Entertainers: fame-seekers or joy-bringers?

So, I've been thinking about this a lot recently...


...My dream is to perform. Though some may think it's cheesy the song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Disney's Cinderella means a lot to me. For a couple of reasons: First, I believe that God puts passions in your heart as a part of you, and He wouldn't make that part of you only to take it away from you later. He has a plan for that special part of you. Musical theatre is a passion of mine, and I don't think God made that a part of me just for giggles. He has a plan for me, even though I can't see it. Second, I think dreaming is an amazing thing. Though reason and intellect have a lot to do with making incredible things happen, I think faith and hope (which are what dreams are made of, after all) give it the extra "oomph," ya know? Anyways, I learned the full-extent of the lyrics of that song recently for a Disney audition (an entirely different post, to be sure) and it really "hit home" for me:


"A dream is a wish your heart makes
When you're fast asleep
In dreams you will lose your heartaches
Whatever you wish for you keep
Have faith in your dreams and someday
Your rainbow will come smiling through.
No matter how your heart is grieving
If you keep on believing
The dream that you wish will come true."


Obviously, there's a little more to it than a children's fairy-tale, but Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I guess my point is this, I pray that by allowing me to perform, my passions, talents, and gifts can be used for His glory and in return bring me the joy that musical theatre brings me. And, as an overflow, I pray that others will be blessed. 'Cause here's the part that I've been thinking a lot about recently...and those of you who are performers (regardless of whether or not you believe in God or not) I hope this makes you stop and think just for a second....


...I've noticed a significant difference between entertainers: fame-seekers, and entertainers: joy-bringers.


There are those who are in it simply to gain attention, and get people to like them. Such a sad life this must be. I think I used to be this way. And, looking back it makes me regret the way I acted towards some. But, I don't want to live my life in regret. And I certainly don't want to live my life trying to make myself happy. I have found so much more joy in trying to make others happy.


There are also those who are in it for the love of performing. There is nothing like the heat of the light hitting your face, as you're in costume and make-up pretending to be someone else; not in an attempt to cover up who you really are, but in a sort of allegorical way of teaching something, a moral or something of the like. There is nothing like looking out past the lights and seeing bodies of people filling the seats, but not being able to see faces; this sounds morbid, but I mean it only because you never know who you can touch with a piece of music and a fantastic lyric. The arts are categorized as "humanities" because it reaches to the very core of humans, the heart. People relate to each other through theatre and music just makes it sound better. ;) Singing, for me anyways, is an overflow of the heart. I was once told that as all theatrical direction should have motivation, an actor should only start singing because there is no other way to say what needs to be said. That's exactly how it should be, no other way to explain what you feel, so you sing it. The other portion of performing that I've become really attached to is dance. Dance make my heart feel like it's exploding with emotion. (P.S: I'm an emotional person. Sometimes overly-so. I can be quite sensitive sometimes. My sweet husband says that he admires that about me 'cause I feel so much when others sometimes feel nothing.) I wish I had something more to say about that, but maybe that's the point. Dance says with movement what I can't sing or say with words.


Anyways, I hope that if, God willing, I have the privilege of performing for a living that I never lose sight of why I do it: for the LOVE of performing and the joy it can bring others through the human connection, not to be famous.


Perhaps I should sign off the way my mom sometimes signs off her emails: Today's Food for Thought.