In March, I will be music directing the music, Cinderella, for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside theater department. Today, while learning the show, I realized a few things.

To learn a musical:

1. Start by playing what you can and make all the mistakes possible.

2. Take a step back and learn every singer's part note-by-note. Think about the story they are trying to tell and why.

3. Re-play your part, but this time play it slowly and tap into what the singers are trying to communicate.

4. Play your part again at the correct tempo.

The other day I wrote about playing the gig; here's another way to think about doing life better.

1. Start by making mistakes: asking questions, learning, failing, getting up, and doing it again.

2. Take a step back - listen, see who's in the room, try to understand where they're going and how you help them.

3. Try again, this time mindful of the space you hold, your role, and what you're all trying to do.

4. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

It's a different kind of Cinderella story, but it works.