Stage fright. It can happen to anyone.
 |
| Image: All Rights Reserved |
| Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Publishers |
| 2006 |
When the play was over, Mrs. Weedly said, “That was great, kids. Do it just like that tonight and you can all be proud.”
Reg and Keely and Burt and Shawna changed clothes and headed home.
“Wasn’t I good?” asked Keely.
“You were good,” said Burt.
“Good grief.” said Reg. “Can’t you ever stop bragging?”
“I’m just confident,” said Keely. “That’s a good thing.”
The four friends spent the rest of the day playing, until it was time to head back to school for the play.
They put on their costumes and waited. At last it was time for the curtain to rise. The grasses did a great job playing their part, and Keely stepped out to say her lines. The stage lights shone in her eyes, but beyond the glare, she could see faces, lots and lots of faces. She saw Mr. Webber wave.
Keely felt a lump in her dry throat. She tried to think of her line, but she could not remember it. She began to shake, and tear rolled down her cheek.
“Keely,” whispered Sarah, one of the blades of grass. “Say your line.”
Keely said nothing.
A small figure in brown crept onto the stage behind Mother Nature. “It’s all right, Keely,” said Burt. “You will be fine. You will be wonderful. Say ‘Plant a seed.’”
In a soft voice Keely said, “Plant a seed…”
“A little louder, Keely,” whispered Burt. “Plant a seed and watch it sprout.”
Keely took a deep breath and said, in a louder voice, “Plant a seed and watch it sprout.”
The seeds rushed onto the stage.
“See the tiny leaves come out.”
Keely smiled.
“Soil!” said Burt with a toothy grin on his face.
“And water!” said Adrian, smiling at Keely, and then at the audience.
“Warmth and light,” said Shawna.
“Help the seedling grow just right,” said Keely. Her voice was loud and clear. She smiled at the audience as the plants danced onto the stage. She smiled at Mr. Webber and at her parents.
Before Keely knew it, she was finished with her part and off the stage. She watched the rest of the show. Reg played his elm tree very well. When he came off the stage, he asked her, “What happened to the great actress?”
Keely hung her head. “Sorry, that was mean,” said Reg. “You just got a bit of stage fright. That’s all. It could happen to anyone.”
Extract from the book Out and about with the big tree gang
By Jo Ellen Bogart
All rights reserved.
Victoria, B.C.: Orca Book Publishers, 2006.
Call Number: JS English BOG
Extract contributed by Koh Chee Boon
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What are your most unforgettable embarrassing moments?
July 7th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
There was once when my chinese teacher told my group memebers and I to prform a show.So we went up and started performing.When I was going to take a book as a prop,my shoe flew out of my leg.As my sock was slippery,I slipped and fell to the ground.The whole class started laughing at me.I was embarrassed,but I still continue to perform until the show ended.From that day onwards, I did not dare to wear that pair of socks ever again as I do not want to slip and fall in front of the whole class again and get embarrassed.That was my most unforgettable embarrassing moment.
July 8th, 2010 at 11:53 am
The most embarrassing moment… Well, there was once when it was my brother’s wedding. I was siting at one corner when my brother, Edmund and his wife, Eve was about fit the ring to each others fingers, I remembered a very funny joke my mum told me before and at that moment I laughed… At the moment I laughed, everyone was looking at me, I could feel my cheeks burning so i made an excuse saying I need to go to the toilet… when I was in one of the cubicles, I wanted to cry. You may ask me why I wanted to cry… The answer is because I ruined everything… I ruined my brother’s wedding. when I came out of the cubicle I made sure that my eyes were not swollen before I go back. When I went back I was very scared that my mother would scold me… Fortunately, she did not. My brother came to me and said, “It’s okay.” I was glad he did not scold me and no one was angry with me. Instead, they asked me to tell them the joke and I told them and we laughed. That was my most embarrassing moment.
July 8th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
There was once that it happened on my sister birthday.I had to do homework with my father in a peaceful room.When I do not know a sum in the maths book my father will scold and just in time my cousins and friends came to my house to celebrate my sister birthday.They saw my father scolding me in the room and i almost cried.I was so embarrassed and so I continued doing my maths homework.When I finsh my maths homework, I went to eat dinner with them and played .When it was time to cut the chocolate cake which I hate chocolate most my fathe ask me to eat so I had no choice but to eat one slice but my father told me two slice so I did.I wanted to eat with my cousins and friends the cake but my father would not let me because I spilled a drink but it was a accident.My cousins and friends saw and they pity on me .I was so embaress and so angry at the same time.It was so embaressing that my father scolded me.That was my most embaressing day of my LIFE!
July 8th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
The most embarrassing moment was when I was in my Uncle’s wedding.I was sitting right at the front at the left hand side.when the bride was out walking, i actually asked my mother wheather i can throw the flowers beside the chair.My mother said ok so I threw it. i actually was the first one who threw it.Everybody looked at me. I was embarrass so I sit properly and look at them.
Another one was when I was in a resturant for my uncle’s wedding.We all children was sitting in one table.We played a game called ‘Cheers’. Someone gave us a word and other table one word.If the person who gave us the card called us, we must say cheers as loud as we can. We acutally shouted very loudly espacially me. I shouted the loudest. Everyone looked at me again. I was very embarrass so I dare not to shout the loudest again.
July 8th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
It was whenI pulled my friend’s shorts down.
July 8th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
The most embarrasing moment in my life was when i was dancing in a church and hitted a banner on an old women’s head and i was scared that i will hit her again so i stepped out.I was so scared by then ,so i hide from my mother.instead my mother told me not to worry because it was an accident so she asked me to forget about it and i was happy that i was not scolded so i have a nice day that day
another embarrassing moment is when i was in class (music class)i was so happy i jumped and jumped untill my skirt fell out all my friends saw it and laugh at me so i covered my face and ran outside and cry.I was so angry and my face was so red i will never see my friends again but then when i came out of music class i forgot all about it.i was happy again.
July 9th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
My most embarrassing moments was when I was dancing with my other friends on Mother’s Day. I was feeling very embarrassed as our dance was very funny.Another embarrassing moment was when I was walking home from school, the umbrella I was holding was spoilt and it suddenly opened. I tripped over it in front of many people. It was in pain that I could not even walk properly.But soon it healed and I was happy again.
July 9th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
The most embarrasing moment is at Victoria concert hall.We were asked to perform there. We played with our anglung.While we was playing, I dropped my anglung. My heart was beating very fast. I was scared that my teacher would scold me.Luckily,my teacher did not!
July 20th, 2010 at 11:21 am
The most embrassing moment I had was when I was having lunch break and I sat on a white chair while my other two friends were seated on the oppisite chair. We sat there and chatted for about a minute or two. When I got up there where some white marks on the back of my uniform my friends told me about it and thought it was wet paint , when they looked close they realised it was bird crap. We were all laughing my head off even though I was a bit embrassed. I had to go to the general office to get a change of my uniform before I headed back to class.
August 8th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
I was singing solo in a concert and I forgot the lyrics of the song. It was sooooooooooooooo embarrasing!