Each month for a year Prudential is gifting free tickets to theatre fans from across the U.S. with the Prudential Marquee Moments Broadway Ticket Giveaway, presented by Playbill. For the chance to win, entrants are answering the prompt, "Tell us about a time you seized the moment and—after asking yourself, ‘Now what?’—changed your life for the better?" in a short essay or video. Read a few of last month's most stirring responses below.
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Kara Sandberg: "I had always dreamed of becoming a professional dancer, and trained hard every day, but I was told by a top Hollywood dance agent that my ethnic makeup would not be accepted in the industry and I would not work. I was determined to dance, so I decided to take a leap of faith and move to New York City to pursue my dream. When I arrived in the city, I auditioned for everything I could. Within a month I had booked the Rockettes, danced for chart topping music talent, and had my foot squarely in the door. I have since left NY to raise my family, but I love to bring them back and show them my world that came before them."
Jennifer Gorman: "1989, Spring, Brandeis University. I was a junior in College, studying sociology. One evening, drinking with friends, as college students do, we began to lament our fate as liberal arts majors. Now what? Were we doomed to ask, "Would you like fries with that?" So, we took turns offering suggestions for the future. At my turn, a friend asked, "What do you love." I answered, " I love theater and sharing my love of Judaism." "You should be a rabbi," they said. Never before had I thought of this career path. But in that split second, my decision was made. My path was set. I began my application the next day. There weren't many women in the rabbinate yet. Without intending, my career has been a series of firsts, of breaking down doors and breaking through glass ceilings. If there's a job in the rabbinate, I've done it. I lived in 3 countries, five states, one province. I've worked in education, congregations, and with the US Navy, with Jews, Christians, and Muslims. It all began with a split-second decision."
Mike Bober: "I planned to propose to my now-wife at a picnic that she backed out of at the last minute. I had already made reservations at one of our favorite, fancier restaurants for that evening and had even told the restaurant that we were coming in to celebrate an engagement. Because the engagement hadn't happened, I had to scramble to let the restaurant know not to say anything. I also had to come up with a reason to share with my girlfriend for choosing that place for dinner on a random weekend. I wasn't sure I'd propose at all, but when dinner was done, I suggested we take a walk along a nearby canal, and then stopped at a bench in a picturesque spot. Deciding to seize the moment, I dropped to one knee and delivered my impromptu proposal. She said yes, and my life has been better ever since."
Sujatha Bala: "I was the last person standing before in the US Consulate at my country that day and I heard my name being called. I was hesitant to answer, I wanted to turn around and run back to the things I know: My parents, my friends, and the place I grew up. I suddenly did not want to move out of my country. I felt I was betraying the land where I was born and the land that gave me the opportunity to become me. My name was called again, and I inched forward with these thoughts weighing me down. I reluctantly answered the questions I was asked by the interviewer for my visa and then was asked to go home. I learnt later that my visa was granted, and it was a “now what” moment. I left everything that I know behind and came to the USA to do my doctoral studies, and slowly learnt that the world is where you are and what you make of the things around you. You find brothers, sisters, and friends in those around you. It’s in those moments of giving to those around me I found the meaning of my life."
Mackenzie Jacob: "I had barely been abroad before, but always dreamed of immersing myself in a culture other than my own. The summer after freshman year of college, I decided to live in the Middle East for four months and work on an internship. I had never been to the region before, but something drew me to the experience. I challenged myself and had the summer of a lifetime, making friends I have to this day four years later. Sadly, months later, COVID hit and shut the world down. If I hadn’t taken that leap of faith when I did, if I told myself “You’re too young, wait until next summer, there never would have been a next summer. Living in the Middle East changed my whole perspective on life and made me so grateful for every day I have on this earth. Take that risk!!!!!!!!!"
Christopher Dong: "Coming out of the closet is a powerful and life changing moment for many individuals. It is a deeply personal experience that requires courage, self-acceptance, and the desire to live authentically. One evening, after spending hours reflecting and wrestling with my fears, I decided to seize the moment and invited my closest friends and family to reveal that I identified as a gay man. In that moment, a wave of relief washed over me. I realized that I had taken a significant step towards self-acceptance and surrounded myself with a community that embraced me. By seizing the moment and coming out, I felt that I started on a path towards authenticity and liberation. In the weeks and months that followed, I continued to share my truth with others in my life, gradually expanding my circle of acceptance. My decision to seize the moment and live openly as a gay man transformed my life for the better, opening doors to personal growth, self-acceptance, and authentic relationships."
