“I regard the theater as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being.”
-Oscar Wilde
The Broadway classic Fiddler on the Roof opens up with the song Tradition. In that first score the audience is introduced to Tevya, a Russian Jew, who is the milkman for a small village known as Anatevka at the turn of the 20th century. At one point in the song—which explains daily life and the roles of various family members or people in the tiny little town—Tevya can be heard bellowing, “I have five daughters!” And while two short of the tenor/baritone’s total, I can certainly relate.
From the outside looking in, many would consider the birthright of our family to be athletics, but there is another tradition that, while not as prominent, is just as beloved—the theater. The love of this artform began with my Aunt Judy and Uncle Don who are pictured above.
Living in a little apartment in Manhattan located on W. 94th Street and Columbus, my beloved aunt and uncle made a life on stage, appearing in performances like Fiddler, Mame, and Amadeus just to name a few. They also worked off the stage with small roles on television shows like Sesame Street, Philip Marlowe, Private Eye, Days of our Lives, and even appeared in some short films and commercials.
My Mom loved the performing arts as well, participating in musicals and plays throughout both high school and college. What I wouldn’t give to find footage of her in her element back then!
(My Uncle Donald C. Moore playing an exhausted newspaper man unloading all of his papers at the Count’s request.)
It’s fascinating to see how those who come before us—can influence not just immediate generations who knew them, but those who never met them. Such is certainly the case with my cousin’s daughter, Brooke; my sister’s daughter, Delia; my brother’s daughter, Carey; and my own daughter, Jane. The love of performing that my mother, aunt, and uncle possessed has continued on with these four members of our family’s newest generation, and it’s awesome to see.
It makes you wonder, if athletes are genetically predisposed to enter the sports arena, is the same true of thespians and the theater? Can someone really get the ability to perform honestly? No doubt it takes hard work to make it, but is there an acting gene so to speak? Probably not. Like most professions, it’s all about the time one puts in. I can base this just on watching my youngest daughter over the course of her high school career.
Acting requires a different kind of triple threat than the one I was familiar with—the ability to act, sing, and dance—and I’ve had a front row seat to see this over the past four years with my youngest daughter. To say she has made big strides probably doesn’t cover it. Four years ago, she was new to the world of vocals, couldn’t dance a lick, and was just beginning to understand all that was required to step out of her own personality and take on a role.
This weekend Jane will make her debut as one of the three narrators in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She’s come a long way from small roles as a freshman to one of the leads as a senior. It’s been a fun evolution to behold. Of course, as the great Konstanti Stanislavski once said: “There are no small parts only small actors.” Standing at almost six feet tall, it’s safe to say she doesn’t have to worry about the second part of that statement!
No doubt it’s an utterly grueling process when it comes to preparing for a show. The hours upon hours spent for what usually amounts to only four performances—at the most—absolutely astounds me. Of course this is based only on what I have seen as a parent. In sports you prepare for a season, but in high school and college theater, it’s just a weekend.
As I think about the upcoming show, the custom of how to wish luck to a performer is such an unusual one. The tradition of saying “Break a leg” has numerous explanations. The most likely among them is that it’s a reference to the curtains, or “legs” as they are called, which hide what’s backstage. The expression refers to when an actor or actress crosses the “legs” onto the stage and enters the spotlight. The well- wisher is essentially hoping that the performer will get a chance to do what they have worked so hard for and do it well. By “breaking a leg,” their hard work will be rewarded.
When the final curtain falls tomorrow, it will be eight broken legs for Jane. The theater has become a second home to her and she plans on pursuing a career—whether on or off stage—with musical theater at the center. Her cousin Brooke is already in the industry and she hopes to join her in carrying on the tradition of my Aunt Judy and Uncle Don. It would probably be wise for her to heed the words of Tevya and understand it’s tradition that is the key to keeping one’s balance as she pursues a life in what some call the greatest of all art forms.
-Tommy O’Sionnach
Great article! Had no idea about your Uncle's appearance in Sesame Street. Joseph was SO GOOD- Jane did a phenomenal job.
That’s so cool that your relatives stared in such familiar shows! Jane has a very talented family. Love it!