“That Kid”: Why I’m A Stage Mom

“This theater company doesn’t dig wells for villages without water. We don’t build schools for communities in third world countries, and we don’t build houses for victims of national disaster. That’s not what we do.

We exist for That Kid. The girl who will never raise her hand to answer a question in school, but she sings all around the house. The boy who can’t kick a soccer ball, but he can do one fantastic two-step. We exist for That Kid.

You bring That Kid to us, and we’ll help him find what he can do. We’ll teach him skills and abilities that will give him confidence on a stage, and before long at all, he’ll realize he has an important voice that people will listen to. He’ll realize he brings something great to the world and that he can be heard.

And people who know they can be heard? Well, they build schools for communities in third world countries, dig wells for villages who don’t have water, build homes for victims of national disaster—those people change the world.

We exist for That Kid who just might change the world.”

* * *

Well, of course I was crying, and the show hadn’t even started.

That was the Director’s curtain speech to introduce Seussical, Tyler’s very first show with CYT Denver. He’s a Wickersham and a Hunter, and he’s the red-haired boy with a smile that lights up the stage.

Tears poured down my face. I thought, “Yes. Yes. I’m raising That Kid.”

I thought of the very first night Tyler went to rehearsal, when he came out and said, “Mom, I found them. I found the kids who are just like me.”

Hello, world. My name is Tricia. I’m a Stage Mom.