The Stuff of Dreams
Almost 12 months to the day of leaving Australia for the shores of the mother country, I find myself reflecting on the experiences I've had since I've arrived. I've learned a lot about myself, grown and hopefully changed for the better. I've done things I'd never imagined I would get to do. Sure, there's still plenty to be achieved, but there's still time. After all, I have another twelve months lined up over here.
But it's the last weekend that I've come here to reflect upon. One of the reasons London was on my list of places to go was for the thriving cultural scene: for the museums and the rich history, for the West End and its shows. I didn't come intending to see well-known people perform, but that happened. I met some of my favourite actors and my favourite musicians. My collection of photos and autographs unexpectedly exploded. I didn't expect Arthur Darvill. I certainly never expected Tom Hiddleston.
Darren Criss, however, was a dream far beyond any of my wildest.
I will willingly admit that I was one of many who discovered Darren through Glee. I knew of A Very Potter Musical, but hadn't watched it until I did that Google search every new fan does to try and find out all about this magical person you've just discovered. I fell fast and completely. I don't know what about Darren drew me in, but the more I saw, the more I adored.
I stumbled upon a video around the same time of the then recent flashmob by the Darren Criss Street Team. Now, I love flashmobbing and I was caught in my new obsession with Darren Criss, so this looked like something I needed to be a part of. A trip through Google found me the Street Team page. This was something I needed to be a part of. It was a group that weren't merely fans; they were a team who wanted to support a guy who was totally awesome and totally talented, and show the world this guy and why he was just so damn special. A goal I absolutely identified with, I joined and haven't looked back since.
I soon became an officer, co-leading the Australian chapter, and it's been an amazing journey. It's encouraged me to do a number of wild things in the name of Darren, from adapting books to writing song parodies, climbing onto a roof once, as well as assisting in event planning, some attempts more successful than others. More importantly, I've made so many friends. Across the country, drawn together by our love of Darren firstly, but also by so many other things, they've made me stronger. They've made me stronger, encouraged me, made me do crazy things and just let me be myself. In the words of the man himself, "There is nothing more badass than being yourself."
In the months leading up to my departure for London last year, I had some difficult moments and struggles with various things that shook my strength and sometimes made me doubt my conviction. God absolutely knows what he is doing and makes things work out for the best, and sometimes that means having already put in place in your life music and lyrics that encapsulate where you are and make you fight to be stronger, that remind you that you have control of your life and show those who are against you that you're in life to win it. For me, that was Darren's lyrics. Songs got played on a loop as I gritted my teeth and planned what was going to be my big win.
"No way you're find me in the background No damn way you're gonna see me satisfied No way they're ever gonna make me back down No, no way."
The life of an Australian Darren Criss Street Teamer though isn't an easy one. We're well-known as a country that is far away and, as a result, don't get an awful lot of people. Darren's influence on how my life was shaping up was getting stronger and stronger, but the chances of ever actually meeting the guy to tell him so were nearly impossible. Having performed on Broadway, on television, in movies and doing his own concert tour, an album in the works, he's in high demand. Getting to Australia? Highly unlikely. It makes an officer's work challenging, but hey, it'll make success all the more rewarding when we finally get him there.
But I'm not in Australia, am I? I'm in London. That's where, at a little convention called G4, the excitement went down. I love conventions. If it isn't your first, you see old friends. If it is your first, you have the chance to make new ones. You get to chat with those actors you see on TV, ask them questions and tell them things that you want them to know. When my friend and fellow officer, Laura, messaged me at an ungodly hour one Saturday morning to tell me Darren was going to be at this convention I was attending, needless to say, I completely flipped out.
I could not have been happier with this weekend. I got to catch up with my UK Street Teamers and share this excitement with them. I got to sit and chat with Darren and a few new friends for a couple of minutes, where I got to pass on greetings from my chapter and give him a gift on behalf of them. That was mind-blowing enough and it was just the first night. The next day I got to take a photo with the guy, which was incredible. Almost as incredible is how well the shot turned out. A photo with Darren? It's actually a crazy chance. Just one thing of many that I never expected to get to do.
Between sitting and listening to his Q&A session later that day and his concert later that evening, I was completely blown away. Darren talks a lot. An anecdote for everything, sometimes more, it was genuine and fun. He was clearly enjoying himself and as a result, so did the room of 500 of us.
The concert that evening was more than a dream and it took almost 24 hours for me to realise what an event that was, what an impact it was. An intimate gathering - if you can call 500 people intimate - the majority of us were sitting on the floor in front of a small stage for a concert that felt literally like a jam session in someone's living room. It wasn't a concert - it was a bunch of mates just hanging out. Darren, with the occasional help of his friends, crossed his entire repertoire - Disney, Little White Lie, Potter Musicals, Starship, original pieces, other covers, a Glee number. Anything I could have wanted to hear was there.
There were tears on my part on a couple of occasions. I expected none of that concert in my life. There were songs that reminded me of how I found Darren in the first place. There were songs that reminded me of my street team and the friends I've made there. There were songs that reminded me of the girl I was before I came here and made me reflect on my unbelievable year and how much stronger I am. This guy has done so much to change my life without even meaning to and there it all was, laid out in that room around me.
As I've previously said, being an Australian Street Teamer means you're often presented with setbacks, working against the obstacle of giant oceans to achieve anything. But as well as just celebrating myself as a person, this weekend reminded me of just why I got into the Street Team to begin with. Darren is about passion, fun, hilarity, and being yourself regardless of anything else. He's about showing that no matter how much you screw up a song, you can still come out the other side and laugh about it. Try things, give it everything, but don't be afraid to laugh if it doesn't work out. Don't give in because people are saying no or because obstacles seem stacked up against you. One day, things will work out in your favour and you'll see those dreams laid out in front of you. You'll be stronger. Say no to the status quo.
