A Leap of Faith

It's an interesting place to come from, having spent years carving out a little place for myself in the Saskatoon Theatre scene... and being so young and impressionable at the start of it. The people I remember being awestruck with in the first few years of University have strangely become my colleagues, the boys that I had star struck crushes on becoming friends and protectors and some... sadly learnt, not worth all the time it took to moon over them. While these people became my theatre family and my wonderful protective little circle, I never went too far away from being aware of who they are and how far I'd come to be their equals. Sometimes I have been reminded of this not so nicely, while being treated like a child in Production meetings and other times I am reminded of it in the best possible ways always remaining grateful to these people for the path they have carved out for me in my career. (thank you so much Alan Long and Will Brooks, just to name a small few of the wonderful people I have met along this path).

And then I picked up and left it, and too be honest lived in both fear and anticipation of being totally unknown to a whole new world of theatre makers. But before I did that completely, I came for a visit. And one day in preparation for my move here I buckled down and called every Theatre Company I could find a number for, and one morning I phoned the right company and met Matthew Payne.

Matthew Payne has ushered me into the world of theatre makers here faster than I have even been able to digest.

Because as it happens, if there are people like Will Brooks and Alan Long in Saskatoon, it stands to reason that those types of people must exist elsewhere too. And Matthew Payne exists here. And if Matthew Payne exists here, he probably works with other people that think like him and act like him and believe in things like him.

And one day roughly a year ago right now, I met Matthew Payne for coffee and what seemed like a teeney snowball started rolling, creating the giant snowball I am in now living inside of. :)

Now I go to work every day with this man who wanted so badly to make sure I had a place in this community and he has given me so much more than I could have imagined. I've spent a lot of time the past 6 weeks feeling overwhelmed. Waiting to be treated like the little kid I was in Saskatoon. Slowly realizing, I've never been that little kid here and people are looking at me as an adult. An adult with a good resume that Matthew Payne trusts to one day help run his company. And as I realize a little more every day how far and wide SKAM is actually recognized... this fills me with an amazing sense of pride.

So tonight as our annual fundraiser party planners arrived to meet at one of our Board members house and Adrienne gave me a hug and everyone waved at me and we chattered into David's house... I am so thankful for another person carving out a path for me and giving me what I was most desperate for... a West Coast Theatre Family to call my own.

I can't wait to tell you all about the Birthday Bash next weekend.... Now for the final push this week to get there.

Meanwhile, if you have a few extra minutes, take a listen to my lovely new boss on the radio.

CFAX 1070 - January 6, 2013 1pm - Victoria's News Authority
(fast forward to 5:30 so you don't have to listen to the news ;)...)