Let's read...

Success to them was living without fear, was living in a free country. And then in 2005, I read an article that changed my life. It was an interview that was with Oprah Winfrey. And the reporter was asking Oprah, "I don't understand it, Oprah, how do you do all the things that you do? You have a TV show, you write books, you do speeches, you act in movies, you produce movies and TV series. How do you do it?" And she said, "Well, I know what it is that I want. And when it... you know what it is that you want, you can take the steps to make that happen. Most people don't know what it is that they want." What do I want? That was a terrifying question to me. How could I even want anything? Like, I felt that that's a question you can't ask yourself. That is something other people can ask, but not me. Why? I had everything. In 2005, I had the greatest parents. I had an amazing husband, children. We had our health. We were living the life. To ask a question like "What do I want?" felt selfish. It felt greedy. It felt that I couldn't. And so I didn't ask the question. I tried to ask it, but I kept getting shut down. I wouldn't even allow myself the fantasy of asking that question. But as an actor, we have an actors' game and that's called "What if?" So I started thinking, "What if I could want something, what would it be?" What if? And so I'd go jogging, and I'd go walking, and I'd go hiking, and I'd be asking myself that question. What if I could want something, what would it be? And one day, the answer came to me.

Let's follow Rita Wilson...

Success to them / was living without fear, / was living in a free country. // And then in 2005, / I read an article / that changed my life. // It was an interview that was / with Oprah Winfrey. / And the reporter was asking Oprah, / "I don't understand it, Oprah, / how do you do all the things that you do? // You have a TV show, / you write books, / you do speeches, / you act in movies, / you produce movies and TV series. // How do you do it?" // And she said, / "Well, / I know what it is that I want. // And when it... / you know what it is that you want, // you can take the steps to make that happen. // Most people don't know what it is that they want." // What do I want? // That was a terrifying question to me. // How could I even want anything? // Like, I felt that / that's a question you can't ask / yourself. // That is something / other people can ask, / but not me. // Why? // I had everything. // In 2005, / I had the greatest parents. // I had an amazing husband, / children. // We had our health. // We were living the life. // To ask a question like / "What do I want?” // felt selfish. // It felt greedy. // It felt that I couldn't. // And so I didn't ask the question. // I tried to ask it, / but I kept getting shut down. // I wouldn't even allow myself the fantasy / of asking that question. // But as an actor, / we have an actors' game / and that's called / "What if?" // So I started thinking, / "What if / I could want something, / what would it be?" // What if? // And so I'd go jogging, / and I'd go walking, / and I'd go hiking, / and I'd be asking myself that question. // What if I could want something, / what would it be? // And one day, / the answer came to me. //

Let's read...

Music. Music was the thing that gave me joy. When I look back on what gave me joy as a child, it was music. I would sing "Ode to Billy Joe" at the drop of a hat. And by the way, what the heck is going on in that song? My mom and I would drive in the radio; I would hear music on the radio, and she would say things to me in her Greek accent like "That song going to be a hit." And we would sing along. I took a job as a ticket-taker at a concert venue called the Universal Amphitheatre because all summer long I could take the tickets, but we were allowed to watch the concerts. And I would sit on those steps, and I would watch the artists come through all summer - all the greats. And I thought to myself, "How? How do they do it? How do they get up there? How do they get in a band? How do you write music? How long does it take to learn an instrument?" I didn't know how to make that happen. There wasn't YouTube at the time. My dad was a bartender; my mom was a housemaker - nobody in the business that I knew - but I wanted it so badly. So back to 2005, I get this epiphany of music, and shortly thereafter, I'm having a meeting with my agency. And I walked into the office, and they asked me the typical question when you're having a meeting with your agent: "So, Rita, tell us what it is that you want. What do you want to do?" And I said the words, "Music. I wouldn't mind doing a musical."

Let's follow Rita Wilson...

Music. / Music was the thing / that gave me joy. // When I look back on / what gave me joy as a child, / it was music. // I would sing / "Ode to Billy Joe" at the drop of a hat. // And by the way, / what the heck is going on in that song? // My mom and I would drive in the radio; / I would hear music on the radio, / and she would say things to me in her Greek accent like / "That song / going to be a hit." // And we would sing along. // I / took a job / as a ticket-taker at a concert venue called the Universal Amphitheatre / because all summer long / I could take the tickets, / but we were allowed to watch the concerts. // And I would sit on those steps, / and I would watch the artists / come through all summer - all the greats. // And I thought to myself, / "How? / How do they do it? // How do they get up there? // How do they get in a band? // How do you write music? // How long does it take to learn an instrument?" // I didn't know how to make that happen. // There wasn't YouTube at the time. // My dad was a bartender; / my mom was a housemaker / - nobody in the business that I knew / - but I wanted it so badly. // So back to 2005, / I get this epiphany of music, / and shortly thereafter, / I'm having a meeting with my agency. // And I walked into the office, / and they asked me the typical question when you're having a meeting with your agent: / "So, Rita, / tell us what it is / that you want. // What do you want to do?" // And I said the words, / "Music. / I wouldn't mind doing a musical." //