Click

Mid-way through the show last night, Melisa and I looked at each other and stage-whispered:

"It's going so well!"

"It's going so fast!!"

"I keep taking mental pictures."

"Me too!" She did an exaggerated Blink Blink.

When I got choked up during our intro, despite months of practice and practice and practice, I took a mental picture. Click.

When Brandie got on stage, despite her very, VERY real pre-show nerves and the audience laughed out loud as she talked about her son's belief that a broken arm is way worse than cancer. Click.

When  Lou got choked up on stage, though he had never gotten teary during a rehearsal... Click.

When Judy finally, finally got to say the word "Cooter" on stage, and the audience roared as much as Melisa and I had. Click.

When Katy had the audience in absolute silence, holding every word she said close to their hearts as she read her emotional letter to little Lenny in the audience. Click.

When  Hyacynth and Melissa relieved some of the tension with their hysterical duet. Click.

When Alisha shared her lovely prose of love to her daughter and had the audience giggling over the images of a little girl licking the floor in butterfly wings. Click.

When Megan said the single syllable "Oh" and the audience went absolutely silent and still; anxious for her next words. Click.

When Audrey's intro brought laughter and I got flustered because I wasn't AT the funny part yet! Click.

When I sat back stage, looking around, seeing our cast - my friends - as one unit? Clickclickclickclick....



We sniffled.
We laughed.
We beamed.
We wiped tears.


Quietly tip-toeing between introductions of each cast member, I realized that I was back where I wanted to be: on stage. I missed it more than I can honestly portray in just these few sentences. Just know that for me? Being on stage was like reuniting with an old best friend from high school. One of those friends that is so familiar and perfect for you that it feels like no time has passed at all...


With the final group bow, and Megan tightly squeezing my hand, I was So. Proud. Proud of all of them. Proud of me and Melisa. Proud of any woman who ever takes on the role of "Mother".