When I was 13 and in 8th grade, our homeschool group's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance" boasted no less than 57 cast members. Those of you unfamiliar with the plot of the story, all you need to know is that there are three groups of characters: policemen, pirates, and daughters of the Major General. I was a "daughter," along with 16 lovely young ladies. I was close with many of my "sisters," but two in particular play an important role in the story of Lady Tutterfly.
To set the stage for the coming action, it is important that I share with you that I have always had a passion for butterflies. Since I was only a little girl, my friends showered me with butterfly gifts and often called me such endearing names as "little butterfly" and "butterfly girl."
That is why one of my "sisters," Nicole, thought of me when her neice brought her a moth and said, "Auntie Nicole, I caught a tutterfly!" Nicole came to rehearsal the next day and told me that I was "her little tutterfly." She related the story of her neice's moth and I was henceforth known to the entire cast as "tutterfly."
Our musical debuted at the local high school, and though the 57 of us were sad to say goodbye to rehearsals, we consoled ourselves with many cast reunions throughout the summer. When September rolled around, it was time for my 14th birthday party. Of course, all of my "sisters" were invited.
Holly, my "sister" and friend, gave me a portrait of Lady Tutterfly. She did a marvelous job, and I still have the gorgeous original proudly displayed on my wall. I've also expanded the realm of Lady Tutterfly's fame by having her portrait reproduced on mousepads, posters and even adopting it as the logo for my jewelry business, Tutterfly Designs.
Tutterfly Designs Facebook Group
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