When I was sitting with my baby, then in 3rd grade at the back row watching “Annie Jr,” after grabbing some of the final remaining seats at the box office, I had no idea what to expect. The next year, he played a villain despite being the softest kid in the block and not having an ounce of evil in him. His singing got him the part, but boy did he boom on stage. He went on the following year to play lead, Horton Jr, where he was Dr. Seuss’ elephant, a part he cherished a lot due to his singing prowess and his fond affection for that animal since birth. Aaaphooonttt he would call it. His rendition of “Saaala Saaaloooo” still makes me cry. It was so heartfelt and real. One desi grandma called him “Hamare Desh ki Shaan,” and another parent called his performance the equivalent of “Sultan” fighting in the ring. “Maaza aa gaya” he said. In Middle School, this streak continued into him playing a role that was a hand-in-glove fit for him, “Issel,” the naive and trusting prince who got killed due to the vile of a wicked cousin. His singing lit up the stage, and his solo was one of the most applauded.

Perhaps the most unforgettable part he played was the one where he played Mufasa in the Lion King Jr. He was nothing like a father, being one of the youngest looking on stage, but his voice was what made him Mufasa. Booming and filling the pipe. His solos and group singing alike just made you tear up and feel the pain of Mufasa as he is parting from his son, or is unable to play with him. He then went on to play a mature role of Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof. Ever the rebel and the singer, he aced that role, being a better singer than actor. My baby is not comfortable with romantic scenes and is not able to finesse in front of girls. That is very unlike me, but he gets that bit of shyness, a paradox on stage, from his mother, who never performed on the big stage despite having an abundance of singing talent.

Then after a couple of years of academic hiatus, he appeared one last time on the big stage of the McAfee to play King Triton in the Little Mermaid Jr. Arguably this was the worst show for singing youth men, but he would not miss the opportunity to bid a final hurrah to his musical career in K-12 school. This marks his 8th performance, including a summer gig he did virtually during COVID-19! He lit up the stage holding the trident, singing to his daughter, the mermaid Arie, and giving it his fullest.

The words of the musical director that Tarun was ever the musician, the eager creative contributor, and a leader who aspired to young voices, summarized his contributions. This final performance, I was sitting in one of the rear rows with my little son, perhaps completing the circle of life and sparking that little inspiration in the next generation. I have no idea whether my little son will pursue this track, but the exposure is our responsibility.

In this age of AI and techno driven society, one has to wonder how long these musicals and stage shows will go on or be supported. But for as long as human expression is alive, tech will further our abilities to express ourselves. I began contemplating some ideas for how AI can give real-time feedback to the artists and technicians to allow them to improvise if they so wanted to. Audience engagement, demographics, and tastes, if available to artists, may spark even more extemporaneous and creativity on the fly within allowable expression and preparation within the group.

When I was sitting with my baby, then in 3rd grade at the back row watching “Annie Jr,” after grabbing some of the final remaining seats at the box office, I had no idea what to expect. The next year, he played a villain despite being the softest kid in the block and not having an ounce of evil in him. His singing got him the part, but boy did he boom on stage. He went on the following year to play lead, Horton Jr, where he was Dr. Seuss’ elephant, a part he cherished a lot due to his singing prowess and his fond affection for that animal since birth. Aaaphooonttt he would call it. His rendition of “Saaala Saaaloooo” still makes me cry. It was so heartfelt and real. One desi grandma called him “Hamare Desh ki Shaan,” and another parent called his performance the equivalent of “Sultan” fighting in the ring. “Maaza aa gaya” he said. In Middle School, this streak continued into him playing a role that was a hand-in-glove fit for him, “Issel,” the naive and trusting prince who got killed due to the vile of a wicked cousin. His singing lit up the stage, and his solo was one of the most applauded.

Perhaps the most unforgettable part he played was the one where he played Mufasa in the Lion King Jr. He was nothing like a father, being one of the youngest looking on stage, but his voice was what made him Mufasa. Booming and filling the pipe. His solos and group singing alike just made you tear up and feel the pain of Mufasa as he is parting from his son, or is unable to play with him. He then went on to play a mature role of Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof. Ever the rebel and the singer, he aced that role, being a better singer than actor. My baby is not comfortable with romantic scenes and is not able to finesse in front of girls. That is very unlike me, but he gets that bit of shyness, a paradox on stage, from his mother, who never performed on the big stage despite having an abundance of singing talent.

Then after a couple of years of academic hiatus, he appeared one last time on the big stage of the McAfee to play King Triton in the Little Mermaid Jr. Arguably this was the worst show for singing youth men, but he would not miss the opportunity to bid a final hurrah to his musical career in K-12 school. This marks his 8th performance, including a summer gig he did virtually during COVID-19! He lit up the stage holding the trident, singing to his daughter, the mermaid Arie, and giving it his fullest.

The words of the musical director that Tarun was ever the musician, the eager creative contributor, and a leader who aspired to young voices, summarized his contributions. This final performance, I was sitting in one of the rear rows with my little son, perhaps completing the circle of life and sparking that little inspiration in the next generation. I have no idea whether my little son will pursue this track, but the exposure is our responsibility.

In this age of AI and techno driven society, one has to wonder how long these musicals and stage shows will go on or be supported. But for as long as human expression is alive, tech will further our abilities to express ourselves. I began contemplating some ideas for how AI can give real-time feedback to the artists and technicians to allow them to improvise if they so wanted to. Audience engagement, demographics, and tastes, if available to artists, may spark even more extemporaneous and creativity on the fly within allowable expression and preparation within the group.