I had the great pleasure of having my mother come see Once Upon A Time and The Vagina Monologues this weekend. As an educator, my mother is used to being around huge crowds of children and how important it is to expose them to the arts. She explained me how excited a young girl got when she realized that the children were the ones who picked the stories being portrayed onstage. She kept waving her hand, jumping up and down, trying desperately for someone to notice her. As time was going by, she began to get frustrated. Finally, my mother motioned and pointed to the young girl. Thankfully, Keith saw what was going on, ran over to her and let her pick. Hearing this story, made me feel so good as an artist. Children are an actors worst (or best…depending on how you look at it) critic. They have no problem telling you exactly how they feel about your performance. I had several children tell me how much they loved show and that they wanted to come back and see it again. There’s nothing more gratifying than that.
Tonight, I performed the Vagina Monologues with my mother sitting in the front row. Some might think this scenario might be a little embarrassing. And I have to admit I was a little nervous. However, I haven’t heard my mother laugh that hard in a long time. I come from a very open minded and liberal background. Talking about how our bodies was a common thing in my house. After the show, I jokingly asked my mother if she was “ashamed of me”. She responded with a huge smile on her face, “No baby. I’m very proud of you.” Wow. Isn’t that what the Vagina Monologues is all about? Loving your body and not being afraid to talk about it? I feel so blessed to have parents who taught me the importance of learning about and loving yourself.
Ain’t Misbehavin’ rehearsals start Monday! I feel so honored to be portraying the late, Nell Carter. She was a great Broadway legend that was known for her quick humor and nasal voice. For research, I’ve been watching YouTube clips of her from show. I’m not sure if I can sing the role exactly like her, but I’m excited to bring some of my own ideas to the table. I promise to make you proud, Miss Carter!
-Faith Boles
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