Kathie was three years old when I realized there was something more theatric about her than other children. I was at her first preschool concert, right before Christmas. Her class strode on stage, with many of the three year olds looking out at all the assembly filling the hall with the ever famous deer in headlight look. But there stood Kathie, smiling and confident. She was focused on her teacher, ready to go. A quick nod and wave to me in the audience and then the music began. As the notes came over the speakers and the symphony of preschool voices rang out, there was one that was especially loud and rose above the rest. I looked at my little cherub. "Kathie?" I thought..."I would SWEAR that voice was hers!" I could hear the people around me giggling as they were falling in love. Behind me I heard "Oh, that little blonde girl..oh, that is SO cute!" I sat there awestruck by my own child!

At Christmas time, the church had its usual Sunday School Christmas pageant. Kathie and two other children were assigned to sing "Away in a Manger". At the ripe old age of almost 5. Kathie belted out the words to the familiar tune, her classmates being Pips to her Gladys. She brought tears of laughter to some and tears of joy to others! At the reception following I heard more than once, "She is going places!" As a Mom, I always thought "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah".....

The following month I saw an announcement in the paper, "Auditions for The Sound of Music"!!!!! Could it be?! My favorite show of all times?!?! Why, I knew I was eight weeks pregnant at the time, but if I auditioned to be a NUN surely no one would see the progress of my belly, after all the show would close before I was five months pregnant!

So I had the brilliant suggestion that the three of us audition: Bianca, Kathie and myself. The first night of auditions I would be out of town, so Ken took the girls "to get some wonderful experience" at the art of auditioning. What I was totally unprepared for was for Kathie to get a call back! She was one of two little girls who was supposed to come back and try again for the part of Gretl, the youngest of the Von Trapp children! Unfortunately, Bianca did NOT get a call back, so my hopes to hit the boards as a Pregnant Nun were dashed...at least for this staging of my most favorite show of all time!

Luckily, I could go to the call back. Nothing would get in my way of that!

We arrived at the theatre and I could have sworn it was ME who was auditioning! I swore I would NOT be a dreaded stage mother! No way, not me! UH UH! But something took over me! I watched my precious little child, hair braided and in such a cute little dress! Could I have created this fabulous little tike? Did this wonder actually spring forth from my own body?

Kathie, being ever the perfectionist, was a little uncomfortable since she did not know the particular song they were working on so she was reluctant to sing out as she normally does. They had seen her do that previously, at the first audition. The musical director called out to the parents who were watching "Is Kathie's Mom here?" I replied, "HERE I AM?!?!" and then thought to myself "Where did THAT voice come from! Who has taken over my body!" I swear I was wringing my hands as he approached.

"Does Kathie have much experience on stage? Normally how does she do?" I gushed some gobbledy gook in response about how she usually is the beacon among the other kids, and that she was unfamiliar with this particular piece, "So Long, Farewell," but that "Do Re Mi" which they did the previous day was very familiar. I guess it was convincing cause they let her try a speaking part as the next part of the audition.

Now Kathie was in preschool, she could not yet read. So the director gave her the line and some instruction. I didn't know it at the time, but the musical director went to the back of the theatre to see how Kathie's projection reached the back of the audience. The director nodded, and there went my precious child saying in a loud, booming yet babyish voice, "Uncle Max, I can't sing, I have a sore finger!!!" It was amazing, the girls auditioning to be Liesl clapped enthusiastically and some of the parents in the audience followed suit! Tears immediately sprang to my eyes! I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation. "So this is how Stage Mothers are created" I thought to myself as I tried to gather control of myself.

The rest of that day was a blur, but I remember them saying if the child was to be cast, they would be called that day with the offer of a role. At eight pm Kathie and I went to get an Ice Cream Sundae. I was worried they had decided not to gamble on my child, and of course if that was the case it MUST be due to some deficiency on MY part! So we went out to have a calorie laden treat as some kind of consolation prize.

We returned home with our bellies bloated and our minds distracted from "The Sound of Music". Ken had a big smile, he said to Kathie, "Sweetheart, would you like to be Gretl?" I am not sure who whooped louder, me or Kathie! (I think for once it was ME!) Yes, not only a Thespian had been born but in addition a Stage Mother had been born!

The time flew by for me, with some glorious highlights being the review in the local paper. All the children were listed with one child getting an additional note...."and the scene stealing Kathie Scott as Gretl". I remember hearing the audiences whisper "Look at the little one!!" as the "Von Trapp" children marched on stage wearing their matching navy style uniforms. I remember realizing Kathie did not know that "Solo" meant when she sang alone, and that was when she had to be REALLY loud! I remember on closing night, when Kathie was STILL adding to her performance in the "Lonely Goatherd" and she literally "baaahhhhed" her "lady-od-a lady-od-a-loo"......the audience roared and I saw the Musical Director laugh and shake his head. He said to me later, "We forget how smart she is, and that she is ALWAYS thinking! I wondered when she did that, WHERE DID SHE GET THAT FROM!?!?!?!?!" I wondered the same thing!

Kathie continues to act, but for now she is still one of the "little kids" and performing in Junior Theatre nets her the "little kid" chorus parts. She did get to play "Trixie" in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof which at least had a line in it as well as singing and dancing. She is still waiting for another role that can at least hold a CANDLE to the Gretl role. So far, none has. She has said she would like to live at the theatre where "The Sound of Music" had its run. It will always hold a special place in her heart.

And for me? The Stage Mom is still here, waiting for the next part, too. And wondering if there will be another chance to be a Nun in "The Sound of Music" anytime soon! You never know, it could happen! But for now, I am watching Kathie make the most of every opportunity she has on any stage possible. Milking every opportunity and insisting every audience notice her, just by doing what she loves. Since I love her with all my motherly heart, that makes me happy too.

Julie's Writings

Since June 23,1999