Back in 1997, before I had any kids and when I was still working as an IP secretary, I joined a local group of Austin performers to put on a children’s musical. This group works in their spare time using donated money and their own money to put on a musical that is offered free to children. I had been out of musical performance for a year or so and was looking forward to getting back into the Broadway format. It was a fun time. I met Geoff and Nancy Neale through this group, and Geoff converted me to the Libertarian Party so well that I was running for office even while the triplets were in NICU.
The show that year was called “Beauty and the Beasts.” It was a show put together by members of the chorus featuring snippets of three fairy tales: Beauty and the Beast, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Little Red Riding Hood. The songs from Beauty and the Beast are still stuck in my head, just like the songs I sang for State Choir. It’s amazing how deep a groove you can gouge in your brain by singing the same song 3 or 4 or more times a day for weeks at a time.
1997 was my only year with the chorus. In 1998 I was working for a company that required frequent business trips out of town, and in 1999 I was pregnant with the triplets. Despite that aforementioned run for office I really didn’t have time to join them again, although I took the triplets to see their show in 2000 and 2001. As a newbie, I only warranted a bit part, so I was an extra in several scenes. In the opening number, the same song that opens Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, I was just a random villager trying to shop for eggs. Although I’d seen the movie many times when it came out, I had never paid much attention to that character, just knowing the words and singing along like everybody else.
Here is that song, along with the original movie clip. My character’s one-line bit is at about 1:28. Go ahead and check her out:
That’s right. She had triplets. Be careful what you do on stage…it may come back to bite you!