Melinda

Though only in seventh grade, Firstborn landed a role in our high school musical, Into the Woods, Junior. She was one of the wicked stepsisters, Melinda, of Cinderella. In this play, the stepsisters were not ugly. They were "Beautiful of face, but wicked and black of heart." She worked hard, learned her lines and songs, and played her role perfectly.

 The play is a spinoff on many fairy tales. It showed the struggles that so many of the legendary characters could have had. In this play, Cinderella had her doubts after the ball. She sang that she wasn't "in the mood" to fall in love with the Prince.

 Meanwhile, the stepsisters are trying to assume her role, trying on her golden slipper.

When the shoe doesn't fit, the stepmother cuts off their toes and forces the shoe on. The play had much comedy. Watching Firstborn limp bravely across the stage with the special slipper on, after her mother had cut off her toes, made me roll with laughter!

Don't worry, Firstborn! Your prince will come. And you know what? We all know you just are acting. Wickedness and blackness of heart aren't the real you. We weren't fooled, even for a minute!