“June is Bustin’ Out All Over!”
Another True Story by Carol:
This is the song that goes through my head every June 1st!
“June is Bustin’ Out All Over!” from Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 'Carousel'. It makes me smile and feel nostalgic!
I got cast in 'Carousel' my freshmen year at Forest View High School. My very first BIG high school musical! My older sister got cast as the lead “Carrie” (who marries Mr. Snow). I was cast as “chorus-townsperson” and I was so excited!
That was the moment I got bit by the actor/singer/dancer bug! I remember it so fondly: long rehearsals, hours of chorus and dance practice, and the blocking days. I remember wandering through the costume closet to find my “townsperson” costume. I remember the dressing room, the big mirrors on the walls, the mixture of smells of old greasepaint and sweat all mingled together -- I loved it!
I also remember this being the season when some of my closest friends started to open up to me about their sexuality and how painful it was that they had to hide it from their loved ones. I’ll forever be grateful that they chose to share their full selves with me, but it breaks my heart that their own families and inner circles couldn’t accept them. We lost a lot of wonderful and talented friends to suicide in the years that followed my first role in the theater, and I never stop thinking about them and how deeply I wish they could’ve been loved the way they deserved.
I’m grateful that in June we acknowledge and recognize the LGBTQIA+ community and celebrate with Pride month - I wish it had come sooner. I wish my friends were still alive and would have had the chance to proudly claim who they were on the planet - to be accepted with love by all of us. I’m hoping that we are all becoming more accepting of each other and our differences regardless of sexual orientation, race, or religion. Maybe this month and every month after, we decide to be the kind of people that allow one another to tell our True Stories to each other and be a soft place to land.
We all long to be our authentic selves and connect with each other through our truth. The courage it takes to do that has to be recognized by all of us -- AND celebrated. We take Pride in our LGBTQIA+ friends and family that have shown such courage over the years. We pray for the day that it won’t take courage to just be a human being in any form.
JUNETEENTH
This month, we ALSO celebrate and honor Juneteenth - the commemoration of the freeing of the last African-American slaves in our country that took place on June 19, 1865. It’s devastating to imagine what generations had to endure at the hands of our forefathers and mothers, but I’m grateful we can celebrate June 19th together and look to the future. It’s important for us to remember the way that this country’s foundation and prosperity were built so we can continue to move America forward toward equity and help create opportunities for everyone.
The next step is to acknowledge the reparations they are owed and acknowledge the ways that this country continues to harm people of color. Let’s educate ourselves, advocate for others, and be kind. Always remember: YOU matter.
