Gretchen Ward Warren. "Woah," I thought to myself. That’s a name I haven’t heard of for a long time. Before pursuing music, I started out acting in films and theatre. One of my first serious roles was when I was asked by a Dance Professor, Gretchen, to be an actor in the play she was putting on. I don’t recall how I popped on her radar but I was a young pup with an even more insatiable drive. So I would take extra dance classes between my theatre classes.
Gretchen was very passionate, and I could tell this meant a lot to her so of course I said yes. The title of the production was, Dancing with the Wheel of Ever Returning. It was based on stories and research she did in 1997 when getting to know Indigenous Aboriginals in Australia and Indigenous Natives in America. It involved dance, ceremonies, and stories. She needed someone to act as a young warrior chief and deliver lines. Many of the performers were dancers and actual Native Americans who were happy to be part of the production but weren’t actors. The rehearsals were extremely fun and this was my first foray into performing with adults, some of my instructors, and real dancers. Up until this point I had performed with people who were primarily my age.
As I try to recall things back from 2001, I’m running into some bumps in my memory. But the reason I wanted to share this was because this was a major chapter in her life and now, in 2024, she’s reaching out to me about reuniting with the cast from a performance I was part of. She wrote an entire book called Hollow Bone: A Naive Wanderer’s Journey from Outback to Opening Night and featured me in it! (pages 235, 265, and 275 apparently.) That's so amazing! I'm ashamed that I didn't realize at the time how massive of a message she was sharing and how enormous of an undertaking this was for her.
This memory is immortalized not only through her efforts but also through mine. It goes to show you that you never know what role you play in other's lives. For me, this was a play I got to be part of. For the audience, this was their own experience. For Gretchen, this was a culmination and witness of years of her life coalesced into words and dance.
I've been fortunate enough that people have told me what a performance or record of mine meant to them. Their words follow me still. It's like reaching across time to connect with others.
Even if you don't realize the gravity of the situation, you could be part of something. Could be a teacher, a kind word from a stranger, a mentor, a father, even a co-worker. Goes to show you...don't pull your punches and give it all you've got. You never know what role you're playing for someone else.
