The Love You Take

I first heard the name Elijah Wells last May when I attended the Texas State UIL One-Act Play contest. Your play didn't win, but you received the coveted Best Actor award. Your performance as the fast-talking confidence man, Bill Starbuck, in The Rainmaker was riveting, spectacular, and bigger-than-life. Although I didn't know you, watching you perform on stage thrilled me and my daughter, Bethany, who had joined me in Austin to watch the State Play Competition. I've been a high school theatre teacher and director for fifteen years, and in that time, I've never seen a student own the stage like you did. I felt that it was a privilege to watch you perform.

When school started the next fall, I could not believe my good luck when you walked into my advanced theatre class. You had moved into my school zone. I immediately began to envisionroles I wanted to see you perform.

The year began with the usual fanfare--icebreaker theatre games to get to know everyone in the class, students jockeying for positions in social groups. I watched you closely as you strolled into class the first day. You breathed confidence and walked with such composure that everyone stopped and took notice.

I like to start every year with a name game so everyone gets to know one another by name. This year, the game required the students to introduce themselves by telling everyone some part of the story of their names, whether they were named for someone, and what special meaning their name has. Then after everyone has introduced themselves, students were randomly paired up, and each had to tell everything he/she could remember about their partner.

When it was your turn to tell about your name, you said you were named for Elijah, the prophet of the Old Testament. You explained that your parents chose the name for the strong religious symbolism, and that when you were born, your mother called you "the little prophet," and said that you would somehow change the world. You also said you planned to legally change your last name, Wells, as soon as you turned 18 and could afford it. That struck me as strange, a detail I knew I would want to hear more about as I got to know you better.

When it was your turn to tell about your partner's name, you remembered every detail. It was clear you had a sharp memory and an interest in learning about other people. Toward the end of class, when there was time to kill, I noticed you talking to a number of students, following up on details about their names. You were definitely working the room, charming everyone you spoke to.

Bethany, my daughter, was a sophomore at Johnson High School, and an active member of the theatre troupe. She inherited my love for theatre, and had been acting in children's productions since she could walk. She possesses a great deal of natural ability, but even she recognized the astronomical level of talent you had. She knew she had never been that close to anyone that talented. She also described you as "drop-dead gorgeous." That may be why, in those early days, she tried to go out of her way to make you feel welcome. She invited you to join her and her friends at their cafeteria table on the first day. You joined her, and that evening, she said you were just as charming and charismatic as you had been in class. You listened to everyone's stories as they related their summer adventures. You followed up with interesting questions, and seemed to be genuinely interested in learning all you could about your new peers. Bethany noticed that you didn't say much about yourself. When anyone asked you a question, you quickly deflected it, and turned the attention back to them. I told her to give you time. I felt there was so much more to you, more than you were willing to show in the beginning. We were both sure we just needed to give you space, and that you would eventually reveal more of yourself to us.

Amanda's Story

My name is Amanda Brycliffe. I graduated from a small-town high school in 1979 with no real direction in mind. The only thing I was sure of is that I loved to read. I got a Bachelor's Degree in English from a small liberal arts college, and because I had to declare a minor, I chose Theatre Arts. In college, I discovered a love for student directing. I liked being in charge of a thousand small decisions and seeing them all come together the night of the performance. It was magic.