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BRIGHT LIGHTS | BIG DREAMS | OPPORTUNITIES
Bit by the Acting Bug
I could have been a star
When I was in my early 20s, I had an opportunity to be in a big-time Hollywood movie. Okay, maybe not BIG time, but it was a Hollywood movie. Edmonton, Canada in the early ‘80s didn’t see a lot of big movie productions so the chances of that happening were pretty slim.
I loved drama classes in school and I was pretty good at the acting thing. I was never any teacher’s pet, except for maybe in the first grade. I got bit by the acting bug in fourth grade when my class put on ‘A Christmas Carol’ for the whole school and I had the starring role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
I don’t know what it was that I liked so much. I was a relatively shy kid, but I didn’t mind getting up on stage and singing with the choral groups or acting in a play. I guess I liked the adulation, not just the applause, but the comments I received after the show. I went from nobody to the talk of the school for weeks. Sixth graders were coming up to me in the halls to say what a great job I did playing Scrooge.
Fast forward to 10th grade. I was trying to decide on which options to take in high school — art or drama. I loved both, but I have no confidence in my artistic abilities and a lot of confidence in my acting, so I signed up for…
