Can you imagine?
Can you imagine a live action, or maybe a stage scene, based on the Alice and Wonderland characters Mad Hatter, played by Stephen Fry, the March Hare played by Lin Manual Miranda, and the door mouse is Patton Oswald…? Marcus imagined this and I would love to see it!
Can you imagine a live action, or maybe a stage scene, based on the Alice and Wonderland characters Mad Hatter, played by @stephenfry, the March Hare played by @Lin_Manuel and the door mouse is @pattonoswalt …? Marcus (@MarcusMusical) imagined this and I would love to see it!
— Mardra Sikora (@MardraSikora) July 23, 2020
Human and Storytelling
I believe that sharing stories is one key to understanding and linking our human experiences and helps us to be, in fact, human. It’s not as easy as it looks.
Both, that is…Being human and sharing stories.
Because, done well, it also includes listening. Listening to truths you’d rather not be true. Adventures you’d rather not be real. Dark, hard, and uncomfortable settings. And on.
It includes mistakes. And when opening minds, it includes learning, sometimes from your own mistakes.
As a writer, advocate, and ally, I’ve made mistakes. I make attempts at redemption through repeating the process of listening and learning.
And being human includes fear. I think we’re all afraid right now.
Master Yoda puts fear at the top of the causal path to evil.
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
Hm. Tall truth from a short muppet.
It’s an election year, so the customary practice to wield fear as a platform weapon is en force.
Good times.
I’ll just drop this here:
Fearless
Living bravely is much harder than being fearless. That’s what makes bravery a noble act.
I’ve mentioned before, Marcus and I…we’re not fearless. However, Marcus chooses to be brave.
Today I’m thinking about fearless because there’s a new song by the Goo Goo Dolls called “Fearless” and Marcus and I are doing some creative fan club work with it today.
Maybe there will be something to share later.
Can you imagine?
Marcus also did creative work Sunday on his own bizarre Jack and the Beanstalk take-off. It included the usual characters of Jack, the Giant, and the talking harp. However he added two other heroes (his cousins Dean and Malek), a gold duck (of course!), the devil (and full demon army), and a magic mirror with a very convincing evil laugh.
The one area that Marcus is fearless is creating. He doesn’t seem to care about that niggling editor who worries and chastises. Nope. When he starts a story, he follows it anywhere.
You’ve heard the quote, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”
I feel like Marcus has that edge on us when creating. Not because he can’t or doesn’t “fail” but because he doesn’t let fear of same keep him from following the muse anywhere.
And why should he? Have you seen the Tony Award winning musical Something Rotten? or read Alice in Wonderland? Marcus’ work is wild like those trips.
Fear-full
How much of what I fear is “just in my imagination” – Fear, at its best – is designed to protect us. I’m trying. Is it enough?
Who knows? There are plenty of opinions all around me, but
I mean really…who knows?
I’m so tired. I know we all are. We push on and imagine…
This song wraps me like a blanket; here, I’ll share it with you.
Now…You!
This is a bloghop with the question:
Can You Imagine?
Where does that take you? Tell us here:
My little (big) dream is to have a little cookie business so that my daughter who has Down syndrome, has employment and I want to be able to hire others with disabilities. Like having a little bistro. We are moving to a much bigger place soon and I want to start planning this. She is still young (only 7) but I need to start now (or soon) as I can’t wait for when she is out of school.
That’s a pretty great dream for your family and community. I’m sure she will have her own helpful and insightful ideas along the way. It will be fun to watch your adventure together!
I’m not as fearful of failure as I am flattened when someone else tells me I’m a failure. Not that I should believe them or even continue listening… But there is something about using failure as a weapon that is more damaging than disrespect – it hits at the very heart of what we all want to be and do.
True and lovely – and encouraging – words, as always…xoxox
Oh yes – or even insinuating- ugh. Thanks for your kind comment!
Marcus’ stories are so creative. What would each of us do if we could follow a story where it goes without that annoying editor/critic voice in our heads? I hope I’ll find out sooner than later. And yes, these are scary and crazy times. Here’s to speaking up, speaking out, and creating with the wild abandonment that Marcus creates with!
Amen!