Tap Tuesday: Theater Superstitions & Neurodivergent Stories with Leta and Amanda

This Tap Tuesday, Amanda and Leta dig into the wild world of theater superstitions, backstage myths, and ghost stories—through the lens of autism, ADHD, and neurodivergent life.

We share our favorite superstitions, explore why these traditions matter for neurodivergent performers, and swap real backstage stories from the world of tap dance and theater.

Support our community! Leta and her teenaged coworker, Faith, are in a friendly competition against the Autistic Wings Board of Directors to see who can bring in the most donors. The teens really want to win—help them out! • Faith’s Fundraiser: https://onecau.se/synergy • Leta’s Fundraiser: https://mtyc.co/64d2hf 

Want to be a guest on Leta's Tap Styles (And My Autistic Life)? Send Amanda Trisdale a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/letastapstylesguest 

Perfect for anyone who loves tap, theater, or wants a real look at neurodivergent life on and off stage.

— Podcast: Leta’s Tap Styles (and My Autistic Life) Hosts: Amanda & Leta

Transcript

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Hi Leta. How are you doing? I'm alive. Hey, Leta, I got a question for you. This tap Tuesday, why do we as people who came up through the performance part of theater and dance, uh, clinging to weird old, sometimes spooky superstitions? What do you mean by superstition? It's just a fly little truth. Did you do. All of us, we just cursed all of us. I am doing that at the very end of the episode. For everyone who does not know your carnation, uh, and good luck balloon story and the flowers being given beforehand, uh, we will discuss that entire story at the end of the podcast. But no, like you, you have kind of gone between competition and performance and in competition. There are not the superstitions, there are in performance. and I will never go on a stage with all the girls like ever again. It's the things like that. and I think we were discussing last week that a lot of your accommodations you need in life revolve around the fact that you are very much a superstitious theater girl and not a non superstitious. competition girl. No, that's called, uh, so I'm just gonna call somebody dad and see whether or not I can hit you and back. I was wrong, baby, because you need it. But that's what I'm talking about in a lot of ways because I think there is a huge difference. At least I've seen it. When you're doing stuff between that competition world and you going, hi, I need this, and then going, I, I'm sorry. These are just weird, old, superstitions. And yet one time I saw someone say those aren't real, receive a carnation and then proceed to be unlucky. And this is why I'll never touch carnations? outside of the theater. we are doing like all the carnation stories at the end.' because I know the big one for you, but I know of at least three others that show, these superstitions have kind of come forward in time, and become very, very ingrained because something will happen. And I think most of the theater world and like the dance performance world may not be neurotypical. Like I've met more neurotypical people over on the competition side than I've ever met on the performance side. And I think the minute it happens to you is the minute. That is not up for discussion. This Superstition. will be respected. this is a religion and I will respect this. Am I wrong in that? when you talk to people in the theater world or in the performing dance world, not over in the competition world, almost everyone has a story that goes back to these superstitions, do they not? Yes, these are stories where you don't want to be the other person in the ghost story. you just listen to the ghost story. Never become that person in the ghost story, and you just live on with life. So let's get into a few of these because I know some people have told me that this is like, you need to follow these rules, um, as part of autism needing to, um, you know, have controlled rules. And then I say, tell me, you've never been backstage without telling me you've never been backstage. Um, so there's the obvious one that everyone knows Break a leg you and I both know, it does not mean the same thing in the dance world, For the amazing ballerinas, you do not tell them to break a leg. You say me and then you walk away. And yes, I know what the French meaning of it is, but in ballet land it does not, well, it does mean that, Oh, the ballerinas are saying that to each other in English anyways. But you, But you cannot say, The moment you say, good luck, the spirits and the sprites go, oh, really? Okay. You want good luck? boy who said good luck? I, I, I, I, I still forgive you If you're watching this, please don't feel bad. But, all of us know that those little sprites are sitting there waiting to, uh, make mischief backstage. The sprites and the fairies and the little theater goblins are waiting to make mischief. And the moment you say Good luck is a moment, they're like, oh, it's time for the luck to show up. Yeah Also, you can actually make peace treaties. no offense. Can you stop being so picky on what you want and maybe stop making it. I mean, and I think so, yeah, the, the Sprites, I don't know. I've never tried to make a peace treaty with the Sprites. I've just tried to appease them as much as I can because I know that that's gonna go poorly. Insert whatever the afterlife is for whatever culture you are part of. But I mean, I don't think people understand how much Sprites theater fairies and goblins play a part in every single one of our superstitions. I think the only thing that they don't play a part of is the ghost light, but there's like supposedly legitimate reasonings for saying Break a leg. Um, and I don't think I believe 'em.'cause in vaudeville, when you crossed onto the stage, it was called Breaking the Legs. I mean, that's still in theater. Once you cross this, when you're in the visual line of the audience, you have broken the leg. Nope, nope. That is not it. I guarantee you that is not the reason. It is the sprites in the fairies. I guarantee you. It's to confuse the sprites in the fairies. Well that, and also because they, one person probably decided, yeah, we need some something to spider the fairies. so we don't anger them. Let's do so. The other one I've heard from like, people who've looked this up and they're like, mm-hmm. It's definitely not, you know, for reasons. Um, when you broke bending the knee was considered breaking the leg back in Shakespearean time, and the audience would throw coins on the stage so the actors were bending, breaking the leg at the end of the performance May I remind everyone there are theater fairies and theater sprites involved, so maybe that's what they came up with originally, but. I'm pretty sure they just lied and said, no, it's not. So I can just bow down to the theater gods, which is called the Theater Fair The theater pl and the theater goblins, they are gods. So help me. They are their own mini gods. They are Gods, and we shall appeal to the gods. We nobody wants to get smiley. And when it comes, uh, nope, nope, nope. just do not be stupid. Do not tell someone good luck. They will inevitably look at you and suddenly be going, okay, now I have to tell everyone good luck.'cause if we all have good luck, the bad luck is split so far amongst us that the bad luck is not going to actually. It is a thing. You've seen it happen before? I've seen it happen before it. allow us to, uh, go on with life. that's the other thing, like if you see one person going around telling everyone backstage, good luck. Uh, something has happened. They have been told good luck. And like you said, uh, that story is coming up at the end. what happened to Leta, uh, during a rehearsal story. luckily that happened while you were at a performing studio, so everyone was like, yeah. I'm sorry child that you were told. Good luck. Uh, go ahead. Let's go over another one that we all absolutely know you cannot do. It's probably bad in almost every situation, but heaven help the person who whistles backstage, right? Leta. Culture. That means step. That means death, and everywhere. That means death. Everywhere. That means death backstage. It Surpris people have died from it. So yeah, when theater rigging became a thing way, way back in the day you know wrestle, run. You run for the exit, you run, you run, you run. You just run. You run for the exit. You don't give an explanation. You run for the exit. No. Depending on the whistle backstage, because if you're listening to the headsets, guess who uses whistles to decide when rigging is being moved? It's the stage hands. They were originally from ships and they were used to whistling on ships for a long piece of territory to cover. So each whistle had a different way of doing rigging. That is still what the guys who are moving those big heavy pieces of background, scenery or this scrim or the lighting, all of them are listening for specific whistles and a specific whistle tells'em to release X, Y, Z. So if you whistle backstage, they may have just heard that and gone, well that doesn't seem like time, but I guess I need to redo it now. I'll just be removing the Sand Bay Ag backstage and Death. a little bit less now than it used to be. But let's you know, it is very disrespectful 'cause it does interfere with the crew's headsets. And who is God backstage Uh, Peter Perry Theater, Peter Gremlins and the people who do all the stage lights and stage stuff and the stage heads, and the manager. God that's the other things. Oh. But do you interfere with the stage manager's ability to do anything and I'm pretty sure the last time I've heard someone accidentally whistle backstage, I saw the. you do not in any way, shape or form mess with the theater man or the stage manager. And the stage manager still does. I mean, I have heard stage managers who are still using pre-programmed whistles so that people in their headsets know what's going on and we do not mess with people whose job it is to keep us safe on stage. So don't whistle backstage. Ah, Speaking of weird and unique things, thou shall thank the stage manager for the call times. you don't respect your elders respect them. If you don't respect them, you are receiving immediate dozen. the annoyance on my face is from all those competition kids who are like, why should I respect the stage manager? Why should I thank the stage manager for doing stuff you haven't grown up in the culture where it's like respect your elder or else you're receiving death I will one up you though. I've seen some kids parents who are like, why are you thanking the stage manager when you are on stage? The stage manager, the stage manager's job is not just you to come on stage time more like get your ass up there now I said now get your ass up there I don't care if you're still doing makeup and get your ass on there But the stage manager's controlling everything backstage. That stage manager is saying, rigging do this. They're saying, props, get this out here. They're saying do this, do that. This is how many seats we have in the theater right now so this is how many tickets we need to be sold This many tickets shall be sold or show help Yeah. Stage managers unfortunately don't do that. Uh, but for people who don't understand your safety, your literal safety is in they're literally on the stage manager, so I wouldn't wanna be spied by the whole person who controls every safety feature. That's what Smite, you don't wanna get that. I would more rather be smited by a God. But one of the things that I think people who haven't been backstage don't understand is they have a fine tuned machine if you are not up. In the wings when you're supposed to be up in the wings, I'm hiding from the stage manager. But there could be a huge prop being moved backstage. there's a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scrim, behind the backdrop. And that is like a fully functioning auto bond, for lack of a better word. I mean those big props are being whipped from one end of the stage to the other backstage. Uh, you are having people run through with small props. You're having people run, run through that have to be on the other end of the stage.'cause you can be exiting on one side and having to come in on the other side. If you do not follow that stage manager's direction, you can get run over with stuff and let us not even begin to get to the rigging backstage.'cause that rigging backstage is being planned to be moved when there's not someone underneath the rigging so that if something goes wrong, you don't join the Phantom of the opera. What do you mean? I, I, I, I, I am still confused how a few people romanticized the fandom of the opera. Can I explain my statement real quick for you? Who has not actually had the privilege of reading the book? In the book? There are people who get hurt and get Unli backstage, not necessarily from the Phantom, because rigging gets messed up and could have been the phantom. part of the reason people made up a ghost story so they could get away with murder because they decided, let's mic people. We are God. I said, let's wake up a whole ass ghost story. So see, the Phantom of the Opera is actually based off of the, the musical is based off of a novel that is The actual novel is based off of a ghost story at one of the theaters in Paris. A phantom of a disfigured man getting away with murder So, yeah, the Phantom in the Opera is completely based off a uh, story in the Parisian, uh, theater community of a phantom that was causing all sorts of rigging issues backstage, Yes. if you read the books, there are a lot of things that if you've been backstage, you're like, Don't walk underneath the rigging. Let's see. It's things like in the Phantom, and this goes back to thou shalt listen to the stage manager and thank the stage manager at each moment in time Listen to me. in the novel it is things like, it's things like, the stage manager has called someone to stage and that person shows up five minutes later than they were. And rigging is being moved and a sandbag falls from the rigging and hits 'em in the head. Anyone who's been in performance knows that's why you listen to Well, Manager But that's also one of the reasons with performance BU five and in your first performing deal, or 85, a Tony Award winner and a legend on stage, even if that studio, that stage manager is not in the room with you and it's over the intercom and they go 30 minutes to performance, what's your response? Yes, ma'am. And a thank you, ma'am, You say the Thank you, ma'am, first, and then you, say that. Yes, ma'am, or Thank you, sir. It is always, always, always, and I think there's a huge, like we said last week, a huge difference between the competition guys because your safety is in the hands of that sage manager, and it is a very, very weird superstition, but in reality. When you explain it to people, it's not that thou shalt say thank you to the stage manager at All Points. In times I shall be the fates cutting the thread of your life. You're giving me a thumbs up. But if you have not been backstage, ' it's not just the performer saying thank you to the stage manager, it is everyone. Yes, everyone. everyone, everyone, everyone. Because, uh, I have the whole entire world thread in my hand the whole entire backstage thread in my hand. But that's what competition studios don't understand, uh, when you're talking, 'cause they only do stage managers during recitals, but like you've done these big performances and even large props, whose entire thing focuses on that minute by minute. This is when a prop needs to be somewhere. And is someone going to mess up? God. Yes. Thank you. Theater gremlins. Thank you. Theater fairies. Thank you everyone involved with the sprites world. Thank you. That weird little door relating to another world that is somehow there. Do not open small doors You just don't World. Do not open small doors. Do not go through small doors. don't see the fairies domain because any tiny door is their domain. You don't wanna be that kingdom because never led fairies. No, they're the old fashioned fairytale fairies. They will eat your belts. I've heard, swear I've heard numbing of bone backstage when I was seven. I do. It definitely was a stray dog. And do not for the life of you. Get into that wardrobe. No stepping foot in the wardrobe. I don't know why that is such a hard theater to understand. Thou shalt do everything from outside the wardrobe. Narnia is not through that wardrobe. Oh, what did I walk into a wardrobe for like five minutes. The teenagers lost me, and I swear I ended up in magical, snowy place. Well, I am surprised I didn't die by favorite ferries. Well, that's another one that you are not supposed to physically get all the way in the wardrobe and behind the costumes. If you are in costuming, everything's up on hangers. You can see everything. You're not getting lost if you get into, a lot of the performance guys have those big wardrobes that they put in storage. And Lord, help me. You will get locked in a wardrobe. why do you have these superstitions? Because they're there to protect you. Here is one that I get really annoyed with competition studios on, and you have seen me get annoyed because there are just some things we just do not say, like, the Scottish play. That's actual name. I pretty sure it's maiden. We, we do not Speak it's actual name It's an actual last name from Scotland. They can just live without it. play with from Scotland. The play is uh, a Shakespeare play from England. The Scottish play has a massive amount of issues behind it. like, you can just look it up and you will find Yeah. You gonna night? So don't look it up. I am going to be completely honest. It is a hundred percent to the point that even the underwriters of insurance policies will not let you say that it's in our insurance policy that we cannot say the name of the Scottish play. It is actually, they will not cover us. Go ahead. Oh, so the whole, the one that shown been named from Harry Potter was based off of that. I mean, there have been some major historical accidents that have, uh, happened with the Scottish play like Nope. No, no, no, no. Too big of, I dink. No. Maybe we should just quickly move on now even talking, it's gonna make us have like, so let's. here's the thing, theaters down because someone said the name of the Scottish play. because people say this is a superstition, like from the comp world. you may think it's a superstition, but my insurance nurse think it's a superstition. that entire play is just cursed. Just, just don't. If you accidentally utter the name, thou go outside a cross, grab holy water and just help. You need to go outside, you need to run around the entire theater three freaking times. Do not, not mutter the name of the play. Then depending on who you're with, spit on the ground, throw she salts over your shoulder. Then you have to knock and ask nicely to come back in. And the stage manager who controls all of our life lives literally decides whether or not you're let back in. Be nice to your stage managers. Also just, uh, wait. Is that why I had to run around the whole building one time? Oh, well, but yeah. Well, and let's go over. Let us go over other things that sound really crazy, like you cannot take a peacock feather on stage. I'm not having my eyes baby picked up by a peacock's ghost because if you don't use the ghost light one time and you bring on a peacock fence or you get your eyes picked up by its spirit, that, that's, it's usually ' because it was one of Harris's things is why, and the feather will attract misfortune, jealousy, spite, the whole thing on, oh Lord forbid, okay, how many, ' because this is the thing I had with a comp team. How many times have you seen a real freaking mirror go on stage? Leta, uh, what, you're like, what? Because you don't take a mirror on stage. Thou shalt not take a mirror on stage what the what? The buffalo shit. So thou shalt not take mirrors on stage. And I talked to a friend of mine who's a comp, uh, coach. She has an entire studio and she's like, we bring mirrors on stage all the time. And I'm like, and how many times have you had the problem of, Let's just say it now. None of your children are surviving if they want to go to Broadway. Broadway because they'll automatically respond it. Okay? so one of the problems with the mirror is you can't control where that light goes. And those stage lights are harsh. Yes. That's how I think. The second problem is you can't control whether or not accidentally hit some fan fair theater graveling or theater. Right? Well not wanna. Let's, uh, you get anyone put in the light in the wrong direction.'cause those spotlights are spotlights, they're directed directly at you. Imagine getting one of those spotlights directly in your eyes. here's one of my fa, absolutely favorite. Do not bring real money or real jewelry on stage. Don't do it. Just do not do it. Here's the other one that I really like that people think I'm stupid for. In the comp world, thou shalt not light candles. And especially, no, not having three candles lit at the same time. How think about it though. A lot of these superstitions come from way back when. I light more than three candles. I have a wooden stage with a wooden building and I've just lit fire. how many stories of, things going deadly do we all know? here's another one that people think is totally stupid, and I think it's 'cause Comp World doesn't do rehearsals the same way that you do rehearsals for performance. You just It does up fanm, the opera. Tell the thing it's done. What happens if you have a terrible dress rehearsal? you just hope nobody gets No, no, no, no, no. If you have a terrible dress rehearsal, you absolutely know that you're gonna have an amazing opening night. Who the heck knows why? It is. bad. Dress rehearsal equals good. Opening night. yes equals every single bad thing that could happen will happen. let's talk about the ghost lights that's another one that you and lights are ghost lights and have ghost lights. Just don't let the girls be in the theater ever, ever. You're not getting the ghost outta the theater, but the Ghost Lights keep the Resident ghost happy. You know, every single theater has a resident ghost. The first thing you should do when you go to a theater know the resident's ghost name? be nice to the resident ghost, because ghosts are usually nicer than the fairies. here's the thing with the ghost light that I have said over and over to comp Studios It never fails if you are at, I think a lot of comp studios do not perform on the stages that, we perform on in performance. You know that there was always that door that someone accidentally left open or they left the orchestra pit uncovered and the ghost light goes in the middle of the freaking stage and it never fails that the entrance to get to the building is on one side of the stage and the light switches on the other side of the stage. So if you do not have, back in the day before we had flashlights, you absolutely, positively are going to fall into an orchestra pit and break your neck and become a, See you. Dark goes also. So when you hear music from said uncovered it's just a ghost orchestra warming up. Leta. My child. I think a lot of people, um, don't understand if you are not in a theater space, if you're not in a space with an orchestra pit or any of the other doors to the bottom, I'm saying if a lot of these comp studios are at like conference centers or convention halls. I just tend to go, uh, here's all the ways I could die. Will die. Probably die. What I'm trying to say, Leta is I think a lot of the differences is you perform on stages. They perform on a stage that was brought into a room that's, you know, may or may not be, uh, built perfectly, but like. A lot of them are in hotel conference rooms. There's a different where you can turn on a light switch before you walk in the room. yeah, no offense to any of them, but I don't see how the ones that want to go on Broadway are going on Broadway because on Broadway, the miss or. That's, look the way you stay alive. No, but You're You're right there because not having a ghost light on Broadway, and it's normally in the middle of the stage by whichever big hole they have in the middle of the stage or the trap door that's in the middle of the stage. You might want that and you don't not turn that dang ghost light off until you turn on the overhead lights for the entire room. gonna have Amanda and be part of the ghost and they're gonna have to learn your name and uh, yeah. at least somebody ever has to make peace to you with the ghost. But you're not you. It's not hyperbole. It's honest to God truth on some of this, because if you fall through some of those holes, that could be one to two stories that you're falling down on stage because of how things are backstage. You're not falling one or two feet, you're falling 12 to 24 feet. That's your heart at the very least and you're unli at the worst probably, uh, yeah. Most of the girls probably have broken bones, bones and rib cage and neck and arms and knees and legs. the rib gauge Probably also have a crack skull too. So. But if you're used to not performing in areas like that, if you're used to high school theaters don't have the same rigging and everything, if you're used to performing in, um, hotel conference rooms where the early death but to you and I, that superstition of a ghost life is a safety issue along with everything else. To them they're like, well, why wouldn't you just turn on the lights before you go in because the light switch is on the other side of the death was poorly constructed in every theater we've made since the time we've made. That's been poorly constructed. And could we probably fix a poorly constructed Yes. Are we ever no. Newer theaters may be in a newer theater. It might be on the right side of the entrance, but you're talking some of these theaters are hundreds of years old, if not older than that, and nobody is reworking the wiring just to put the switch where it belongs. Not to mention someone stupidly is going to step on that stage while it's dark. It always happens. Go slight. Oh. Or in the fact in the newer they don't got staircases. They just got that, that they still got that little, just little, little, uh, little, little, uh, sl, that little, that little hill. So it could also be automatic by having two left feet until you hit the giant freaking concrete. And then instead breaking your neck. Still in your neck because your neck is attached to your back. So half of your rib cage. That will be a record if anybody dies from that. And you're not wrong. But then the next thing we have to bring up is Broadway Theater Ghost. Do we not? Oh, you mean the ancient ones? You mean the ancient thing to pretty sure some of them were during the Civil War once. Actually, I think some of them were before the Civil War. I mean. I like the ones that were after the Civil War, the ones that were just the grandchildren of the ones were after the Civil War. The ones that were Lily the children while we were making America. Well, boy, that would be a good drug dig fan. Uh, the thing is, let's be honest, almost every single theater ghost has a freaking name. Like you've got, uh, new Amsterdam, where Disney is currently, living has probably some of the most interesting Broadway ghost of all times. they've got Olive Thomas, uh, who died in like the 1920s. she and her husband took a trip to Paris in a heated exchange. Supposedly she overdosed on a topical ointment, and now, uh, she's walking the halls of the grand new Amsterdam theater What about is She's just everybody alcohol, right? She's just making sure everybody doesn't have no she's just walking around. okay. I thought she would at least make sure everybody knows don't, don't have alcohol in theater. There's a lot of other ones. you've got the, um, Imperial Theater where, uh, there's ghost named Fred. And Fred just sometimes pops up and says hi, I'm here. Well, that would be an interesting one if you decided to say overnight for Halloween, and it's like, this ain't anything like a Halloween movie. All these people are nice. Well, that doesn't game free candy Well, and let's. Let's be honest, the Lesco Theater has the most ghost. you've got, uh, David Lesco who supposedly became a ghost at his own theater after passing away. he watches rehearsals. He walks into the halls whenever he pleases. You better. Dang, well say goodnight Mr. Lesco, so that you have a good life. Um, there are, there's a whole bunch across the country too. It's not just on Broadway. We know it's not just on Broadway. We're not silly. You've got that. one of my faves is in Lander Theater, Missouri. A child, um, was. Unli when they fell from a balcony. Supposedly you can still see that the child is just there all the time now. Like people are leaving baby rattles and stuff to make the child happy.new_scene The things we do. Um, there's also, uh, the theater, Royal in Brighton, uk. You've got Lady Gray, Happens to um, be watching over two children. Thou shalt do it. Uh, you've got one kid who was a playful ghost because ghosts can be helpful. That's the thing. Thou shalt always respect all theater apparitions, including the ghost.'cause ghosts can sit there and help you with the rigging. They can do the curtains and everything. Yes. They they can not tell you there are girls Intel. Somebody walks up to you and goes, you know that person from this decade right now? Now, I told you the I It's season. You em Well, gotta start telling the new people what fucking Nobody in the theater world, you can go up to someone, even a stage manager, a theater manager, and go, who's the local ghost? They'll tell you. They'll tell you how to appease the ghost. They'll tell you if the ghost is friendly, ghost an annoying ghost, someone who just sits there and tells you how you're doing everything wrong, ghost. And there are those ghosts. like Miss Michelle. I think a lot of people don't understand in the competition world that, These ghosts exist over here in the theater world and the performance world, and we have learned over centuries of being in worlds, Also, maybe not David during the the, from during the Civil War before, during the Civil War and after the Civil War, and probably a few of their grandchildren. Some of the ghosts are definitely from a different time. And, uh, you may find how they interact with women to be a little, um, less than savory, that take the slap though when some of them go to, but they will, they will take the slap. They will very willfully take the slap. Um, I think you've got the whole thing on fairies and goblins and spirits.'cause theater fairies are either trying to make sure you're good to go on stage or they're trying to be mischievous. which one they're doing any single time. What about you? and this is why you don't try to anger the theater very soon yet. Uh, either not to anger them try to figure out how to make peach JD with things that have very much mood swings. I'm pretty sure swinging on whether or not they do or don't eat humans. Well then you've got the theater goblins who are nothing short of just mischievous. And you might as well try to figure out what each theater does to appease the theater fairies and the theater goblins and the Sprites, because everyone has their own way of dealing with it. And each theater has figured it out over the years. And thou shalt do what thou shalt do and their home 'cause it's not your home. And thou shalt respect the home of the theater goblins, theater fairies and theater sprites. And I think once more, the difference between competition and performance is the competition. Guys are like, that is weird because they're doing everything in um, a. Hotel or other places. how, I've talked to people before, like you went and did one competition in a theater and I went to the theater managers and went, hi, what does she need to do to appease the goble and sprites and fairies? And do you have goblin, sprites and fairies, or do you have just fairies or do you just have goblins or do you just have Sprites and the theater manager smirked and went. She's not a competition girl, is she? You're smirking going? Nope. Nope, I am not. But let us be honest, goblins. Fairies and sprites are really good at doing things like putting a cable where it doesn't belong, right? Leta. Yep. Oh, and you know, that theater fairies are the ones like tugging on the romantic tutu is just making sure they're in the right. And you just ignore that factor? Well, that you get spooked by the. I, I, I, I forgot the theater fairies. theater fairies will make you prove your worth to go on stage and have a good day. Or somebody will blame the theater fairies for definitely stealing your ballet shoe. Why did I air quote ballet shoe by accident? the theater fairies Definitely stole it. And then the next day, per se, tickets find by the theater ferries. Do not blame the theater fairies if it is not the theater fairies. I think it's things that a comp people don't understand.'cause when you are down in a performance, you have a costuming department that is a costuming department, and I absolutely, positively know I have plugged in a sewing machine. And the sewing machine has gotten unplugged. There was a coffee cup that, uh, should we have had coffee down in the No, there are also a few costumes with teeny bits of blood because, um, costumes decide to just little friends to go and then you had to fix it. Little friends. a dancer or an actor is running on stage, you gotta fix it. But I think there's a lot to be said for like the coffee mug just magically knocking over and well, I guess the theater fairy said we probably shouldn't be yelling at the kids not to have anything that could stay in the clothes in here, and then bringing coffee in had things that could stain in the clothes. your old snacks get tooken. You know the snacks of chocolate and something sticky and everything that could stain clothes I have never had anything like that backstage when I've been doing um, stuff, you have. I saw few the other people did, and then there said snacks got stolen suddenly. but we all know that if you appease them, things get better in the end. we're gonna wrap this up with a couple things. Like you, there was a very bad Nutcracker you were involved in. You got sick from exhaustion to the point you had to miss the cast party and you were in bed for two days. Um, someone had worn a. Um, Carnation er into the theater. The same day I time I decided to go into one of the car shoot That suddenly round up in a weird, weird place and a random girl. That was also the time that the prop, department forgot a dancer on stage for an entire number, uh, because she went back into her prop as a doll and they forgot she was there, and then realized when she was going to go back out on stage. And that was the time Sugar plum got hit in the head by rigging. Yeah, I where are carnations I got out the back of a bunch of cast ships and some weird SLE ladder somehow wound up in, I am just still, the only, I'm not even like confused how I wound it up in some alternate universe. I'm just confused why there was a boy, half go person. I mean like, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Like the uh, music was off We had props missing backstage and small props. I mean, everything went wrong not everything I didn't throw up, and then we gotta the house and. then I threw up so I didn't throw up on my costume, so not everything. people do not believe, and people are like, why are carnations that? This is why? Uh, and then you had that one year right before a recital. You got your flowers early. Thou does not give flowers. Early flowers must only be given after the applause. And it must be given in a bouquet, not in a flower container. And And there was a carnation. there was a carnation and there were balloon, a balloon that said, good luck. And when, I mean that was like, 'cause we that balloon decided to fly away. didn't take all the bad luck with it.'cause that was the recital that. Was recital from hell. Like, um, I know you had teachers coming out, going, we've misplaced her stuff. But if that was just it, you wound up having to go to everyone saying good luck because good luck had been told to you. And then, uh, it wasn't even a fake fire alarm. Uh, that would've been okay. There was a real fire alarm pulled and they, because the teachers followed the standard practice of we're not with the kids, we're going to let the teenagers get the kids out. Things went bad backstage and the stage hands had to get you guys out of backstage area and the fire department wasn't sure who all was in there. And That's why I got proceeded to be left behind. you got left behind And then you forgot stuff stuff on stage and had to re do your choreo. Thankfully you're pretty decent at improvising your choreo helped somebody. I, I I, I, I, I don't know how I faked so good of stuff, surprisingly fit the music scene and there's one child being left out. Well, I was the one child who accidentally got left out, who accidentally didn't get off stage quick enough, and then I got left out the next part, and then I decided to run my ass up there and, uh, woo. I my way back into the line. A bunch of kids wound of the older, uh, prima donna ballerinas who all like. Uh, know everything. Were coming off with strains and a couple of them sickled and strained their ankles. And these are girls that hadn't sickled since they were like seven, suddenly going, here's a sickling. I don't know why anyone believes carnations and flowers before Why do you guys believe in superstitions? Because the superstitions keep showing that there's a reason to believe in them. there's actually a reason for everything. thou shalt not give fresh flowers, which is something people don't understand. you don't even need the explanation. You just, you just don't. It's like the ghost prints. You don't need explanation why the ghost prints are. Wandering off at the trail and suddenly winding up. That's why you don't need the explanation where they came from. Just don't,. But here's the thing with roses, roses are given to those whose contract will be renewed next year. Carnations are not given to those whose contracts will be renewed. Carnations are the flower of choice for funerals, and there's a few other flowers, you should not bring on stage. Next year, during October, we should do an entire deal and bring on some of our friends to talk about their favorite, uh, theater superstition. Shouldn't we? Yes. All right. Well, we should probably wrap this up. Uh, FYI. It is a very good idea for autistic dancers who may come into your competition studio for you to understand that. Under their accommodations may also include hi theater. Superstitions shall be observed at all times for the autistic dancer, right? Leta, Also don't, don't, go near the tiny door. don't, go in the vicinity of the tiny door. don't touch the tiny door. stay away from trap doors costumes or else you might wanna end up in a weird place But without to go boy. it is a major accommodation that you need when you're going into perform at a comp studio that they understand that you are going to need things that. One. People just have to understand you will blame things on the theater fairies just because you know it, but you won't blame it unless you know it was a theater fairy. Two, you are going to say thank you to the stage manager about a million times because the stage manager kept you, is going to keep you alive, is keeping you alive and has kept you alive. Yeah. Let wrap this up, That's what I was finishing, you absolutely positively, need accommodations because you're autistic. And honestly, every single theater and performance person needs the same accommodations. Just respect the theater, superstitions, comp people just respect the theater. Superstitions, This really shouldn't be an autistic accommodation. This should just be a, please respect the theater and respect the stage manager at all costs. so real quick before we go, Leta is still, fundraising for her Dance studio, autistic wings dance company here in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We're revving up for Colorado Gives Day. There's going to be a link in the description below for you to go, donate to two different fundraisers we've got going. One of ' them is for, synergy Dance here in town has decided they're going to do a benefit. One of our teachers, dances at Synergy. She's not going to be involved in the big competition with all the board members over at Colorado Gives this year because we told her she could get her competition numbers of donors out of the, fundraiser benefit she's putting on. So we are going to put face down there. She's trying to beat, she's 16. She's amazing. She's great at the studio. She's trying to beat the board. Lda. I am just crushing everything and everything, and also why am going on the stage with no ghost light? Because high schools do not believe in theater. Superstitions none of them die probably not on with I'm with life. I'm with life. Faith is trying to beat the board of directors. I told everyone that we're having a competition. Whoever gets the most new donors gets a cute little plaque that Leeda and I are making and our 16-year-old staffer is convinced that she can beat the 40 and 50-year-old board of directors and bring in more new deals. We're gonna put her link in the description below. We're also putting lead a's link to her Colorado gives, uh, fundraiser. So if you wanna give to Faith, it's not on Colorado. Gives the four on one cause. But we're going to allow that because I'm a nice person. If you wanna give to lead at it will be in the description below. Uh, anything after November 1st counts towards other stuff. We will have a whole podcast about that on November 4th, explaining the entirety of Colorado gives and what it's doing for the studio. Uh, Friday we have Jennifer on to talk about grandparenting and autism, and if you enjoyed the episode, like, comment, share, subscribe, text us, whatever. Uh, let us know what your favorite. Did you hear something Sorry. Sorry. That was me. Sorry. a hundred percent sure that was you Yeah that did it sound like a fake? Yes, it was me. I'm sorry, but I'm sorry. Okay. I accidentally, I what my mother. you have a nine For everyone listening online or on podcasting services, you do not have any scary doors behind you. I, in our new house have scary small doors behind me and we're about theater stuff do any magical lands also. Plus, I am still hyper fixated on apparently I, apparently the world of the theater fairies apparently has some random go boy. Okay. So, uh, let us know what your favorite superstition is and what superstitions you want us covering next year. Um, if you wanna be a guest on the podcast, either this year, next year, be it autism or come talk theater, uh, stuff. Uh See how your mother will to while whistling because you think you accidentally whistled out the pitch. You tried to fix the pitch accidentally spooking your mother. October. That dead, If there's a link down below to be a guest or you can d us or you can hit us up on the website Hello I'm probably you're not dead. Alright, we'll see everyone Friday. Bye. Bye.