This week we are travelling back in Art 4’s past to revisit our favorite characters from past seasons to give us some guidance and reassure us that we are not alone. In all of our seasons, we set out to find tiny shows that packed a punch, with strong characters and relevant stories. So, let’s reexamine what those characters had to say. Although these words are from fictional people, we still can reap the benefits of listening to and understanding what they have to say about life.
“And when you least expect, opportunity walks through the door! You suddenly connect to the things that you forgot that you were looking for.” - Heidi, [Title of Show]
Let’s go all the way back to the beginning, shall we? We introduced ourselves to the world with the musical comedy, [title of show]. For those who don’t know, this is a musical about two gay men who travel to the Big Apple to write their own show and get it produced. Sound familiar?
The past few months have been our opportunity to look at life anew. Many of us probably discovered that we don’t need everything that we once thought we did. We could live a simpler life. That is an opportunity for change. As we continue to progress into a “new normal,” consider looking back at the life you had just led about a month ago. Consider what you had forgotten about that you rediscovered in your time home. Is this something that you can implement into your daily life again?
As we consider these questions, let’s move on to our next show, Seaside Cabaret! What a heartwarming, fun experience that was! Now, this cabaret was PACKED with inspirational quotes, but we had to pick one of our favorites.
“Opening up. Letting the day in over a cup, we’ll say ‘hello, how ya been?’ Looking around seeing the same things. Every day brings: ‘hello, how ya been?’ ‘Thank you, come again!’ Some things never change.” - Ensemble, Waitress
We can safely say we are opening up. Not only are states opening up and moving to a new phase of normalcy, but we have watched our community, as well as communities around the world, open up emotionally and generously. The support South Bend residents give to each other will never change. When we look around and see our wonderful community, we are so thankful. Wherever you are, consider what has been unwavering in your life; how do these things positively affect your day, even if they are monotonous?
Moving down the line! Our next show was by far the most popular amongst all of our productions. There is no question as to why that is. Next to Normal highlights a family being torn by grief, unstable mental health, and a mix of other barriers to their healthy familial life. Although this sounds absolutely heart-wrenching and terrible, there are many lessons to be learned from these strong characters.
“Take this chance and we’ll make a new start somewhere far from what keeps us apart. And I swear that somewhere in the night there’s a light, a light in the dark.” - Dan, Next to Normal
We don’t know about you, but we could use this reminder right now. There is a light in the dark, a tunnel has an end, a river must open to a pond. There is something more than what we are experiencing right now. Our future has much more in store for us than we can even possibly imagine if we take a chance and let our present guide us there. If we need a new start, it is coming. Just wait. There is a bright light at the end of the darkness. You may have experienced this light already, but if you are still waiting, we encourage you to hold out in hopes that a new start is right around the corner!
Speaking of lights, we now move onto Ghost Quartet. If this is your first introduction to this song cycle, here is a bit of background. This show is a retelling of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher.” It includes 4 woven stories from two sisters, an astronomer and an evil bear. Strange right? Yes, but in fact it has powerful messages that we can take with us wherever we go.
“I will light myself on fire. It’s time to get out of bed and be the starchild I can be.” - Brittain, Ghost Quartet
First of all, what does being a starchild mean? A starchild is someone who is more unique than the majority of people. Starchildren have perceptive abilities beyond most. They can also be referred to as Old Souls or Star Seeds. In our opinion, everyone is a starchild because at our core, we are more unique than any other person on the planet. After all, there is only one of us.
This means that we all can ignite a fire within ourselves to discover our true inner being. Brittain suggests that she is sleeping on herself and the only way to wake up is to push herself to be the person she truly is deep down. Imagine if we all discovered this trait in ourselves; how would the world change? There could be many different outcomes, but we are deciding to challenge ourselves to see what the answer to that question is. We encourage you to explore this for yourself and if you are comfortable, share it with the world!
Last but not least, we uncover our final show of Art 4’s past seasons, Songs of a New World. This song cycle is full of self-discovery, willful and trustworthy moves and is packed with inspiration for us all.
“Listen to the songs that I sing. Listen to the words in my heart. Listen to the hope I can bring, and you’ll start to grow and shine! Listen to the song that I sing and trust me, we’ll be fine. A new world calls across the ocean!” - Ensemble, Songs for a New World
Listen to the world around you and you might uncover something new. In our fast paced lives and never ending to-do lists, we sometimes lose the meaning of what it means to be alive: to listen, to react, to engage with the people around us. If we do this, we can, indeed, reach across the ocean to a new world.
Thank you for re-living a part of Art 4’s past. We cannot wait for what the future holds, and we look forward to engaging with you all in whatever capacity we can.