For the Love of the Theatre

By: Tom Collver [Kawartha Lakes Weekly Feature]

Prologue

Some of the greatest love stories ever told are found on the stage. Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story, Les Misérables, The Notebook, and even Shrek.  

They sweep us off our feet. They inspire us. They make us laugh, cry, and unhealthily compare our partners to very idealized and unrealistic portrayals of romantic leads—well, except for Shrek. Ahhhhhh, the romance of the stage. Now, what you don’t see is all the juicy, ‘hot goss’ that happens behind the scenes. During this Month of Love, I want to give you a peek behind the curtain into the making of one of the greatest love stories never told…

(*cue the music*) The story of how I met my wife.

Act 1

(*enter stage left*) I was just a small-town boy, born and raised in South Detroit Hamilton. My family recently moved to Lindsay, and I decided to dip my toes into the world of theatre. As a young teen, I didn’t really have more than a few school plays under my belt. Singing experience?! No way. I was terrified to audition for shows. What would I sing? What would I say? What if I threw up in front of everyone? Alas, auditions for a summer youth production of Les Misérables were posted, and it was the perfect chance to jump in. I went to the auditions ready and confident. My name was called. I took a deep breath, walked onto the stage…. and there she was. Sitting at the audition table. Stunning. Radiant. Perfect. The music swelled, the intensity rose, and it was love at first sight, just like Marius and Cossette! Well, for me anyway. It took a few years of being friends and doing shows together before she would come around to going on a date with me. Yet again, I found myself terrified. What would I do? What would I say? What if I threw up in front of her?

Intermission

(*cue the lights*) You’re likely asking yourself, “Who the heck is this guy and why is he talking about throwing up so much?” Fair. My name is Tom Collver. I’m a board member of the FLATO Academy Theatre, and I’ve performed in over 75 stage productions (local, regional, and professional). My wife owns the Lindsay Dance Studio and Triple Threat Theatre. Backstory: complete.  

Act 2

(*curtains open*) More than 16 years of marriage later (she said “yes!”), and we are still performing our love story in real time on the stage of life. In some ways, we’re still in rehearsals (lame and cute, I know). The day I walked into that audition, I fell in love with the theatre; I fell in love because of the theatre. It brought me more than just my wife and kids. It’s brought me life-long friendships, community, belonging, confidence, possibility, and creation. It’s said that there are no small parts in theatre—just small actors, like me. In life, love is an ensemble role. So, get involved. Try it out. Dip your toes in. And though I cannot promise that you won’t throw up or that you’ll find love as I did, I can promise that Love will find you. (*scene*)

Epilogue

“To love another person is to see the face of God.” ~ Les Misérables

Curtain Call

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