Stagemom in me, Awakened

Before becoming a prolific blogger, I was a stagemom. I would not only take photos of the kids, I would bring them to castings, send their photos to agencies and accompany them for shoots. I was proud at how my kids project well in front of the camera that I took that opportunity to get them exposure.

When my daughter started school, we had to stop and focus on studies. The taking of photos didn’t stop though and that’s when I started to blog, mostly about life in Vienna and about my kids.

Then a friend sent me a tip, someone was looking to cast girls, aged 9-11 for a play supervised by the Burgtheater, the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna.  I was hesitant at first because my daughter has to undergo a lot of exams being in the 4th grade, she needs to pass these exams to be eligible to enter the Gymnasium (academic highschool), we need to learn and have a routine. I still submitted her photos against my better judgment and attended the casting call and then she got accepted.

She attended rehearsals as we were called in, at the farther Vienna’s 11th district and at the Akademietheater, the smaller venue of the Burgtheater situated at the 1st district. There are three kids playing the role, to substitute on each night of the performance. The play’s title is Wastwater, it’s a play about two men talking about their lives. I unfortunately wasn’t able to watch as it is standard protocol to have someone at the dressing room while the child waits for her turn to be called onstage. The play’s theme is for adults that’s why the kids weren’t allowed to see the earlier part. The girl’s character, Dalisay Bituin (pronounced by the cast as Dali-sey) is an orphaned, adopted kid who when asked questions wouldn’t answer, yes, it’s a non-speaking role, nonetheless, a good exposure.

On the last night that daughter played the role, we went full-support, hubby and my daughter’s teacher came to watch while I waited with the boys in the dressing room. We had brought gadgets, some school work, other toys to keep boredom at bay. I, on the other hand, was the usual shutter-happy me. I love the dressing room’s wall mirrors, made lighting really easy. Needless to say, taking photos during the play is prohibited so we don’t have any. :/

The play finished around 10  and we ate a late dinner with my daughter’s teacher. We were tired to say the least but it’s a rare chance to have been given such that we were thankful. I don’t know what the future holds and I don’t want to decide for my daughter should she choose to pursue a career in this field. All I know is that she had fun then. I was happy seeing her like that and it built her confidence somehow. I think I’ll be a stagemom no matter what, whether it’s behind the stage or at home, I’m happy with that.