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2004-01-03 - 2:59 p.m. A Simple Twist of Fate Written for Composition Class... 23 years after the fact... June 2002 In a nutshell, I lived in New York once a long time ago. I moved to the Big Bad Apple shortly out of high school and quickly learned the meaning of paying dues. I eventually landed some dance jobs (some legitimate ones too) but more than anything became quite proficient at waitressing and making the rounds. However, something inside of me told me, and had always told me, that this was where I needed to be. So despite any discouragement, I stayed. One night in 1976 I attended the opening preview of a little show in Greenwich Village. A friend had an extra ticket and invited me to go. I didn't really have any great expectations. The show was called "A Chorus Line". That night I was struck with an incurable disease and knew that I would never allow myself to go home until I had had the opportunity to someday stand on that line. At that point it was about as far fetched as standing on the moon. I worked as hard as I could, took dance class incessantly. When the show moved to Broadway I bought standing room when I could and continued to dream about being a part of it but not completely sure how I'd ever pull it off. I actually had the opportunity to audition for the show a couple of times but was always told "Don't call us, we'll call you." I mean , I was a good dancer, heck, I was a great dancer! I knew I was perfect for the role of Judy Turner, but obviously they didn't think so. I never even came close. So one afternoon, I remember it was a really beautiful , crisp May day; I was wearing this stupid raccoon coat that I'd purchased in a thrift shop in the village and Tea Rose perfume which after applying realized was a bit overpowering. Anyway, I was out making my rounds, dropping off headshots to agents who were taking new clients. I had just enough pictures in my portfolio to go around and one of the agents on my list was not in her office. It was locked up tight. It was late. I was tired. I headed home. As I walked down Broadway I thought of heading west to the Shubert Theatre with my one remaining headshot but then thought, "What would be the point?" I actually made it two blocks east on 42nd St. when something made me turn around and head back to the Shubert. I handed my silly little headshot to the stage doorman and asked that he deliver it to the stage manager. Then I went home. Anyway, the ending to this absolutely true story is that two days later I was called in to audition. They were looking for a Judy replacement for the National Tour. After a grueling four- hour audition I was told that I had the job! I can honestly say that standing center stage at the Shubert Theater at that moment in time, realizing my dream had come true, was definitely the high point of my life. A year later I was invited to join the Broadway Company and shortly after married my fiancé, fellow cast member and (still) to this day the Love of My Life. We were blessed, along with countless incredible experiences, with two beautiful daughters who are the light and joy of our lives. I am often asked if I miss that old life of mine. And honestly?... it's hard to say. I suppose I do, in a way, but sometimes I get tired of the question. I tend to keep the answer tucked away deep inside like a precious little treasure. Those years were THE BEST! They hold secrets I don't share too openly. They were a 'Once Upon A Time' time. They came to me through a bit of hard work, a world of dreams but mostly due to a simple twist of fate for which I will be forever grateful. It's taken me many years to realize that the memories of holding the congratulatory flowers on opening night pale in comparison to the memories of holding my newborn babies in my arms, and I am just so lucky to have been able to experience both. Isn’t it funny how a single, seemingly inconsequential moment, can alter your path and change it's outcome forever? Who knows how differently life might have turned out if I had kept heading east on 42nd St. that day in May. I suppose things could have turned out worse and would definitely have turned out different, but I don't think they could have ever turned out any more right or better. By J. Moranz So, here's one simple twist of fate...
And here are a couple of others...
Technorati tags: A Chorus Line, Broadway, Dancing, Auditioning
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