Hey,
I'm seventeen, and I'm glad so many of my intelligent peers spoke out. Hey! I think a question like has a prerequisite of telling your musical-theatre-life story, so here I go.
When I grew up my mom loved "My Fair Lady" and "Fiddler", and although she sang beautifully (her voice is her pride and joy), she butchered the songs with her over-acting. I wasn't terribly fond of it, but I knew some music. At every family party, my mom's side of the family would all sing; my grandfather had an affinity for creaking out "Old Man River" in his severely broken voice, but everyone loved it (it was funny...). Everyone feigned humility as they got up to belt out a moment of glory; some better than others.
Eventually, my grandfather began to pay me to perform; I read poems and learned songs and every night as he left he slipped a twenty dollar bill into my hand (he was a very successful lawyer- that was nothing to him). I knew from then that I was truly good. I was good at most things as a kid, but I never really cared enough to try, and I was always somewhere in the middle of the pack.
I also, out of boredom, picked up Shakespeare in third grade. I'm not kidding. It was my first theatre fixation. It didn't really impact me dramatically though, only in literary value.
In fifth grade, I tried out for the hallowed school musical with the sole intention of being the best. I was; I played my first lead in my first show. I got the glory and walked out the door; from that moment on I was glory hungry. Theatre was something I won without a fight and I loved the power. In 6th grade we did "Into the Woods", and I was Cinderella's Prince. I couldn't wait for next year when I had the lead role clenched in my tiny fist... then the school cut the program.
I begged my parents to pay for a program, but no matter how I pleaded (and I'm a good pleader), they didn't care. I realized from that point I had to work hard to be able to live with theatre for the rest of my life. I started on my quest to know every musical ever. I went to the library and picked out "A Little Night Music", "Hair" and "Funny Girl" (eclectic).
Five years later, I own almost every cast recording ever released. I had moved methodically and with great vigor. I also took time to obsess over modern drama, sketch comedy, improv and abstract theatre (and as my good friend puts it, many a flop. "Shelter", anyone?).
Now I'm here. I'm entering the great wide theatre world, I've met success in my tiny small town venues and I'm busting loose. I've met a third of my closest friends right here on Broadwayworld.com and most of my favorites are very, very old. I am so grateful for all of the people on this site who took time to help me access old, often neglected musicals and who shared anecdotes and opinions that helped to shape me as an artist.
What angers me about the majority of theatre students I've come across is that they have the balls to apply to theatre programs with their slightly superior GPA and rich parents without knowing a thing about theatre history! It's insane how many technically "talented and promising" peers of mine are entering into theatre colleges without knowing a single iota of theatre history.
If you don't know your past, you will probably not have a future. Young and old; it doesn't change. Knowledge and beauty are the two greatest sources of power in this world. If you aren't the prettiest kid on the block and you want to succeed in theatre, hit the books or go to hell.
On a lighter note, I didn't know so many people on here are so young and intelligent. Sometimes, kids like the ones Mildred describe make me really ashamed to say that I study theatre history. Let's start a Facebook group for intelligent minors on Broadwayworld, hahah :).
"There are only two worthwhile things to leave behind when we depart this world of ours: children and art."
-Sunday In The Park With George
