Stay with Me

In 1988, my mother called me into her room to show me this weird musical that was playing on PBS. Quote: "I think you might like this." It was Into the Woods and I fell in love. A year or so later, I went to my music director at Villa and begged her to do it at the school. I even went so far as to call MTI in NY to find out how much the royalties were. Sister Mary Carole said no.

I followed the musical as much as an Internet-less world would allow. I bought the music book. It would not be much later that I'd had and memorized the entire CD. Then a short ten years later, obtaining the DVD.

Into the Woods was the first major musical I tackled on my own - I say, on my own, but I truly must give credit to the people who helped me through this (as I was 8 months pregnant when we opened). To my husband who built things he didn't fully understand until they were finished and on stage; to my wonderful cousin for painting gorgeous horses for me; to my wonder-make Matt and his symphony of musical mayehm; and for the brown-nosing ability of Alex who tackled every missing piece and made my musical beautiful. To the family and friends and parents who made my musical the ultimate vision of wonder that I imagined. I will be forever grateful for that one experience.

And so I find it rather fitting for my first "brave and crazy" act to be an audition with a song from Into the Woods, called Stay with Me. The song is so fitting, I just hope I can get my voice to do what I want it to do. The witch is trying to convince Rapunzel to stay with her - a mother's desperate cry not to be left alone. It's a tough emotion to show with a nervous voice.

And so I'm working with it now - sheet music (Thank you Kim Z!) that plays itself so I can practice.

I'll keep you posted on my progress, so Stay With Me!