A professional performer and New Orleans teacher, Donald Lewis, Jr. has shared his stories with scores of Louisiana children over the decades atschools and libraries around the state. He's delighted New Orleans audiences in dozens of theatrical performances over the years. And many have heard his sonorous deep voice over the airwaves on WWOZ and WRBH 88.3 FM, Radio for the Blind and Print Handicapped.

In this childhood music memory, Donald shares how his love of the stage first began.

Donald was living in Texas when he was five or six years old, and he had the lead role in a performance of “She’ll Be Coming around the Mountain."

It was a little skit created just for kids. The children were dressed in cowboy hats and riding around on mop horses, and Donald was proud to belt out the lines of the song.

It was that moment, in front of the audience, that he got the acting and performance bug!

Donald did not want to leave the stage. After the performance was over, and at the end of the night while all the people for leaving the auditorium, Donald ran from his parents and went back to the stage to start his performance all over.

Donald's mother had to scoop him up and pull him away from the stage. And that was Donald’s first glorious introduction to the stage limelight.

Thanks, Donald, for sharing this fun childhood memory!!!

Confetti Park is supported by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and Music Rising at Tulane University.