Center Stage

    “You know, I’ve been on this stage a thousand times, auditioning, acting in the chorus, directing... and throughout all these years, I’ve never really realized that all of us try out for so many things in life and don’t always make it. There’s always that negative feeling when you want something so, so bad, but you don’t get it. 
      "I remember when I was fifteen and I saw a gorgeous pair of Steve Madden white heels in Ross. My mom wouldn't let me have them that day, and when I went back a couple of days later they were gone..  I almost cried. I wanted those shoes so bad, but I didn't get them; just like I wanted this part, but I didn't get that either.
      "I wanted it not for the fame nor for the riches, but just for the fact of knowing -- even though I never got a lead in high school -- I was still good enough. I could still make it. So many people say this is a dog-eat-dog world, but I don’t believe that. Some people say that the world will chew you up and spit you out, but I don’t believe that either.
      "I believe that life will throw all kinds of pitches at you, and you just have to take whatever comes your way and deal with it.  But, oh, when you see that perfect ball coming toward you at the perfect height, you swing. You’re not going to let that one pass you. You swing as hard as you can, and bam, it’s out of the park. You just hit a homer. 
        "I guess this audition just wasn’t my homerun.  I’ll always come back for another inning, and hope again for the big one; the one that’ll make my career.  It’ll show everyone that I am indeed good enough, and all those years of theatre classes haven’t been put to waste. That I haven’t been spending all my life passionate about something I really was never good at in the beginning. Yup, one day I'll be back on this stage where I've been a thousand times before. But this time, you won't see me in the chorus. I'll be up front, center stage."