Page 9 of Chasing the Puck

Along with being a Drama major, I’m an Accounting minor. Because, remember that thing I said about how hard it is to make it in acting? I wasn’t lying. It’s hard making it in acting.

Ask my parents, both of whom were drama majors and met in college. They’ve struggled to make ends meet their whole lives, pursuing their passions without having any solid fallback options.

I definitely want to live out my dream. I want to make acting my full-time career, and I’m willing to put in the work to make that happen.

But I’m not under any illusions. I could work hard, sacrifice, do my best, hone my talent, improve my craft—and still not make it. I don’t want to end up in that position without something more practical to fall back on.

Hence, the Accounting minor. And hence the summer internship with the big Burlington-based accounting firm that I’ve already accepted.

“Reschedule it,” Dad says. “I’ve got something much better for you to do this summer.”

“I can’t reschedule it. It’s a summer internship.”

“I’ve got a much better summer internship lined up for you.”

I angle my mouth away from the phone so my dad can’t hear my exasperated sigh. The instant Dad gets an idea that he likes, he immediately assumes everyone else will rearrange their whole lives to bring it to fruition.

“And what’s that?” I ask.

“I’ve got a role for you.”

While Mom’s left her acting days behind her, Dad’s still holding onto the dream. He’s still actively searching for roles, traveling around the country for auditions and production runs.

He’s talented, has starred in some successful productions, and has received good reviews for his skills, but his career has been the picture of instability. He often goes long periods of time without being cast—and therefore, long periods of time without making any money.

Mom’s always been the main breadwinner in the family. She went back to school for a teaching certificate so she could teach Drama classes at middle and high schools. That’s given her more regular paychecks than Dad, but unfortunately, when schools face budget cuts, the arts are always the first things to go. It hasn’t been easy for her, either.

Since I was a kid, my mom’s always stayed home where we live in New Jersey, while Dad’s search for theatre work often saw him moving around, living in different cities around the country for weeks or months at a time.

“A role, huh?” I’m less than enthused. Normally I’m up for any acting opportunity, but my internship has to be my priority this summer.

“Down here at the Pyramid Theatre in Charleston,” he says. My dad’s been living down there for a couple months now, working with one of the hotter theater companies in the country right now. It’s the most steady work he’s had in a while.

“Really, Dad, I need to complete this internship. It’s …”

“So you don’t want to share a stage with Benedict Monroe?”

I pause. “Benedict Monroe?” He’s one of the biggest names in stage acting right now, having just wrapped up a starring role in Lily’s Problem, an Off-Broadway production that got rave reviews and lots of media attention.

“That’s right. We’ve casted him in the starring role for Last Bus Out. It’s running from July to mid-August. We’re going to take in so much tourist money this summer we’ll be drowning in it.”

My eyebrows leap up my forehead. I’m impressed. This sounds incredible. But …

“I really do need this internship, Dad.” I’m only an Accounting minor, and I feel like I need an internship under my belt to make myself a serious candidate if I ever do have to step back from acting and get a regular job in the field.

“I’ve got the role of Jasmine with your name on it,” Dad says. Jasmine is a minor supporting character in Last Bus Out, but she does have a couple scenes where she exchanges lines with the stars.

There’s no doubt it would be a great opportunity. To share a stage, to even share lines, with a big name like Benedict Monroe?

Imagining spending my summer like that certainly makes for an appealing contrast versus spending it in a Burlington office building where the air conditioning is way too cold, hunched over a desk all day.

If I were the type of person to say screw tomorrow and live for today, the type of person who snatches high-risk, high-reward opportunities with dreams of sure success in her head rather than anxiety over probable failure in her chest, I’d jump on it.

But …

“Sorry, Dad,” I say, feeling a twinge of disappointment because acting in Last Bus Out in front of a big audience really would be incredible. “You should find someone else for the role.”

“How about this? I’ll give you some time to think about it.”

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