Performing bug

There are very few feelings in the world that are better than performing. There is something magical about being on stage, sweating under the hot flood light, make up running down you cheeks in rivets, an itchy costumes and dancing and singing your heart out to an audience, and being rewards this applause. I've always loved being on stage. I have. I usually had to work hard to get a good part, and I was never one made for a lead- I just wasn't quite that good. I was the bawdy girl or the best friend. But it didn't matter- up on stage, under the lights was the best.

Mac doesn't have to work at it. That kid can make any part his. He has no fear when he hits center stage. He will do and say anything. It's a part and he doesn't out-think himself, he isn't afraid of feeling foolish. He will just put it out there and he BECOMES whatever role he's playing. Watching him is so much fun. Anytime he has a part in a show, he usually gets the loudest applause and screams at curtain calls, not because he was the lead, but because he is memorable, because he is good. He will sing loud and clear- and his voice is beautiful. The kid has perfect pitch and can hear it once, and back out his mouth it comes, in an amazing cacophony of pitch, sound, and tonality.

And he doesn't care.

Anyone who loves to perform knows the "feeling" that drives you to be on stage, the craving for more lines, more songs, bigger roles, anything that would keep that magical feeling alive. Mac has the talent, certainly, but he doesn't have the drive. He doesn't need to feed the beast. He rolls with it. For him it's fun, it's cool but that's it.

He was an amazing Mad Hatter. The kid did his part in a very flamboyant way. Any other kid would be doing the role as "gay" but Mac was insistent that he wasn't gay, he was just flamboyant. And if you watched him, you could see the difference. And he commanded the tea party scene. The only other person who got more applause at curtain was Alice. Mac was on stage for 10 minutes, had about 50 lines, and he easily walked away with the show in his pocket. (Here he is... sorry for the poor quality photo; I didn't have the motion setting on and Mac was in constant motion after he does a show!)

The Spring concert for choir is in April. As I have mentioned before (I can't find which post or I would just link it rather than repeat myself) the choral group will sing some prepared songs and then it becomes a variety show of sorts, with the students singing music from the 2000-10 decade. Mac is in a men's group doing some Plain White T's songs, and he has a solo (which is a surprise, so I have no idea what he's singing), He's also doing a duet with some girl (also a surprise). He was asked to sing in a rendition of "We are the World". He hemmed and hawed around and didn't care if he did it. Now, anyone who Jonesed for the stage would've been all up in that, taking the song by storm. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do another number. In the end he did it because the choir teacher said she needed a strong tenor and she would give him extra credit.

He is just a kid who likes to perform but he doesn't live and die for it. Performing and air to breathe aren't the same thing.

Regardless, he's talented, and I'm proud.

Mac's mama,
Maggie