Curious and Courageous Hearts

By Caitlyn Milot

Caitlyn Milot on the left and her best friend Sarah Kemerer on the right

I was 8 years old when my best friend Sarah asked if I wanted to audition for the local production of “Annie”. She had previously been in a production and thought that my “flair for dramatics” would be a perfect fit. I asked my mum if I was allowed. She answered that yes, I could, but to not be disappointed if I was not cast. A few weeks later, and I was rehearsing for the role of “Molly”, the littlest orphan, and a love of Theatre and the Arts was born.

Theatre in my small town of Hudson, QC (population: 5,000), consisted of whole families performing together, amazing local talent on and off stage and the building of community connections. I was in love. Musical Theatre gave me an outlet for my wild imagination, love of performing and the ability to meet new people of all ages. It allowed me to make deep friendships, theatre mentors, and wonderful memories. I was surrounded and immersed in creativity, hard work and fun.

I continued to perform with the Hudson Music Club for 8 years, eventually getting cast in my dream role as Anne in “Anne of Green Gables”. What was this adventure I had stumbled upon? The thrill of telling stories, the thrill of discovering characters, the thrill of making people laugh and cry and come together? I now had friends ranging from my age into their 80’s. I practiced my dancing, singing, and acting skills, my ability to be present, to learn not to be embarrassed, to learn to fail and try again and so importantly, to learn to be vulnerable. I was developing important life skills that continue to serve me today.

Cut to many years later, just before graduating from Concordia University with my Bachelor of Fine Arts Theatre Major, where I took two courses called “Designing” and “Conducting an Acting workshop”. These classes allowed me to teach a studio class for non-theatre students; the Scientists and Business majors, the Geography and English students. It was a class for anyone who wanted an elective completely out of their field. Some of my fellow studio teachers taught their class as if these students were training to become full time actors; no different than they were, preparing to go into the arts. I took my class in a different direction. I challenged my students creatively and to the limits of their comfort zones, but at heart, what I really wanted was for them to take away the life skills that Theatre teaches, develops, and encourages, to use in their own careers. What career path wouldn’t benefit from this?

Because at its heart, Theatre is connection. To ourselves, to others, to words, to creativity. It is about being in the moment, being present, being able to look someone in the eye while communicating, to feel comfortable in your skin, to have confidence and not be afraid to fail. To hope to fail and learn from it and keep going. To understand the silliness of life and to remember to play, no matter what age you are, no matter what career you are in. To remember to play. What an incredible skill to develop. A lifelong love of silliness. I wanted my students to walk away with muscle memory of these skills.  

As a new mommy, I see how I also use my theatre training and creativity in my day-to-day parenting. I breathe deeply into my belly when I am frustrated and trying to stay calm with my toddler. I use silly voices and pretend to be an elephant as we dance around the kitchen. And I play, play, play. I can identify and express my emotions and talk about them with my daughter. I am definitely not afraid about being embarrassed or embarrassing and when mom guilt creeps in or I doubt myself, I think a lot about what it means to fail, and the beautiful learning that comes from it. I think about how risk, failure, vulnerability, creativity, and learning are all intertwined in theatre and now parallel, in parenting.

I see the “dramatic flair” in my 2-year-old already; how she loves telling stories and the creativity in which she approaches playing and problem solving. There is so much I don’t know in this new role I am playing. But I do know that Theatre develops curious, courageous, and connected hearts and I can’t think of anything I would have wanted more for my students all those years ago, and now, most importantly, for my daughter.