Lights Camera Action

The lights would be enough to scare me away - don't even talk about the cameras. :)

Seemingly out of the blue, my lil godbrother Strapping Shane has suddenly made up his mind to try acting. Not sure exactly what possessed him, whether he picked up the acting bug after one too many cam-whoring sessions for the ubiquitous youtube or whether his shocking para para excursions has acted as some sort of catalyst on his search for fame.

Not sure if it's an inspired flash in the pan as yet since we all know his short-lived interest waxes and wanes with the changing tides of the moon. Short attention span, I call it :P Blame it on the MTV generation.

If it lasts, I wish him luck. Certainly Shane bears most of the qualities I've probably erroneously attached to actors - a sincere mutual admiration society with the camera ( adorable dimpled kid though I'll deny it if he ever asks! ), the occasional diva-esque melodramatics / theatrics and of course, an unfailing obsession for the limelight. :P Would be pleased to stand in line for his show boasting to everyone on the street who would listen that I once knew this boy-man.

Although I did participate in the occasional stageshow, the wallflower in me tends to stay away from the blinding spotlight preferring to hang with the backstage personnel amongst the anonymous shadows. Still, bewildering circumstances have thrust me into the forefront more than once and I've played several roles in school from the swashbuckling prince of a fairytale with a wooden sword ( talk about bad casting ) to a superstitious village chief wailing over the eclipse of the sun to that particularly wimpy spineless heroine who does nothing but shriek at every turn ( hey, it's an all boys-school after all ).


Come buy my American Dream...
Even to a memorable turn as the sleazy, ambitious Engineer in a butchered, cut-rate version of the musical Miss Saigon. Nothing like preaching to the audience about the American Dream - though I never quite bought into Chris, the white boy's tearful confession of love for Kim. Then again, I might have been having the first stirrings of a crush on the kid who acted as Chris. Wouldn't mind singing about the sun and moon with him on the last night of the world :P

No auditions ( no casting couch either... sigh ) back then of course. Never could dance, never could sing either but that never seemed to stop me. Back in school, speak English anywhere close to being audible to the general audience and you'll be shoved into a minor role of some sort. :)