On to Tinseltown

-The call came Sunday afternoon at around 1 o'clock. It wasn't entirely unexpected. But it was wonderfully exciting nonetheless.

I was downstairs in the home theater watching the ballgame. All of a sudden there was the sound of someone whooping and screaming uncontrollably upstairs. I could tell it was Barb...but didn't know what to make of it. In the back of my mind...."Is the house on fire?"..."Did someone die?"..."Did a snake come in the house to get out of the heat?"

Then the door to the lower-level popped open far enough to make her rants audible over the sound of the TV.

"Tom....Stewart got the part! Stewart got the part!"

Yes...Stewart Calhoun has been preparing to be an actor...well, since he was able to stand up. And he's known for almost that long that he wanted to do it professionally. But, until that first break comes, a parent can only be supportive and try to help him live the dream. So when the call came Sunday that he had been asked to accept a lead role in a play at the Theatre at Boston Court in Pasadena, California coming up in October...the excitement of the moment was difficult for the old heart to withstand.

Stewart will not suddenly be making the obscene money that so many associate with the entertainment business. In fact, the financial end of his deal is rather minimal. But, the BIG thing is that he is suddenly a bona fide professional actor...and that could open up so many other doors...particularly in the entertainment capital of the world, Los Angeles/Hollywood CA.

Our son will portray Nick...a teenager who gets himself entangled in a web of deceit and imaginary relationships through his chatting on the internet. dark play or stories for boys was written by the enormously gifted Carlos Murillo, who Stewart was fortunate to have as one of his professors at The Theatre School at DePaul University. Stew, and several actor colleagues, collaborated with Mr. Murillo in the development of the characters in the play...no doubt a major factor in helping our guy land the role in SoCal. The project was featured at this year's Humana Festival for new plays in Louisville, Kentucky. Click here for the review.

So now we are facing the mission of relocating Stew from Chicago to "Tinseltown" where he will likely need to be engaged in some of the same activities that we hear other fledgling actors endure...you know...waiting tables, cattle-call auditions, attempting to convince managers and agents to represent you. All of that...and more. He has been told by people he trusts...and we tend to agree...that while he has the look and ability to play teenagers, he should try to break through with those types of roles. Stewart is 22...but as you can see by the photo...can easily pass for much younger.

Barb and I have always believed that our son had a special gift and that somehow he would show it to the world. And, if not the world, enough of it to make himself happy. And that's really all a parent can ask for. If all of you reading this would cross your fingers for him...it certainly couldn't hurt.