Nathaniel spent time building with blocks. He worked in a quiet corner of the living room. Inger passed her time watching television. She sipped on warm tea. Wilhelm, her son, walked toward his mother. His face was adorned with a big smile.
"Mom, I have some happy news," he shared with pure excitement.
Inger shifted her gaze towards Wilhelm. She was curious. She asked, "What is it, Wilhelm?"
Wilhelm replied, "In March our school is commemorating its founding anniversary. There will be four plays. They are works of Shakespeare. 'Merchant of Venice' is one of them. In it I'll play the lead. My name is Antonio."
Inger's visage radiated with pride and joy. "Oh Wilhelm! That's wonderful news! I am so very proud of you, dear son. I know you'll handle this well." Wilhelm felt warmth in heart. He was happy to see his mother's happiness. "Thank you Mom," said Wilhelm. "I will strive to make you even prouder."
Later that same night, Wilhelm devoted his time to studying. The topic was Antonio's character. His emotions and his personality were under scrutiny. The intention was to grasp the character completely. This way Wilhelm could effectively express Antonio's personality and emotions when in front of the audience.
He invested time reading every part of the play several times over. The purpose was to make a good understanding. He took detailed notes. Every scene was analyzed. The focus turned towards Antonio's associations. His motivations his inner turmoil was closely studied.
Antonio's lines were rehearsed with varied emotions. The goal was to discover the perfect equilibrium for every scene.
Wilhelm was extremely excited for this opportunity, thinking of each stage of the process with relish. Although he acknowledged that playing Antonio would be very challenging, Wilhelm was more than prepared to put everything he had into the role.
With the enthusiasm came a sense of confidence that this part would commence to a strong performance, yet it also came with an awareness that playing Antonio would be a great obstacle that he would be able to give his all.