I have always struggled as a speller. I know to admit this as an English teacher is probably not the best idea, but it’s true. Granted, I’ve learned to improve and I’m much, much better on a keyboard - with or without autocorrect - than I am when standing at the whiteboard or worse, the dreaded oral spelling. In grade school I was usually the first or second person sitting out from a classroom spelling bee. Had I known you could “write” the word on your arm to “see” the letters, or with your foot, I may have done better - but alas - I was never meant to be a champion. To be frank, it’s not something I wanted to be anyway. I loved to write, create stories, play, pretend, read and still really enjoy doing all of that today. Would I have done better in school, gone on to a top university, and be making oodles of money today had my parents been more aggressive about my studies? Maybe. But I cried enough as a kid, and still felt I was pretty happy overall. My parents loved me. They wanted me to do well in school, sure, but it was never the primary objective. It was to do the best that you can. Did I fail? Many more times than I care to admit. I failed at playing baseball. I failed tests. I even failed classes. And what have I learned from all that failure? I have learned humility. I have learned that grades are not what makes a person good. I have learned that it takes a village to care and support those who struggle on a daily basis. I have learned that it’s okay to say no to requests when you feel like you’re under too much stress to take on any more. I have learned most of this from my own life experiences, but also through theatre. The stories, like this one tonight, teach all of us about who we are and how we treat others. We are taught through this show specifically that winning isn’t everything. It’s the friends we make and the collective experiences we share that make us appreciate each other and our own lives. We sincerely hope you enjoy the show tonight, and if you’re sitting in Row F seat 22, get ready to spell. Good luck!
