and skinny.  Everyone became faster, stronger, and better than me in sports.  This was a very unwelcome wake-up call to me that my dream of playing professional basketball would remain just that, a dream.

During my sophomore year, on a whim, I auditioned for the school drama club Fall production of M*A*S*H.  I had no illusions of getting a role.  In fact, I'm pretty sure that I hoped that I was rooting that I wouldn't get a role.  I am pretty sure that I only auditioned because my cousin Brian was trying out and I was with him at the time.  Yet, for some reason, the drama teacher cast me in one of the lead roles as Hawkeye Pierce.

And somehow I was good.  And I loved being on stage.  I loved getting laughs.  I loved the costumes and learning lines and rehearsing with my friends.  I especially loved being able to escape and hide behind all of the characters I played on stage.   

As high school progressed and I still wasn't growing as quickly as my peers, I found that in drama, my size and speed and strength were irrelevant.  I found that I had a previously undiscovered knack for theater.  And my insecurities were dulled with this success.  On stage, my wise-ass, theatrical, do-anything-for-a-laugh personality was not only encouraged, but I received praise and accolades.  It was a win-win situation.

The summer before my senior year of high school, my friend Brad and I put together an improv/variety show with members of our community.  As much as I loved scripted drama and comedy, I really found my wheel-house with improvisational comedy.  I loved thinking quickly on my feet.  I loved being able to showcase my wit and sense of humor without being restricted by a script (even though I would often go off script during drama productions just for fun and to see how my co-actors would react).  We continued our improv acting in college when we put together a show with some fellow thespians.  It was great fun and my love for getting a laugh never waned, even though it would end up being my last stage performance.

Yet in all of those years, it never occurred to me that I might be a wise decision to try to earn a living in theater after college.  As with sports, acting was always just something fun for me to do.  So while I still enjoy comedy, going to the theater for the occasional performance, and might dabble in community theater sometime down the road, I am certain that I'll never have the drive or ambition necessary to do it professionally. 

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SONG:  "This" by Darius Rucker from his newly release album, Charleston, SC 1966.  A great song from a great sophomore solo country album from Darius.

CARD:  Luke Hochevar 2008 Bowman Chrome Magenta Printing Plate, serial numbered 1/1.