Last night I donned my ‘Snow White’ costume and character as myself and fellow Enniskillen High School (EHS) students from the ‘yonder years’ took to stage to perform in a reunion Pantomime – ‘Four Weddings and a Reunion’, on our old school stage!!

As I headed out for the performance one of the ‘Cups’ said to me, ‘I can’t believe you are going to be Snow White, she’s young!!’, (I just love how they make you feel confident and enthused!). I replied, ‘I am!!!!’.

The journey of this panto was as a result of nostalgic reminiscence and connection with the fabulous teachers, teaching and most of all experiences we all had at Enniskillen High School!! In true High School fashion ‘the call’ was made and the cast and crew were assembled and rehearsals commenced! For many this was a first time returning to ‘treading the boards’ since their days of school, for some it was their first step ever onto stage!

What did this journey reveal to me??

Many many things – firstly I’m delighted and grateful to the wonderful Miss Cook and Mrs Johnston for picking me to be ‘Snow White’ 35 years ago, I remember them asking me if they could ‘stretch me’!

Yesterday Miss Cook said ‘ah my wee Tracey Brown’ when I revealed who I was to her!! That ‘step’ as Snow White allowed me to become confident, creative and connected to my talent and what makes me feel ‘alive!’ and I have been so fortunate to take this on my journey of life personally and professionally!

Last night the ‘spark’ was lit and burned brightly in my fellow cast members as they performed and back stage conversations centred on feeling connected, happy and alive!! I could see this ember being ignited at rehearsals, I could see it start to grow with line learning and blocking moves, I could see the characters come to life!!

This is what EHS did for me, for us – it saw the ‘spark’ where others may have saw ‘darkness’, it saw the ‘talent’ where others saw ‘nothing’ and it saw ‘happy ever after’ where others may have not!!

The ethos of our EHS was to see, believe and encourage us as their student family!

With our panto performance journey there was an idea, a belief and fruition in the performance of the production!

However the journey was not just for the cast and crew it was inclusive of our families, fellow students and our teachers (they performed also in a reminiscent scene of pantos past). What we heard last night as we mingled in the canteen during the interval was, ‘it’s just like going back to school, it’s wonderful!’ – we were all back in our school, in our heads, hearts and hopes!!

Life is a journey of connection, like panto land it’s ‘good, bad and ugly’ at times, there are moments of hilarity, (our ugly sister comedic connections), moments of horror (our baddie moments) and our moments of love (our Prince Charming and Cinderella connections).

My ‘Cups’ came to see me last night and like with my ‘Dishwashing’ journey of family life they were awash with pride – but as always I wanted the Dishwasher man to see the production – to see what my school meant to me, however my steps forward allowed me to be part of this creative journey –

I couldn’t have done this performance last year, so a year has made a big difference with my healing – that’s what creativity has given me connection – what Enniskillen High School gave me was a belief I could do it – I could be Snow White – (I did ask Miss Cook if there was another Tracey Brown in the school- when the cast list went up 35 years ago!) – it developed my skills to cope with the improv of life as we often had it on stage, and it provided me with many moments of happiness!

Thank you to my wonderful school Enniskillen Highschool’

Thank you to my fellow cast and crew!

Thank you to panto land and I wish you all – ‘a happy ever after!’