“When Life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?
Too much Sanity may be madness…
and maddest of all: to see Life as it is, and not as it should be!”
As our eyes open and our vision scans the World around us...what do we see?
Are we “overcome” with what we interpret as negativity?
Do we tend to look too closely at the dark-side of what we assume to be “Reality?”
OR...do we rise above that negativity to envision a World and its People enwrapped within the “blanket” of HOPE?
THE EAST COAST,
SEPTEMBER, 1972
The school bell rings, ending the 7th Period Class…the last class of the day.
The sounds of all the students rushing through the halls of the New Jersey high school are, definitely, “music to my ears.”
Several of the older male students “hightail” it to the locker room to shed their everyday clothes, and assume the practice attire of the school’s football team. Others make their way to various points of after school clubs, sports activities, etc., while several (but, NOT many) simply journey homewards.
HOWEVER…more than 60 students, grades 10, 11, 12, rush to the school’s auditorium…grab seats as close to the auditorium stage as they are able…and anxiously await the arrival of the high school’s Director of Dramatics…the Director of the well-known Drama Group, the IMAGE PLAYERS.
A single chair is only object “living” on the stage this afternoon. It was placed center stage earlier that same day by a member of the Stage Crew. It awaits the arrival of the Director.
A hush gradually wends its way throughout the waiting crowd of students. Then……
Footsteps can be heard making their way from the Director’s “Green Room” stage-left of the audience.
He arrives…swings the waiting chair backwards…and straddles himself downwards on its seat.
The silence is broken by the thunderous applause emanating from the Audience of Image Players.
The NEW SEASON has arrived.
AS the students settle down once again, the Director, first welcomes everybody to the new season of Performance Art, and then attempts to answer the many questions voiced to him.
The most critical question which arises concerns what dramatic performances will be offered by the group during the current school year.
Having staged several productions the previous year which acquired statewide recognition, how could the current year rise above? Last season’s roster included such memorable productions such as the musical “CAMELOT.”
WHAT NOW???
Looks like the “best” was behind the group. “Maybe we should just ‘wrap it up,’ live in the Past, and dismantle the entire group!”
But then, the Director motioned to the Stage Crew in the wings…and, immediately, the sounds of music filled the air of the auditorium.
The melody which was played to the waiting students that afternoon was the song “THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM”…the most well-known song from the musical, MAN OF LA MANCHA.
The Director rose from his seat…stretched out his arms…and motioned to the many students to join him on the stage. Everyone immediately rushed to floorboards, and joined the Director in song.
The decision was made! The first major production of that year would be MAN OF LA MANCHA….
AND, IT WAS!!!
After long months of rehearsals, set building, costuming, etc., the production was staged in the second week of January, 1973…and, un-expectantly , again the following week…and again the week after that…and so on.
The negative possibilities voiced in early September were less than wisps of memories.
HERE, AND NOW
As the Summer months of 2020 begin to melt into the days of September, the “Director” once again finds himself observing the effects of negativity all around.
He hears voices throughout the Region and beyond questioning the Future…wondering what can be done to “move forward” in a Positive manner.
“How can we ‘recapture’ the glory and Hope of the Past? AND..is it REALLY worth it???
Most of all: “What do we need to do?” Everywhere we look we see turmoil and despair.”
YET
Permit me, as I did in 1972, to borrow the words of DON QUIOXTE (Miguel de Cervantes).
Let each of us join together and rise above the turmoil...to reach our true Reality, our Dream for our World.
That Dream is NOT IMPOSSIBLE! It IS within our reach, our grasp. BELIEVE!!!
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave
dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste
from afar
To try when your arms
are too weary
To reach the unreachable star
This is my quest,
to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause
And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lay
peaceful and calm
When I’m laid to my rest
And the world will be better
for this
That one man scorned and
covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To fight the unbeatable foe
To reach the unreachable star
MAY EVERY MOMENT OF YOUR EVERY DAY BE FILLED WITH LOVE, PEACE, AND HOPE!
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