Tragedy Into Triumph

When we lined up for the start of a race, my female team mates and I used to joke about it. There we were, anxious – a combination of nervousness and excitement. Before we pass along whispers of good luck, one of us would quietly blurt out “why do we even choose to run?” Maybe it was the nerves talking, but we would all giggle for a moment and reply a quick “I don’t know” before we turned out attention back to the start line. The start of a race is a magical thing. It can be full of hope and potential; something miraculous waiting to happen and worth fighting for. But when we found ourselves asking why, the start line frightened us with worry and dread. Would we race as well as we had hoped? Would we fall off the pack with a fit of muscle cramps? It seemed like in a flash of a moment, the thought of running the race seemed absolutely terrifying.

Then the race was over, and all those feeling had disappeared. After a good race I’d think this is why, this is why I run.  Now at 18 I’m past the high school races and moving onto the next phase, I’m now asking myself why in a different sense. Why do I run? My immediate thoughts are for my overall wellness and because I am part of a team, but I crave to run for something more; I wish all my hard work to benefit someone else rather than just myself.

I heard a lady speak at an elementary school I volunteered at about her running experiences a few weeks back. She started out by explaining that something inside her sparked her passion for running when she watched her first marathon at fourteen. And even though throughout her high school years when she was told she wasn’t a runner and that she shouldn’t run, she knew in her heart that it was something she really wanted to do. So she trained hard and stuck to it.

One phone call changed everything, one where her doctor explained she had breast cancer. However with friends and family by her side, she was able to get through this and can now declare herself a cancer survivor.

She was then able to make her ONERUN dream a reality, and on June 25, 2010, she was able to run 100 kilometres from London to Sarnia in less than 12 hours. Difficult, but not impossible. The kids in the gymnasium immediately began asking her questions, and most of them wondered if she ever took breaks, or how tired she felt after the run. She mentioned that she would try not to stop, but if she had to, there was a van following her with food, water, medical supplies, and most importantly a toilet.

For those of you wondering, this extraordinary woman’s name is Theresa Carriere. Once I heard her speak, I knew that there was something I can do to make my running mean something. Maybe it’s running 100 kilometres, or maybe it’s something else.

 Above: Both videos were filmed on June 25, 2010

I’m not much of a hockey person, but my brother mentioned a particular player to me that fits this theme. His name is Ben Fenelli, and he used to play for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL until something happened just as suddenly as something happened to Teresa Carriere.

Sunyana Sapurji wrote on thestar.com that at 16, Ben Fanelli suffered both skull and facial fractures when he received a hit from another player in October of 2009. His helmet was knocked off and it sent him flying headfirst into a metal stanchion before his head smacked the ice.

Now two years later, Ben Fanelli is creating a program to raise both awareness for brain related injuries as well as funds to support related groups. This program is cleverly named Head Strong. The record.com applauded Mr. Fanelli for his efforts, and mentioned that “as part of his fundraising efforts, Fanelli will take part in the Subaru Triathlon on June 5 in Milton. He will participate in a 750-metre swim, a 30-kilometre bike ride and a 7.5-kilometre run while raising funds for the Brian Injury Association of Canada.” (therecord.com, March 7 2011).  To be honest, I don't know very much about Ben Falleni and Head Strong, but I encourage you to find out more about his story and his goals with this program he has created. Please find his Head Strong page on facebook to like and donate for a good cause.

Above: Ben Falleni during first triatholon, from the facebook page Head Strong.

Both of these individuals have not only inspired others by pulling themselves back up, but by taking their painful experiences and using them to benefit others in charitable ways. I am astounded by you both, and believe that the two deserve a standing ovation. Maybe sometimes when life takes us those two steps back, it gives us time to put things into perspective.

For more information on Theresa and ONERUN, a few sites and articles are listed below.

http://www.onerun.ca/

http://www.goodlifefitness.com/ENews/07_2010/eNews04.aspx

For more information about Ben and Head Strong, a few sites and articles are listed below.

http://www.therecord.com/sports/local/article/543259--fanelli-puts-his-hockey-grit-to-work-in-triathlon

http://www.therecord.com/sports/rangers/article/497435--ben-fanelli-creates-program-to-boost-awareness-about-brain-injuries

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/juniorhockey/article/719597--still-thinking-of-ben-fanelli-rangers-return-to-play

IMpossible

     Impossible – it’s what this year’s high school track season seemed it might be earlier this spring as I dealt with an Achilles injury. Usually what reminds me of March is the sound of track spikes banging together as dirt falls from the crevasses in the sole. This March however, I was surrounded by the sounds of ultrasound machines, being informed as to how many repeats of an exercise I am to do, and someone asking which magazine I’d like to read as I ice down. Not exactly the way I’d like to begin my track season.

     Once it seemed I was recovering from my injury, my coach and I took baby steps in my training. We need to make sure you’re 100% healthy first, Steve reminded me throughout my training. It was, however, undeniably frustrating to hold back when my team mates are flying past me. Although I knew I was being smart and I could not jump into the level of training I should be doing otherwise, I was embarrassed or self-conscious when I could not complete the same number of repeats or loops as everyone else.

     When TVRAA arrived and I began competing against other hopeful athletes throughout the high school season, I continued to voice that I was currently building my strength back up during my recovery – especially in and around my event when I knew I wouldn’t achieve what others may expect of me based on previous years. However, I kept in mind that I was racing for myself. I was only trying to achieve season PBs and lower my times each race, and how I placed amongst the other girls did not matter. The track season became more self-rewarding than it was about collecting actual awards. I continued to improve as the weeks went on and the competition continued.

     I didn’t make it past OFSAA West Regionals in either of my events; however I lowered my season 1500m time even more and ran a similar time to my season PB in the 3000m. That was enough for me to declare that my last high school track season had ended on a positive note.

     Nothing works out the way we planned. We just have to make sure that we’re working to achieve our own goals, rather than aiming to achieve the same as everyone else. I can feel my strength building back, and I know that every day I’m healthy is another day closer to achieving my own goals. This track season is not impossible as I had originally thought. It’s just as Audrey Hepburn says: Nothing is impossible. Even the word itself says I’m possible!

Guest Blog

I'd like to introduce a LRDC club member with her own story. I approached Sherisse earlier about writing a "guest blog" for me, and luckily she agreed. Sherisse is a very dedicated runner, with a 5:27 PB in 1500m and 20:50 PB in 5000m. However what makes her running experiences unique is not what she runs, but rather where she runs.

" What is the best way to discover a new city? By running, of course. I started running about a year and a half ago. Throughout that year and a half, I have lived in two different cities and have done some travelling. I realized that with running, you can get to know a new city much quicker, and more thoroughly than I ever have before.  

I moved to Montreal after finishing my Undergraduate degree in Toronto and I joined the Concordia cross country team in 2009. This is when I started to run. Being on the team encouraged me to discover new paths in Montreal during my easy runs so I could keep the runs interesting. I found that after one year of running in Montreal, I knew the city way better than I had known Toronto after four years. The biggest challenge for me in Montreal was running in the winter. While I thought the city- especially the mountain- was very pretty in the winter, returning home from a run with my face so numb that I can barely speak due to extremely cold temperatures became a norm. Being a girl who complains when the temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius, I realized that I must really love running to have successfully survived running through a Montreal winter.

After a year of living in Montreal, I moved to London, Ontario for school and joined the London Runner’s Distance Club, where I met Katie.  I was disappointed moving from Montreal to London—a much smaller city with fewer restaurants, people, festivals, and seemingly much less excitement. I think that without running, I would have thoroughly hated London when I moved there. Thankfully, I moved in August, well before the snow came, so that I could still explore the bike paths. Discovering London via its bike paths showed me that it is actually a very beautiful city. I learned that London’s seemingly endless, winding bike paths cover the whole city. I learned this one day when I intended to go on a 60min run, which turned into a 2.5 hour run when I got lost on the paths, and angrily came home to Google map them.  So in the end, I found that while London may not be as exciting as Montreal, it actually has many more interesting and picturesque paths to run along.

I also went on a few trips over the past 18 months, but the most noteworthy trips were my two trips to Trinidad and Tobago. Since my family lives in Trinidad, I have visited countless times. I have visited many of the monumental sites and hung around the neighbourhoods near to where my family lives. However, during the two trips I’ve made since I started running, I saw Trinidad in more depth than I ever have before!

My running schedule in Trinidad is slightly different. Some days, I wake up at 4:30am with my Aunt in order to go meet her marathon group for their 5:30am run. They run this early to avoid the sun.  Initially, this seemed crazy to me. We don’t meet them every day, so of course, the first moment I had to wake up late (which is about 8:30am), I did it. I went for a 60min run at 9am... and got home at 10:30am. I have never taken so many water breaks during an easy run in my life. So if you ever happen to visit, be ready to make that choice between 4:30am and extreme heat.

I have to tell you about my most memorable run in Trinidad. My friend Gillian from the Concordia team came with me on one of my trips. My aunt and her friend asked us to join them in a run up a hill they sometimes train on. When we started the run, they fussed and worried and warned Gillian and I to take it slow. Gillian and I ignored them, thinking that they must not realize how much hill running our coach has made us do.  My aunt and her friend laughed at our overconfidence. The hill was winding so we could not see it getting progressively steeper.  About 5 minutes into the run, we realized we needed a 30 second break.  We ended up having to alternate running for 2 minutes and resting for 30 seconds for about 2/3 of the hill… then we alternated running for 45 seconds and resting for 30 seconds. 45 minutes later, Gillian and I were dripping sweat as we basically crawled the last few feet to the top of the hill. We were wiped! But at the top of the hill, we cooled down and got to enjoy one of the nicest views of Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad, that I have seen.  The hill was so steep that we had to walk fairly slowly on the way back in order to avoid injuries. But we welcomed the break and on our way down, we noticed some mango trees. We climbed the trees and picked a bunch of mangoes to eat on the walk down. They were the freshest mangos I’ve had in my life.

               

Now, just 9 months after living in London, I am graduating and probably moving yet again. I’m not sure where the job market will take me, but I know that wherever I go, running will help me quickly get to know the city, and help me feel at home in no time!"

I'm sad to hear that Sherisse is no longer around to train with us in London anymore, however I wish her luck for the future!

Postcard #4: Curtain Call

Exeunt – it’s a term in the theatre used to describe an exit involving two or more characters. It can be subtle, majestic, and tragic; whichever form applies to the select characters. Our “exeunt” from Los Angeles was rather unfitting, however it was a fantastic vacation and I wouldn’t change one thing about it. But on our plane ride back to Detroit, our plane caught a thunderstorm on the way home from Chicago. It thundered and flashed below us as we endured our gloomy exit from the bright, star-studded state. One thing is for sure: I’m glad to be using loonies and toonies again. The one dollar bills stick together, and it takes a fistful of change to ride the bus!

             During my week long vacation in Hollywood, my running coach challenged me to take photos of myself around Los Angeles in my London Runner Distance Club shirt. I carried it around with me all week, tucked neatly away in my purse. Here are some of the photos I’d like to share:

 

        

Postcard #3: A Boy With A Dream

It began when he watched his first movie at ten years old. It was the motion picture Wings (1927), which won the first Academy Award for best picture. And that very film has inspired him ever since.

A. C. Lyles was living in Jacksonville, Fla. when he was inspired by Wings, and landed a job sweeping popcorn and handing out flyers at the local Paramount theatre the same year. Once he had met Adolph Zukor – Paramount Studio’s founder – he wrote every week in pursuit of a job there. There he learned the tricks of the business, how to dress and what he needs to know to succeed. Today at Paramount Studios, he mentioned one of his favourite sayings: “Dress British, but think Yiddish”. There he worked his way from the bottom up, and became an executive producer for Paramount Studios. He has been awarded a star on the Walk of Fame, as well as a few other awards for his achievements and contributions. Today, at 93 years of age, he arrives for work everyday as the studio’s goodwill ambassador.

Mr. Lyles mentions a key to success is obsession (http://dearoldhollywood.blogspot.com/2009/02/ac-lyles-mr-paramount.html), as he demonstrated in his writing to Mr. Zukor every week in high school. To follow your dreams, we must do as Mr. Lyles and obsess over them. Setting them aside won’t get them done. A. C. Lyles – who has been working in the industry for 83 years, ever year of the Academy Awards – certainly has a lot to teach us about dedication and following our hearts.

I had a nice little chat with Mr. Lyles today after a tour of the studio. He is a very pleasant, caring, and witty man. As well as briefly describing his career history and achievements, he also took time to ask where we were from and how we were enjoying ourselves. He took time to wave to someone he knew, or exchange a polite greeting to friends. He also joked I should carry my purse on my shoulder opposite to the side my mother was walking on, because she might just run away with it.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Lyles.

Sources:

http://dearoldhollywood.blogspot.com/2009/02/ac-lyles-mr-paramount.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528121/

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/28/134134527/like-the-oscars-a-c-lyles-marks-83-years-in-movies



Postcard #2: Running Down the Walk of Fame

When you walk up to the Chinese Theatre on , there’s generally a crowd – a large crowd – of tourists gathered in front, taking pictures of the hand prints and foot prints left behind in the concrete by the stars of Hollywood. So when I suggested that my mom and I check out a movie in the famous theatre this evening, we anticipated a large crowd.

However, it was anything but packed. Okay, it was a Tuesday night… but it’s the Chinese Theatre! I suppose the outside is more popular than the theatre itself. There were only a handful of people in the actual auditorium we were in. The place was beautiful… and the seats were comfortable! We went to go see Soul Surfer… one my mom and I could agree on. Throughout the entire (inspirational) film, I couldn’t help but think how much it relates to running, and the obstacles ahead of each of us. We all are presented with challenges and may not understand our own true potential until we push out of our comfort zone.

Besides spending two hours in a theatre, we also toured Warner Brother’s Studio and the Kodak Theatre.

The treadmill at the hotel is out of order, and I’m not exactly comfortable running for miles and miles in a foreign area. But I did find a loop that seems safe, which takes me a total of 2 ½ to 3 minutes to run. I may have to run it multiple, multiple times to get a full run in, however I don’t mind running right beside the Kodak Theatre… I’m very literally running down the Walk of Fame.

Check out the Soul Surfer trailer

Postcard #1: Backstage

Let me just say, it’s fun to create a profile for a stranger at an airport. You can imagine who they are, where they’re going and who they left behind. You wonder who their parents are, if they have any kids, or siblings. What jobs they have, and if they like waking up every morning because of it. Suddenly they don’t seem so unidentifiable.

Something that’s been circulating around about my trip to LA is that it’s my “dream vacation”, and I must have been counting down the days. But, I don’t see it that way. Yes, was excited – I couldn’t wait to leave. But I wouldn’t label it as a dream vacation, it’s too Disney. This is not an once-in-a-lifetime trip to Los Angeles, but it may seem that way if I call it a dream.

So I leave LRDC workouts, Canada, and my siblings behind as I tackle Hollywood for one week. I’ll keep everyone informed – so check in for news about my travels, neat photos, and updates on how I’m “running” in a foreign land.

Yesterday we visited Universal Studios. It reminds me a lot of Disneyworld… lots of photo opportunities, tourist souvenir shops, and roller coasters. I mostly enjoyed the studio tour; I had no idea what the sets were actually like. The building may seem like brick; however they’re mostly Styrofoam, fibre glass and wood!

We also checked out a cute, used clothing store called It’s A Wrap. It’s filled with hundreds of clothing items from the sets of movies and television series that either didn’t use them because they didn’t work out or they were costume doubles, or they’re ones the actors actually wore. It was the tail end of a sale so everything was kind of picked over, but we managed to find a few items we really liked.

We also walked down the walk of fame while looking for a corner store that would sell milk. I’ve only seen a portion of it now, but so far ones I’ve seen include Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Kermit the Frog, Walt Disney, Destiny’s Child and, more.

Wish you were here!


Pictures above: Universal Studios enterance, Jaws, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and the front and back of some generic buildings.

Audrey

              I have a hunger for criticism –constructive of course – which much like the pains of hunger before a large meal, can be unbearable when left unfed. If I’m not given any notes after a rehearsal I go absolutely mad. I’m the type of actress, runner, and person who wants to learn constantly. I believe there can always be improvements made, no matter what level you are at. I can recall begging a director after a rehearsal to find something for me to work on. After much thought, he gave me something challenging about my character to give some thought. I was a little scared to be honest, but I was excited to work on it and improve my performance. The same applies to everything I do – there is always improvements I can be making in my race strategies, my work ethnic, almost anything and everything I do.

                The same quality can be found in a woman I particularly admire. She was elegant, talented, and one of Hollywood’s greatest icons – Audrey Hepburn. While reading a biography (Enchantment: The Life and Times of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto), I discovered that she also possessed that quality. A quote from that same biography describes her drive and determination to learn all she could in order to grow and succeed in the craft: “’I’m frightened,’ she blurted out to a journalist one day after rehearsal. ‘I have no stage training whatever. Others spend their lives at it before they get anywhere. I guess I’ll have to act by intuition – until I learn.’” (Enchantment: The Life and Times of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto).

She was in rehearsals for Gigi at that time, a 1951 Broadway musical. She didn’t have to act as Gigi however, she was Gigi entirely. She may not have known how to properly project, how to express her emotions properly; she had never trained as an actress and had no idea what she was doing. However, she had a rare quality. One which turned heads and make everyone look at the girl onstage. One which was determined to give the best performance she could so she didn’t disappoint or embarrass anyone. She didn’t see how truly talented she was. “She was basically a very insecure person whose very insecurity made everyone fall in love with her . . . [She was] a star who couldn’t see her own light.” (Enchantment: The Life and Times of Audrey Hepburn).

As you may be able to tell, from the book I just finished reading describing her life and career, there are many quotations which describes how frightened and eager she was to learn. All quotes below where taken from Enchantment: The Life and Times of Audrey Hepburn by Donald Spoto.

“Audrey was commanded to pose for the press, turning the last light bulb in the last letter of her name, so when the Audrey Hepburn finally illuminated the marquee, it seemed – but only in the photos – as if she might be electrocuted by sheer vanity. ‘Oh, dear,’ she told reporters huddling around her as she climbed down from the ladder, ‘I still have to learn how to act!’”

“‘My career is a complete mystery to me,’ said Audrey Hepburn, reflecting later on her success. ‘It’s been a total surprise since the first day. I never thought I was going to be an actress, I never thought I was going to be in movies, I never thought it was going to happen the way it did.’”

“‘When we got to the last scene,’ Audrey recalled, ‘we were in the car, and I was saying goodbye to Greg and going back to being a princess. I was supposed to sob my heart out. But I couldn’t cry. I was pretending to cry, but it was no good at all. There was no proper tears. They tried glycerin. Take after take, it wasn’t any good. Willy [Wyler] came over and gave me absolute hell. ‘How long do you think we’re going to wait here? Can’t you cry, for goodness’ sake? By now you should know what acting’s about!’ I was so upset – he was so angry with me. I just started to cry. He shot it, gave me a big hug and walked off. That’s how you learn. He knew that with me there was no point in trying to teach me. He would just have to make me cry.’”

“I want to retain the feeling that it is all happening to someone else, and at the same time have an idea of my own value and worth to the company. You see, I have always reached for something just above my head. If I have been able to hold on, it is because I seized every opportunity and worked extra hard on. Nothing came easily. In [stage] musicals, I was the tense, rigid girl trained for ballet who had to watch everyone else find out what to do. In the theatre, In Gigi, I acted without any acting experience. The play was a success in America and they said nice things about me. But all through the sixteen-month run, I was still learning. By the last night, I was really only ready for the first night. Out of that curious studio life of cameras, lights, noises and nerves, I had to try to bring a true performance.”

“Audrey’s success did not mean security. ‘It’s like when somebody gives you something to wear that’s too big, and you have to grow into it,’ she said. ‘I wouldn’t say I’ve learned to act yet. Often I think I’ll never learn anything. Some of the things I do onstage depress me beyond measure.’”

                Audrey Hepburn’s eloquent charm and honest performances continue to win over viewers, no matter what day and age it is. She is timeless. Her life was never a dull moment – feeling abandoned by her father as a young child and for the majority of her life, living through World War II, taking every opportunity she could get her hands on in the performing world, scandalous romances, and volunteering her time with UNICEF. Wife, Humanitarian, Actress, an inspiration – as you watch her films or learn more about this astonishing woman, she invites you to fall in love with her all over again. I continue to take every learning opportunity I can; we could all learn a lot from Miss Hepburn’s wise ways.

Hidden Heroes

back·stage

/ˈbækˈsteɪdʒ/ [bak-steyj]

–adverb

1. behind the proscenium in a theater, especially in the wings or dressing rooms.

2. toward the rear of the stage; upstage.

3. out of view of the public; in private; behind the scenes: Many of the deals were made backstage at the convention.

–adjective

4. located or occurring backstage.

5. of or pertaining to activities unknown to the public.

6. of or pertaining to the private lives of people in the entertainment industry: backstage gossip.

–noun

7. Theater . a backstage area.

There are always those who work behind the scenes. An anonymous hero – much like those read in comic books or seen in movies; lifesavers with an unknown identity. However, not every hero chooses to be Clark Kent by day and Superman otherwise. And much like fictional superheroes, we are unknowingly in the presence of them on a daily basis.

It could be a coach, a director, a teacher; the sky’s the limit. They are those who spend hours day after day ensuring that others succeed. And sometimes after their hard work has paid off, they change from tights to street clothes in a telephone booth and head on home.

up·stage

/ˈʌpˈsteɪdʒ/ [uhp-steyj] adverb, adjective, verb, -staged, -stag·ing, noun

–adverb

1. on or toward the back of the stage.

–adjective

2. of, pertaining to, or located at the back of the stage.

3. haughtily aloof; supercilious.

–verb (used with object)

4. to overshadow (another performer) by moving upstage and forcing the performer to turn away from the audience.

5. to outdo professionally, socially, etc.

6. to behave snobbishly toward.

–noun

7. the rear half of the stage.

8. any stage position to the rear of another.

There are times when the heroes are upstaged by those they assist. When the actor takes a bow and acknowledges the orchestra and technician while the stage manager packs up their station backstage. When a struggling student suddenly gets their act together and finishes the school year with As and Bs, meanwhile the teacher misses some lunch periods or puts in extra hours on their own time to answer questions and review. They are the hidden heroes.

I’m part of a leadership class this semester, and our community project is to help run basketball OFSAA at our school March 7^th and 8^th. We’ve all worked hard – asking business after business for sponsorships, collecting donations and advertising the event. We’ve arranged parking for participants, bought groceries for the coach’s room and concessions. We’ve put signs around the school directing the public to the gym, we’ve transformed the gymnasium into a professional OFSAA atmosphere and have collected volunteers. We’ve also supported our own team by selling tickets to students for Beal’s first game, help a pep rally and made posters and banners displayed around the school and athletic department. I’m sure I’m missing many other points, but it’s still evident that our class has done a lot. And it will all contribute to the athletes having a positive experience, however I’m sure not everyone there will be aware of how many hours we’ve actually out into this project.

ac·knowl·edg·ment

/ækˈnɒl ɪdʒ mənt/ [ak-nol-ij-muh nt]

–noun

1. an act of acknowledging.

2. recognition of the existence or truth of something: the acknowledgment of a sovereign power.

3. an expression of appreciation.

4. a thing done or given in appreciation or gratitude.

5. Law .

a. a declaration before an official that one has executed a particular legal document.

b. an official certificate of a formal acknowledging.

c. public recognition by a man of an illegitimate child as   his own.

          Here’s to those heroes who work backstage, who are sometimes upstaged, and who we owe a great amount to. These individuals deserve recognition for the effort that they put into helping others. I felt it was time to applaud the hidden heroes!

Hurdles

When I think of overcoming obstacles, the first thing that comes to mind is hurdles. The abundance of metal frames placed along the track which athletes proceed to jump over. I can remember one workout this past summer when a friend of mine had them set out, and she dared me to jump over one. Being uncoordinated as I am, I fell to the ground.

            But I’m not writing about my lack of coordination. Overcoming obstacles is like running hurdles. There’s something obstructing your path, and if you don’t know how to handle it you may end up on your butt. However, with practice and the proper plan of action (in this case technique), you can soar over it and race towards your goal.

            There are different types of obstacles, and we each have our own unique blend. I can think of millions I’ve crossed paths with, however that would be a rather long blog post. When I run, my obstacles can range anywhere from the weather, to my mind set. This past December alone we had some terrible weather, and I had to adjust accordingly. There are also times when I am simply unmotivated, and I then have to kick myself back into high gear.           

There are also obstacles in the theatre. Malfunctions of any sort are a major obstacle. I can recall a prop malfunction from my run of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in which I played Lucy. One of the last performances, I reached into my cardigan pocket for the handkerchief (a vital aspect of the story line), and the only thing I found was pocket lint. And to be honest – I panicked! But myself and my friend playing Mr. Tumnus are both trained how to improvise in these situations… we just didn’t communicate very well. First I handed him my cardigan, asking him to “dry his tears” with it, since I had no handkerchief to offer him. He gave me a funny look as he took it from me, and then tossed it aside before continuing to mime the handkerchief. My character had then lost her beloved cardigan in Narnia… at least for the rest of the matinee. Regardless, it was something we could all laugh about afterwards. Sometimes the relationships between cast members, crew members, or between the two are not so friendly. Backstage drama is a monstrous thing to tame, and can sometimes be even worse when you’re caught in the middle...no man’s land. Needless to say, overcoming those obstacles requires talking things through and putting aside your differences. Sometimes overcoming these obstacles make us stronger. For example, I performed in the Haunted Village Hayrides at Fanshawe Pioneer Village every Halloween from 2005-2008. One of the largest obstacles there is the weather – how do you make sure every word you speak is heard by the audience if it’s raining? Let me describe the situation to you. It’s a large, open park with about 3 scenes running in different locations at the same time. The audience is about 10 feet away from you and sit above you on a wagon pulled by a tractor. Then add in the wind, the rain, sometimes even snow and hail. When I began in 2005, I was very quiet and found it difficult to be heard in normal circumstances. However the obstacle only benefitted me, because I learned how to project my voice without screaming all my lines. I learned how to deliver my lines clearly and loudly over the difficult conditions.

            Even when I blog, “writers block” or a tight schedule provide me with plenty of obstacles and challenges to overcome.

            Not everyone has the same obstacles. However, the dream may be the same for some, whether it’s running a strong race, giving a spectacular performance or simply coming up with the right words to say.

            Some obstacles are more visual than others. For those who were unaware, I was recently involved in the show “No Traveller Returns” by Maureen Jennings – a Murdoch Mystery set in 1895. The company who put on the production is a unique and inspiring company in London called Out of Sight Productions. This company brings visually impaired actors as well as non-visually impaired actors together in the theatre. I was very privileged to be working with everyone, and have learned a lot from the experience. Three of our actors were visually restricted, however I barely noticed. We were all working towards one common goal, despite our different obstacles.

            To be frank, I have retyped these particular paragraphs many times in fear of offending or misrepresenting someone. I have no wish to throw anyone a pity party or give excuses, only to point out the individual battles that each of us face. I can only imagine what it must be like for a blind high school athlete running laps around the track. I’ve only seen a small handful of these races at track meets myself, but I can’t help but marvel. 
            No matter who we are, what our goals are or despite our different abilities, we can all see our dreams clearly. And even though the hurdles may knock us down to the ground, we all eventually find a way to pick ourselves up and keep moving forward.

If you wish to view the webpage for Out of Sight Productions, please follow the link below:
http://www.oosproductions.com/

If you wish to view review for "No Traveller Returns", please follow these links below:
http://www.westerngazette.ca/2011/02/04/murder-in-huntsville-in-no-traveler-returns/
http://theatreinlondon.ca/2011/02/no-traveler-returns-review/