My husband made me breakfast this morning. I had a great brunch at Jonah's school on Friday at which I received a pink rose from my knock-their-socks-off-handsome son. Last night, after much stress and negotiation I accompanied Michael to Go Diva! at the local Black Box theatre (local = 55 minute drive).
Michael has been running tech for the show this week.
When I leave the show, I always leave feeling a bit hollow. It sort of advertises that it's feel good, but it's not really. Really...it's sad.
I love Jennifer Cooper, the star. She's a genuine, interesting, talented, fun, CLASSIC woman. Her story, portrayed in Go Diva! is a tragic one.
It is the story of Jenn's life, beginning with her miracle birth to two hopeful parents, and ended with her staring at a deep black hole masquerading as the present. In between, she embarks on a fantastic opera career as a promising lyrical coloratura mezzo-soprano. During her seven year spree on the opera circuit, she rose from singing regularly at the local church to touring the world with a paycheck of 5k for every performance. With a dance card booked for the next three years and frequent flyer miles in the thousands, everything was looking up. Until. IT.
At the peak of her career a congenital cyst was found on her vocal chords. Surgery to remove the cyst was successful. But healing was not. Years later, she has still not fully recovered from surgery. And she can no longer sing opera.
Struggling to make ends meet as a jazz singer in her "new life" that she never wished for, Jenn stars in Go Diva! to put food on the table and to tell her compelling story.
I don't know why it feels so personal to me. I'm not an opera singer. I never hit the big time with anything really. But I leave feeling devastated for the loss that she must feel. Yet...she tells her story.
She even relives the horrifying moment during which she was mid performance and her voice disappeared. She ended up unfortunately croaking through a solo and then...when the chorus swells to join her...she fades away. She is fired from the opera.
I have heard that things like this can bring healing.
I have heard that holding a baby can be theraputic for a woman who has had a miscarriage.
These are things that are true, even if they are hard for us to understand. Especially those of us who have not suffered a loss so great as that of a child - or the loss of something for which we have sacrificed money, time, and love - like an opera career.
I'm sure that in here somewhere there is a great point.
I remember when I graduated from high school a girl, Lauren R. with whom I no longer communicate, presented me with a tiny book of quotes from women. One said, and it is my favorite, "What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open."
I see many of my female counterparts sharing their lives on paper. Two women I admire very much have chosen to share their stories, their pain, their joys, their sufferings for the world as one-woman performances. Go Diva! is one of them. The other can be seen at the Harrisburg festival this summer. Valerie Smith is the writer/actress. I hope that if you can attend the theatre festival in Harrisburg you will. I hope that next time Jenn perform Go Diva! you will consider purchasing a ticket of your own.
To sit in the audience would be a symbol of our unity. Of our support in sharing our stories. In giving back to the world something of the beauty we can give. To show others who we are without coloring it rosy. We are women. We are beautiful. Everyone deserves to know.
And in honor of Mother's Day, I hope that all you moms out there will share a little piece of yourself. Write a journal entry. Give something of yourself for the girls who come after you to remember and believe in. And I hope that you daughters out there will listen.
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