Author Archives: Nicole

New York

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Instead of a 9th birthday party (back in June!) Brendan asked if we could go to New York and go to a Broadway show- a first for all four of us. It was a great idea except for the coordinating four schedules part of it! But we finally found a weekend that would work.

Brendan had been to New York a couple of times for auditions. He was offered an audition spot for a Saturday and it seemed like the start were finally aligning that we could make a weekend of it. He thought we were just going for the day. When the kids got home from school Friday- we told them to park their bags we were heading out. And we had a surprise for each of them- tickets to Kinky Boots for all of us, and a planned trip to the Nintendo store/museum for Aidan.

Traveling with kids and technology is glorious. It was a mostly quiet ride in the snow. We stopped at Sonic- a fun favorite- and arrived just in time for bedtime.

On Saturday it was freezing. We walked around Time Square. We visited the M&M store, the Disney Store and saw where Brendan’s friend would be performing in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then it was time for Bren to get ready for his audition. While he was at the audition, Aidan and Chris went to the Nintendo store/museum and the Lego store. Bren did great and was invited to a call back later in the afternoon. While we waited we had lunch at the Had Rock Cafe.

Bren wasn’t chosen as one of the final two kids, but he still had a lot of fun meeting other kids and rehearsing lines with a British accent. We rested up a bit and then got ready to head out to Kinky Boots.

We had great seats and Bren got a T shirt. At intermission he asked if we could go to the stage door to possibly meet actors. It was the first weekend one of the leads was performing and he recognized another of the actresses from Peter Pan Live. Chris and I agreed and went outside after the show- only to surprise him by getting in the line to go back stage! After seeing my post about going, Wendy (Show Boat’s choreographer), contacted an old friend in the cast to show us around! Again I say, never underestimate how kind people are.

What a time we had! We met several actors (including the one Bren was hoping to see). Bren learned how to do a “proper stage bow” from one of the leading actors, and he compared notes with one of the Angels about his drag performance and Brendan’s Audra costume. Plus we looked around backstage and saw sets and props.  How lucky for this to be our first time at a Broadway show! And what a show it was! It was so good, had a great message and we’ve been listening to the soundtrack since!

We took a family picture in Time Square to remember our quick trip. All of us couldn’t believe how much fun and how exciting the weekend was. We left early Sunday morning to head back home and decided we would make this kind of trip again!

Happy 12th Birthday, Aidan!

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Aidan is 12 today. Twelve means a few things- a cell phone and riding in the front seat of the car. One year away from being a teenager, four years from getting his learners permit. I can’t believe he is 12- where have the years gone? Aidan has become a compassionate, funny, caring young man. I love talking to him and watching him figure things out. I love how excited he gets about silly puns and how much he concentrates trying to teach himself something on the piano. He becoming a great young man and someone I genuinely love spending time with. As he’s getting older, I’ve had to ask more what is ok to post on social media and share with others. I get a lot of “seriously Mom.” But every once in a while he lets me share how proud I am of him. Like on his birthday.

Brendan’s Black History Month Project

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On February 1st Brendan came home from school very excited about a project his teacher introduced to the class.  For Black History Month all the fourth graders were going to choose an important person to research. They would create a posted with facts about the person’s life and accomplishments. At the end of the month the projects would be displayed and students could dress up as their person for a special “wax museum” for families and other students to visit.

Dressing up is Brendan’s favorite thing to do. This was the perfect project for him. He knew instantly who he wanted to choose. Audra McDonald. Brendan explained that she had won the more Tony Awards than any other actor or actress of any race. He long admired her performances and rattled off facts he already knew. And for his costume – he already decided – he wanted to replicate her 20’s costume from her latest show Shuffle Along.

I ordered the costume and tweeted that he was excited. And Audra tweeted back! I wrote a thank you message and her assistant sent an email asking if Brendan would like an autographed picture.

He got to work on his project. Chris helped making a replica of a Tony Award. Brendan found lights to make a marque around the top of his project. The costume came and he added accessories- character shoes, fishnets and a wig. He couldn’t wait. When the signed picture came I tweeted that as well as a thank- Ms. McDonald replied with an emoji kiss. Brendan couldn’t believe she responded again.

Then came the day of the wax museum.

Brendan proudly displayed his project, his Tony, autographed picture and costume. And loved every minute of sharing his facts about Audra McDonald. I came home and posted a picture on Facebook with this message:

 

Our wish is that every child have teachers and a school as committed to diversity, as supportive, as creative and as inclusive as Brendan has.
Our wish is that everyone experience the love and support Brendan has from all his friends and family.
Our wish is that every child have strong, positive role models who not only inspire through their work but also through their humanity.
Our wish is that everyone have something in their life that they are as passionate about as Brendan is theater.
Our wish is that Brendan always follow his heart and remain unapologetically himself.