The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men
Gang aft agley.” – Robert Burns
Recently, I auditioned for a part in a summer musical that I thought I might have a good chance of getting. Since I had taken a five-year hiatus from acting (my last role being the Bishop of Digne in Les Misérables), I was very much looking forward to possibly being in another big production musical again. Because rehearsals would run through the entire summer, I knew that my annual 4th of July family get-together would be restricted to only a one-week visit, as opposed to the 2-3 week trip that I usually plan on. But right now, my main plan – my Plan A – was all about securing the role of Narrator/Mysterious Man in Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods. I was fully committed to, and invested in, this Plan A.
And then there was the audition. I prepared two songs (from other well-known musicals) for my singing audition, which I regrettably chose to sing in a key that was a little too low for me. Nonetheless, I pulled it off and was asked to return the following week for a callback audition, this time singing and reading specifically for the part of Narrator/Mysterious Man. The only problem was, when I got to the audition, I discovered that three of Maui’s finest actor/singers were also auditioning for the same part as I. After listening to the other three actor’s pour their hearts into the role that I was hoping to secure for myself, it didn’t take me very long to realize that my Plan A was in dire straits.
Five days after my callback audition, I received an email informing me that I would not be cast in this summer’s production of Into The Woods. With that email, I was gifted with a profound life lesson. Although I really wanted to be a part of the production, I also had to accept that it was my choice to limit my chances of being in the show by auditioning for only one role, that of the Narrator/Mysterious Man. Had I been willing to perform as another character, or in the ensemble, I very well may have been cast in the production. This truth may explain why I wasn’t completely devastated by the “bad” news contained in that email. What I realized was that I was now free to come up with an exciting and dynamic Plan B for this summer.
The very next morning, I woke up and began to plan a wonderful extended 4th of July family get-together, like the one I had hoped to have prior to my interest in acting in a summer musical. Now with no rehearsal restrictions, and no lines to memorize, my entire summer was free for me to do with as I pleased. I felt as though I had been given a reprieve of sorts, and relished in my newfound independence. Not only did I decide to spend more time with the family at our vacation spot, but I also chose to visit my son in Los Angeles, and my friends in Seattle as well. In truth, what I was doing was creating a Plan B that even surpassed the excitement I felt when I was originally putting together my Plan A. What a concept!
I say that because so many of us go through life so invested in our day-to-day plans that, when they don’t materialize, we are simply devastated. Because many people, oftentimes, put all of their eggs in one basket, when the basket comes crashing to the ground, all of their plans, hopes, and dreams are left splattered on the ground. Without a backup plan – a contingency plan – to be there should Plan A fail, we can be left with nothing – no direction, no vision, no hope. Better to have a second basket handy to place your Plan B eggs in.
What I have learned is to always try to create a Plan B that is just as exciting, and fulfilling, to you as your Plan A. For example, if your Plan A is to apply to a particular university in the fall – and you don’t get accepted – maybe your Plan B could be to travel to Europe during that time. Maybe you don’t get that local job you were hoping for; instead, you decide that maybe it’s time to pack up and go to a place you’ve always dreamt of moving to. Personally, I have done both of those things. That doesn’t mean that I had a Plan B already formulated at the time I was waiting to see if my Plan A would come to fruition. It just means that I never allowed myself to stew in the disappointment of a failed Plan A. I would always find a way to immediately make lemonade from the lemons that came my way.
The more that we accustom ourselves to developing alternative plans, to supplement those that we deem most important, the less stress we will experience in our lives. Having an even more attractive Plan B “waiting in the wings” – should you not get that one specific role in the summer musical – can readily transform a temporary disappointment into a “happier ever after” ending. That certainly has been my experience. I trust that you will find the same thing to be true for you, as well.
In fact, plan on it.
