I suppose my experience with theater started as a first grader when I played the part of Mary for our church’s Christmas program. My elaborate costume was a blue bathrobe and sandals. On my head I wore a bath towel held in place with a wide white sweatband. The part of the Christ-child was played by my cabbage patch doll. (With that random childhood memory look @ the picture on the right which is me reciting a poem at a brownie gathering. Please ignore the gray sweatpants....the early 90's were a confusing time for all of us)

That Christmas marked both the beginning and the end of my dramatic career but I have always enjoyed theater (especially musicals). Probably the best that I have seen was Otterbein College’s production of 42^nd Street in the spring of 2006. Known for their “artsy majors” Otterbein was able to bring in the man who did the choreography for the Broadway production of the show. The amazing talent of the students who mastered the complicated Broadway choreography was awesome. At the end of the show I was crying and its not even a sad story! It was just so great!(The second picture to the right is my childhood friend Kelly and her friend who both appeared in 42nd street)

Unfortunately I have never been to a “professional” play or musical but I would jump at the chance to attend if I ever had the opportunity! My dream would be to see the Broadway musical Rent with its original cast but that is impossible since they are no longer touring. That show serves as an excellent example of how societal changes can come about through art. Rent dealt with many “taboo” issues such as homelessness, homosexuality, and drug addiction that had not previously been explored on such a large scale.