Student Blog: Rolling With The Roller Coaster - Storybook Edition

Hello BroadwayWorld!

Whew, it's been a whirlwind of four months, and I can hardly believe May is just around the corner. My 2022 has been a jam-patched theatre-filled extravaganza; an Equity production, a student-led production, my school's musical, two different local variety shows, prepping for performance and playwriting competitions, and planning for my Drama Club's end of the year celebrations.

Against my best attempts, my theatrical roller coaster slowed to a stop - a common problem for students seeking affordable theatre during the summer: that familiar - horrific - dry spell. I've encountered the excruciating period between shows where no rehearsal schedules crowd your calendar, no last-minute tech days to paint the set loom on the horizon, and no scramble to curate the perfect biography for the program exists. I can't speak for all of my readers, but... this isn't fun.

For me, I've been production-free for twenty-seven days. Don't let the word 'free' fool you, this is no mercy, no vacation from the otherwise hectic lifestyle of my choice; this is an affliction. Now, readers, I will admit I may be exaggerating to some degree, I haven't been wasting away. I've been jam-packed studying for AP exams, standardized tests, and prepping for my senior year.

Upon reaching high school, I discovered something about myself: I love staying busy. My calendar is color-coded, each color representing everything from marching band practices to dentist appointments. COVID helped me to realize this facet of myself ten-fold, being cooped up inside pushed me to drastic measures... (see below).

After non-stop productions for three months, having no show dates on my calendar is disorienting, and as a side effect, my momentum has malfunctioned. When one is so used to a pattern, being robbed of that medium can affect the other cogs in the machine. Alas, I'm at a loss for words; words for my project, words for this blog. So, instead, if you all don't mind, I'd like to tell you a story. Before you close out the tab, I promise my future blogs will have more substance, more flavor, and the truth about the inner workings of their author and her relation to the art she adores. In this blog post, however, I'd like to tell a story:

Once upon a time, there lived an itty, bitty dragon with glittering red scales and a snout too small for any real fire to erupt - of course, that didn't stop the dragon from trying, huffing and puffing and blowing hot air, but all that escaped was a flicker, a birthday candle's worth of light. The itty, bitty dragon spent their days in the sun, scampering beneath the trees and flying with the birds, wings outstretched against the wind's strength, weaving to and fro and up and down, circling the sky with tremulous flaps.

On one particular day, the itty, bitty dragon glided through the clouds, scarlet scales stark against the blueness of the sky. Admiring their home from afar, they swooped higher and higher, staring down at the ever-green trees, leaves reaching for the sunlight, and the gleaming ponds full of fish, water like a stained glass window, revealing the life just underneath the surface. The summer heat seeped through the tiny reptile, forcing them to land for a drink of water. Just as the dragon stuck their snout to the pond...

"Hello there!"

The dragon froze. One blink, another. Was that... a voice? Talking to them? A slow turning of their head and-the dragon blinked again. A human child with brown hair and a shy smile waved at them with wiggly fingers.

"Hi, Mr. Dragon, I saw you flying in the sky and-well..." The child's brows furrowed in contemplation. "Well, I figured all that flying must've made you hungry!"

The tiny reptile couldn't believe their ears; this child truly wasn't afraid? Weren't all humans afraid of dragons? The itty, bitty dragon was sure there was a rule about that somewhere. A big, brightly bound book titled "Rules For Stories" with Rule #1 being 'Start with once upon a time' and Rule #2 being 'Humans are afraid of dragons'. Except... well, the dragon supposed that knights were an exception to that rule so perhaps...

The child rocked back and forth on their heels, mussing brown curls and tugging at a polka-dotted shirt.

Perhaps, this small human was a knight. (The itty, bitty dragon, after all, had never met a knight before.) But... the child was awfully small. Then, again, so was the dragon which meant... Yes! That was it, the reptile realized with a leap, this knight was their knight! A small knight for an itty, bitty dragon.

With that firmly settled, the dragon nodded. In truth, all that flying did make them quite hungry. A rumble in their stomach secured their decision.

The knight grinned and pulled out a blanket and basket. "Perfect, because I brought a picnic big enough to share!

From the basket came an array of sweets; fluffy bread and blueberry muffins, sliced fruits and scones. The human smoothed out the checkerboard blanket and patted a spot beside them: a spot just the right size for the dragon.

Perhaps somewhere in the big, brightly bound book of rules was something about all knights and dragons needing to fight, but the itty, bitty dragon decided that - since no one was looking - it was okay to break that rule for a very good muffin.

The End.

For all the bumblebees like myself, take a breath. It's okay for the momentum to stutter or stop, and when that happens, find something else that brings you joy.

Signing off - Spencer Wareing