Spotlight on a Shy Boy: Our First Leap into "Oliver!"

When our homeschool group decided to partner with the local community theater right in town, an invitation arrived to audition for Oliver!—that timeless tale of street urchins, pickpockets, and redemption. I sat in the dim auditorium, heart pounding, as my son stepped onto the stage for the very first time. His voice rang out clear and confident; his movements carried a natural spark. When the cast list posted, surprise rippled through us—he’d landed a spot in Fagin’s ragtag gang, with a featured turn as the quick-witted Artful Dodger.

Opening night arrived, and as the curtain rose on those scrappy boys tumbling across the stage in tattered caps and patched coats, I felt a swell of pride unlike anything before. I attended every single performance that weekend—three shows—and then the next four years’ worth of weekends after that. Theater had hooked me, not just as a parent in the audience, but as someone suddenly alive to the magic of live storytelling.

A Father's Stage Awakening: From Spectator to Star in "Guys and Dolls"

Watching my son shine ignited something in me. I discovered I craved the challenge of stepping into someone else’s skin, the rush of applause, the electric hum of performers feeding off one another. Truth be told, his theatrical moments moved me far more deeply than any sports game ever had—there was a raw vulnerability, a creative fire that sports couldn’t match. He had real talent, and it stirred my own dormant dreams. Inspired, I auditioned for Guys and Dolls—a grand, glittering production full of gamblers, showgirls, and soul-saving missions. Nervously, I sang “You’re Just Too Good to Be True,” pouring heart into every note. I didn’t know the director had been searching for an older gentleman to play Arvide Abernathy, the tender grandfather who sings a gentle ballad of unconditional love to his granddaughter Sarah.

My first-ever show brought stumbles—lines tangled during rehearsals, even in the final run-through the night before opening. The director’s worried glance lingered; he feared a flub on premiere night. But when the lights came up, the words flowed flawlessly. The house erupted—sold-out crowds for four straight weekends, laughter rolling through the theater, applause thundering at the curtain 

Echoes of the Psalms: Living the Emotions of David

That role changed me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. As Arvide, I sang of steadfast, fatherly love—words that echoed the Psalms I’d long studied as acts of creation, cries of the heart shaped into beauty. On stage, I lived David’s emotional world: the tenderness, the vulnerability, the profound assurance of being known and cherished. The theater became more than entertainment; it was a mirror, a conduit for deeper truths about love, grace, and the human soul.

Roots Deep, Branches Wide: The Enduring Harvest of Love and Purpose

From lakeside campfires to the glow of footlights, every shared experience—from watching my son steal scenes as the Artful Dodger to finding my own voice in a grandfather’s tender song—wove purpose, courage, empathy, and creativity into our family’s fabric. Today, as our children step boldly into their futures, those roots hold firm and branches reach wide—carrying forward a legacy built on conviction, community, artistic risk, and love that never wavers.