by AMY ANDERSON
Last year, the musical theater bug bit Aubrey when we went to New York City to see our super talented friend Jaidyn Young in the Broadway revival of Annie. We also saw Matilda later that year, which fanned the flames of obsession even more.
Since then, Aubrey has been dreaming of performing on Broadway. She started taking dance and voice lessons and now watches clips of her favorite Broadway shows on YouTube ad nauseam. She even named her fish Alan Cumming and wanted to be Sally Bowles for Halloween, but that’s another story.
Being the good stage mom that I am, I told Aubrey that regional theater productions would be a good first step for her. If she was serious about Broadway, she needed experience performing in front of a live audience. She couldn’t wait to get started.
I heard a local community theater was doing a color blind casting of The Sound of Music. Aubrey was already familiar with the movie, and she was the perfect age for the role of Gretel. We both visualized a Korean Gretel Von Trapp and got right to work. While I helped her learn the lines, she rehearsed “Do-Re-Mi” with her voice teacher.
When the big day came, I’ve never seen Aubrey so excited for an audition. Excited, but also relaxed and confident. I was confident too; after all, my kid is cute and can sing, act and dance. But more importantly, people will buy tickets to see her, and she has friends with deep pockets. Everyone in show business knows what the arts are really about: money!
Of course, I never told Aubrey I was sure she was going to get the part. I wanted her to experience an authentic audition process. When it was her turn to audition, the casting directors allowed me to stay in the room with her, and, I know I’m biased, but she did a great job.
The following week, she got a callback. The role of Gretel was down to her and another girl when they called the two of them in to compare their heights. The other girl was very sweet but I had to resist the urge to pat her on the head and say, “Better luck next time, kid. They always go with a name, but that’s showbiz.”
A couple days later, I got an email thanking Aubrey for auditioning for The Sound of Music. While they were unable to offer her a speaking role, they hoped she would still participate as a member of the ensemble.
I braced myself for tears that afternoon as I sat Aubrey down for a dream crushing talk. Much to my surprise, she took it very well. In fact, she hardly missed a beat and almost immediately went back to playing with her toys. And that was it.
Some of my favorite moments of parenthood have been when the grasshopper becomes the teacher. This experience reminded me that it’s OK when Aubrey doesn’t get everything she wants. As her mom, I already knew this when it came to candy, play dates and buying a pet parrot, but I underestimated her ability to deal with the no’s of show business. My daughter is going to experience rejection, and she should. I need to let it happen.
I also got a little too cocky about my kid’s seemingly unlimited pass on the fame train. No matter how many times I remind her she’s a normal kid, it is extremely challenging for any child in Aubrey’s position not to become spoiled. She is often catered to like royalty, and even a down-to-earth mom can get caught up in the entitlement of a celebrity. Aubrey being treated just like everyone else is something we probably both need.
This story does have a happy ending. Aubrey had another audition a couple weeks later and landed a lead role in a children’s theater production of Seussical, Jr. We didn’t go back to see the final production of The Sound Of Music, but I’m sure the Gretel they chose was terrific. Even if she wasn’t Korean.
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Amy Anderson is a Korean American adoptee, comedian and actress. She created and hosted the first Asian American standup showcase “ChopSchtick Comedy” at the Hollywood Improv. She has appeared on Comedy Central, VH1, AZN, and the Game Show Network. Her daughter Aubrey Anderson-Emmons plays the role of Lily on the Emmy-winning show Modern Family.
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