After our 5 o'clock performance, (we're in-between shows now; and were provided a scrumptious dinner of chicken salad, veggies, fruit, & brownies) one of the older women who'd seen the show--probably the oldest in the theater at that moment--turned to me, had me lean in close to her, and said, softly:

"You are a bright light up on that stage, and you've got it all: the moves.. the songs..

You shine in this cast."

I've been doubting myself a lot lately because of a few things: first, our review for Beguiled wasn't the greatest (you can find it at http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2011/07/08/features/on_the_go/doc4e1678643f531521492949.txt), and secondly because of a particular actor I'm working with whose sarcasm is slowly chipping away at my inner strength. I was asked the other day, in one of my Andrews Brothers rehearsals, "..Do you even know what this song is about?" To have my work ethic challenged in front of the director like that was stressful and unnecessary, to say the least. We have a great group of people here but once in awhile when I chime in, this person likes to shoot me down in front of the group. I smile and brush it off, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me.

In conclusion, this random woman's kind words uplifted my spirits today. I will continue to do what I love, and perform with the passion I know is inside of me, despite of the negative energy that may exist around me. I know I won't affect everyone in the audience, and I know that not everyone will like the timbre to my voice or the expressions on my face, but all I have to offer is myself. I have to give my all and leave it all out on that stage, and try not to listen to the people around me who bring me down more than they know.

"Preserve a childlike mind in yourself and absolutely follow the voice of your inner being, because that is the divine in us and it will not lead us into madness."   -Caspar David Friedrich