Certainly there are lots of things that a person could be proud of in their day to day activities. Raking all the leaves, cleaning out their make-up supplies, helping a child with homework, giving back to the community – all sorts of things, right? Well, today I’m proud, cause I helped someone vanquish a Vampire! I did.
You see, my friend Donna is preparing for a show. A very important show in fact. Her first solo venture, ever. She performs at Aeolian Hall this Friday night and her path to this particular performance has not been the easiest… but it’s imminent and I’m certain it’s going to be great.
I’m certain. But she isn’t. She’s plagued with all the doubts that every performer, director, composer/lyricist, musician, artist, whatever…. has ever been plagued with their entire life. She’s 4 days away from what I’m sure is going to be a great night and she keeps hearing the Vampires in her head from every facet of her past existence and she can’t help listening to them. Who can blame her, really? This IS a big deal. Even though she’s already broken even on the event, (her second night in Hamilton is sold out already), even though she knows she’s got the greatest musician’s backing her, (she’s got her final rehearsal with them tonight), and even though she knows that everyone who has told her they are attending Friday are doing so out of devotion and love for her, – even with all that, she’s listening to those demons in her head that tell her she’s a fool to even try this. Well, thank the heavens she broke down and told me about that today, because that gave me the opportunity to help kill a few of her personal vampires. Stake’d em through their shrivelled little hearts, I did!!!
If you don’t know what a personal Vampire is… well, then you didn’t see our performance of [title of show] last September in Procunier Hall at The Palace Theatre. “Die Vampire, Die!” is one of my favourite songs from the show and I take personal pride in having had the opportunity to perform such an inspirational song. I include a youtube clip here of the original company – give it a listen – fair warning – you’ll laugh and you’ll learn and you’ll hear some strong language. But it’s important language. It’s not gratuitous.
Die Vampire, Die! from [title of show] Susan Blackwell
Well, I told my friend Donna that those Vampire’s of hers needed to die and I started to explain why and how and what to her… and then I just let Susan Blackwell and the [tos] team take it home for her. It did the trick – at least temporarily. I know that Donna’s still going to be nervous, unsure and stressed – right up until the moment she takes the stage, but she knows she can do it and she knows the alternative is MUCH worse. And that’s to not do it, to not be creative, to stifle her voice and to listen to the Vampires.
So, I’m proud of killing Vampires. I’m proud of singing and spreading the message of Susan Blackwell and I’m proud of my friend Donna. I can’t wait to hear her sing on Friday. Join me, won’t you?
Here’s a link to an editorial about Donna and her concert. Check it out.
http://www.thebeatmagazine.ca/index.php/featured-posts/1307-donna-creighton-to-play-the-aeolian-nov-9
