I remember getting the call to audition for Assisted Living. Actually, I didn’t get the call, Deb did.

We were driving back from Ottawa in August 2022. Connie, the stage manager for the show, called to see if Deb and I wanted to come out to audition.

I had seen the notice for the show. And decided it wasn’t for me.

It was a musical. I don’t do musicals. I can’t sing.

The show was about a bunch of people living in an assisted living residence called Pelican Roost. It was supposed to be a comedy, but the poster didn’t grab me.

Deb was already committed to something else during that time. What about Peter? Connie asked.

Tell her I don’t sing, I hissed.

Singing isn’t too important for this show, Connie responded. It’s a lot of it is “talk” singing.

Ugh. Can you send me the script? She did.

I figured I’d give it a quick glance and then say no.

I read it. And the play was silly. It still didn’t appeal to me. Not my cup of tea. I was ready to say no with confidence…

But then I remembered I had recently done some exercises in The Artist’s Way. And one of the questions was “If I could lighten up a little, I’d…”

And my answer? The answer I gave a week before the phone call…?

“I’d sing more.”

Sing more? I don’t sing at all…

But I’d started doing family karaoke the last couple of years. Singing into a ladle while playing songs from YouTube.

I’ve always wanted to sing but never felt comfortable doing it.

So, I decided that I’d audition. That way, I’d be taking a step towards something I wanted, but the decision wasn’t up to me.

When they heard me sing, they’d know it wouldn’t work.

I came in prepared to sing Happy Birthday. But I couldn’t sing on key for that. So, Tania, the musical director, did scales with me instead. Afterwards, she nodded her head and said I could get the notes.

I’m sure she came to rue that decision… But I was in the show.

Weeks later, as we were deep into rehearsals, I looked at my old Bucket List. Created back in 2012. And what was on my bucket list in spot #6?

Be in a musical.

I didn’t miraculously become a good singer. Not even close. But I gained the confidence to sing in front of folks. And when Tania, started a choir in the following January, I joined.

I still sing off-key. But I hit the right notes every now and then. I fumble with rhythms but get better with practice.

Most importantly, I’ve changed my perception around singing. It’s not that I can’t sing. I don’t sing easily or well. But it’s a skill that I can get better at. And you only get better at it by doing it.

Like most things.

And the show? Assisted Living “plays” funnier than it “reads”. It’s a silly play, but the audience loved it. Or at least our audiences did. Nothing deep. Just silliness and over-the-top antics.

I’m smack-dab in the middle of rehearsals for the sequel to last year’s show. We open in a couple of weeks. It’s called Assisted Living: The Home…For the Holidays.

And yes, I’m singing again.