The Tonys: A fairy tale

[fictional]

When I was a little girl, I used to go to school in a Castle. It was quite far away from my home - following the road by the river, and beyond a big forested park. Because it was so far, we had to travel in packs to get there, especially when we were small. But I lived so far away that there were hardly any of my compeers to travel that long perilous journey with. In fact, only one. But such a one! Just down the street, you see, there lived a Boy, and when I was small, I thought him the prettiest, nicest, wonderfullest thing in all the world. For me, in fact, he was the One. I used to chase him around the playground in a mad effort to kiss him.* He was fleet of foot however, and I don't think I ever caught him. But oh, how I wanted to. At seven, we staged a production of "The Fools of Chelm" and I got to be Yente Pesha, and he was my husband! Such bliss & rapture were not meant for mortal man to endure! I'm sure I thought there was no more to live for! In sixth grade, when we were forced to write short little one act plays, instead of the glorious, full musical that we had anticipated since kindergarten years - we were put in the same group, and he & I wrote a ridiculous play about a high school reunion, in which he was a boy with a crush on me, that never got fulfilled...in fact, I showed up in a mink coat, and stomped all over his little heart!

I didn't see much of the Boy in high school, except as one does, when working on the same plays, and having the occasional class together, the occasional conversation between two people who have known each other practically since they can remember. What I do remember is that at the end of our thirteen years of school together, I still sort of thought he was the nicest boy I had ever known. In our senior year, he directed our school musical production of West Side Story - which I never got to try out for because I sprained my ankle for the billionth time, the day we had auditions. I did backstage work instead, and I remember at the wrap party, he sliced into the cake, and made a speech as directors were wont to do in those days of high school tradition which could not be defied. And his speech was short and sweet, and all it said was to thank the people who had worked so hard to make the play happen, and then he smiled and standing on the table, dedicated the first piece of cake to me, and said how much he regretted my not being in it.

I've never forgotten it. I was lonely and desperate that year - the year of seventeen. Awkward and unhappy and lost. And though I didn't love him anymore - not that way - I have never forgotten that moment of kindness.

Strangely, we had our reunion just last week - though not a twenty year one like we wrote about in our play. And sadly, I left before he showed up - he was late, of course, because it was Saturday night and Broadway shows stop for no man. Still, tonight, he won a Tony - just like I think all of us who were in his class, and had the pleasure of watching him sing, and dance, and write songs, always knew he would - though I'm not sure we figured on this soon. And I can't think of a soul on Earth who isn't glad for him. Because he really was one of the nicest boys in the whole world. For once, I'm not eaten up with envy of someone else's success - just thrilled down to my toes.

Oh, Lin-Manuel. There's a five year old girl somewhere who is still chasing you around a small wooden fortress outside a big brick castle, and both she and I are so proud of you tonight!






*I don't say I wasn't willing to kiss other young lads (and young lasses too, but they, I have to say, were more appreciative). We used to sometimes play Take Over The Fortress, boys against girls, and I was always stationed at the top of the wooden structure to ward off the oncoming hordes of boys with kisses. It was a strange world, the one of my childhood.

Comments

[faris-nallaneen.livejournal.com]

oh, I know!!! did you see this picture?

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/16/theater/0616-TONY_19.html

i think it is my favorite: the look of dazed joy in his eyes...

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

it's so good, I am sticking it in the post!

Did you see my alphabet meme responses? I was esp. proud of "caesura" ! ;-)

[askeladden.livejournal.com]

"Caesura" was kickass, yo.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

Oh, so funny. A very close high school friend of mine met Lin at Wesleyan (where he first workshopped "In the Heights"), and he and I have been fairly good causal aquiantainces since then. I haven't seen him since he became the darling of Broadway, but really, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. What's great is that he and my high school buddy are still quite close and so we're still in similar social circles.

While I'm certainly insanely jealous, kid deserves absolutely everything that's being sent his way right now and I couldn't be happier for him.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Hahah. Small World Theatre! That is awesome & hilarious ;-) We really do live in a village. *g*

[sykii.livejournal.com]

Wow.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

I know!

[magnetgirl.livejournal.com]

So, so sweet. You never told me that cake story! That's so great.

Yeah, that's the thing about Lin-there aren't any little people to him-there are just people. So great to see someone without a sense of entitlement succeed in the business!

I will search to try and get the final speech from Jill Furman somewhere as my stupid DVR cut it off and I don't have that "on the shoulders" moment you've put in your post above. Jill associate produced my Aunt's failed play of a few years back, my how far she's come!

Y'know, I was thinking two things-gym in near future, and also wondered if you wanted to do a scene study class of some sort with me? You have all this talent you don't get to develop because you also happen to have a world class brain.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Word! I mean, awesome on NOT having to be a total bastard to make it, right? And the funny thing is if you look up the thread and see Megan's post - she also describes him as a really nice guy! My parents are thrilled too. *laughs*

as for your two things - definitely!! Call me up and we shall plot.

[magnetgirl.livejournal.com]

http://atlantisrising.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/lin-manuel-mirandas-tony-acceptance-speech-rap/

Enjoy Lin's Acceptance speech for Best Score in which he manages to string Dr. Herbert and a "Sunday in the Park..." reference to Sondheim into the same adorable freestyle.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

You just like making me tear up on Monday afternoons don't you?

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

OMG!!! Congratulations to Lin! I didn't have much interaction with him, but I definitely knew his name, face, and voice!

It sucks that I was already gone for West Side Story, but I loved him in Pirates of Penzance!

I wasn't a part of the theater crowd -- can't act to save my life -- but I was a member of all the choruses that existed in the brick prison. I loved going to Musical Rep productions (when I could, I lived in the far reaches of Queens) to swoon over all the talented people. I now wonder if I might have seen you in one of them...?

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Hahah. All these memories of Lin coming out of the woodwork! *laughs* You certainly may have seen me if you came to shows, but I was never anyone that you would remember in any plays in high school - random person to the left, a few lines here and a few lines there.

HOWEVER I was also a member of all the crappy choruses - just not Jazz, which was the holy of holies. I was in Senior & Madrigal though....and Junior of course. What voice part were you? I was an alto.

[framefolly.livejournal.com]

Waitaminute. Then I should really know you. We're two years apart? Then when I was a senior you would have been in tenth grade, and we would have sung together...I was an alto, too!

LJ messages are private, right? I'm going to send you my RL name, in case it rings a bell.