Mommy Meltdowns: My actor aficinado

We always knew that Ian enjoyed acting and was currently involved in a youth drama program through a local university for several years. Ian participated in musicals twice a year and was enjoying it. It was an extracurricular activity and kept him busy on the weekends. Each role Ian was given he did a good job, but nothing extraordinary.

This past Fall, Ian decided to audition for his middle school play, "Rock of Ages". He was given the role of Lonny Barnett and it turned out to be the best thing ever. This role gave Ian the opportunity to really show the world what he was capable of. He improvised with each show and interacted with the audience. He took command of the stage and seriously, he took his role in the play to a whole new level. He blew us all away with his enthusiasm, energy, and natural ability to entertain.

Opening night was on Friday, February 8th. Jeff, Samantha and I were appropriately blown away by what we saw on the stage. Ian was so much fun to watch. He did an amazing job. It was the kind of performance you had to see to believe. That was my son up there!! He was larger than life. At the end of the show I teared up. I knew how much Ian gave of himself up on the stage and it completely paid off. I was so excited that the family was coming to town the next day and was able to see the show, that I couldn't sleep at all on Friday night. Not for one minute. The adrenaline rush I was feeling from seeing the show couldn't come down enough to fall asleep. It was crazy and insane that all I could think about all night long was how great my son (MY SON!!) was during the show. At one point, it was 3:00am and I said to Jeff, "I still can't fall asleep. All I am thinking about is Ian on that stage". Jeff replied with "Well, I can sleep, so let me."

With each show, the feedback on Ian's performance by people we knew and those we didn't was incredible. Everyone said "he stole the show"; "he made it what it was", or "wow, did you know he had that in him?" They couldn't believe the amount of energy he brought to Lonny and how it was sustained through the whole show. The best comment was by his math teacher who saw the show one night and then said to Ian, "I knew you were in the show, but I didn't know you WERE THE SHOW! Please take all the time you need to turn in homework. You've had a lot going on."

Each teacher who saw Ian in action, the next time in class, made it a point to tell the whole class how amazing he was and they should see the show. In Spanish class, the teacher made the students give Ian and the other boy in his class who is also in his play, a round of applause.

At the end of each show, the actors came out in the lobby and Ian would be swarmed with members of the audience fawning over him and his performance. Parents who had their child part of cast would come up to Ian, with their child standing next to them, and tell Ian he was the best thing about the show. Really, this happened again and again. Watching this made me feel like the mother of a rockstar. Even people I didn't know, sought me out, asked if I was Ian's mom and gushed about how well Ian did.

Almost every show had its little quirks and inevitably things went wrong. These kids were true professionals and quickly covered up whatever was happening on stage and went with it. In one show, Ian fell off his stool, not once, but twice! As it was happening, he did not miss a beat and just kept talking. In another show, the mic stand was missing the microphone. Ian quickly improvised and handed Stacee Jax his drum stick to sing into. And yet, in another show, Stacee Jax lost his huge wig of hair and it had the potential to completely ruin the scene. But Jack kept performing and didn't flinch when the wig fell off. Nothing threw these kids. This was very impressive to watch.

These two weeks of show performances is one of those moments in time I will never forget. This was the time that Ian showed the world what he was made of. It's not just the fantastic performance he gave (but it was fantastic!) but the fact he put himself out there and gave it his all. I could not be more proud of him than if he had opened on Broadway.

Ian has decided to get more serious about his interest in acting. We will now be exploring taking vocal lessons and signing up to do community theatre if the timing is right with his schedule.

We all know becoming an actor is a very tough field to stand out in and be able to support yourself. For these two weeks in February, it seemed like even the near impossible will be possible for Ian.

Here are some amazing pictures of Ian, taken by a Robinson parent, Rich Condit.