Talent Heals
Could you imagine a world without the arts? Raw gifting used to put into expression what is felt in the heart and unable to define appropriately with mere words, is something I cherish.
With all the current media resources, the opportunities to enhance and reveal abilities are endless, opening doors like never before. Confession coming… I am addicted to Tic Tok, a place to find good and to find bad. Yet if kept in balance, the brief videos present an opportunity to open eyes to incredible beauty within humanity. Talent that could remain hidden from lack of opportunity has lessened greatly. From musicians, to painters, to comedians, to teachers, to preachers, to the incredible innocence in children, to the passionate movement of revealing to the world an evil cause, people are using the platform to creatively find a voice.
Music has been the “art space” that consumes the largest amount of my time. My greatest coping mechanism has served me incredibly well during the resent traumatic time of pandemic and continues to place the empowering voice in my head that needs continual reminders of what is Good. Zoom call music videos, saxophones crying from balconies, flash mobs in public spaces, lyrics that hit a more profound level, an explosion of duets with vocalists from different cultures, were like seeds sprouting out of the suffering.
The pandemic also exposed the more hidden epidemic of mental illness, it is going to take more talent, more dedication, and more Love within an army of people to remind others of their worthiness and their purpose. We are created for relationships. When we were isolated, homebound, and lonely, the value of family and friends was not taken for granted. Stress was beyond imagination and yet many were able to find support within their circle of knowing. Unfortunately, there were also many who remained by themselves, physically, emotionally and mentally.
Due to consequences from the world shutting down, performances on Broadway was paused, so the Musical, Almost Famous was forced to delay its opening until the fall of 2022. When the movie by the same name, starring Kate Hudson was released it was a huge hit, with superfans and all. The times were very different in the year 2000. The World Trade Center towers were still standing, which gave Americans a security that would soon be shaken. With the release of the musical, one would wonder if the message would still have impact, considering the culture of the whole world has been rocked to the core.
Dreaming of a world with no attachments, no boundaries, where everyone is cool, feels like the mindset we all experience as a teenager. Who cannot relate to gaining your independence, moving in a stride of reckless behavior, all the while seeking your passion. Doesn’t every human being, experience this in one way or another?
For some the learning path of discovering what is Real will be less painful than for others. People in high profile careers may take longer to experience the value of needing others, especially because extreme talent along with being equipped to handle the stress can delay the opportunity and can lead to a blindness of thinking until something changes. The “wealthiest, and most talented” pay a price for success.
The Truth is that without attachments, without boundaries, and trying to be something you are not (cool) will never lead to Freedom. No one has the privilege to do whatever they like, whenever they like because no one is an island. We are all connected. When one suffers, the people around them suffer. It’s a ripple effect.
All the AF characters, except for Lester, are moving in their own worlds to find fulfillment. Lester, an experienced voice, attempts to provide wisdom to William, the 15-year-old who has been hired to write an article on an upcoming rock band sensation. Lester cautions William to not get sucked into the lie of self-promotion. William, whose frontal lobe is not yet developed, yearns to follow his mom’s voice of not getting into drugs but fails at making the healthy decisions to how to stay true to himself. He gets caught even though he had been directly warned that the band and the Bandaides (groupies) would bring him in and befriend him to control the narrative of the story that Will intends to write.
Chaos ensues and none of the characters were finding happiness where they thought they would. Penny Lane, the leader of the Bandaides finally has enough and decides to set a boundary. She will not be used anymore. A ripple effect is set in motion. Most would seek revenge, but she responds in a way to make things Real. Her actions create a wave of relational healing. She is then free to pursue her dream of going to Morroco!
Freedom without connectivity is understood bondage. Life needs to be Real, authentic. We have been living the lies of independence for way too long. Without relationships, life loses its value. So many people in the world are living alone physically or emotionally. We need to get back and rediscover what is more important than anything of this world, family, and friends, those we know and those we have yet to meet.
So how can a movie production that was initially released in 2000 have impact on the theater stage in 2022? By revealing what we all need reminded of. We are created to live in community. We are created to love one another. Each one of us has a valuable purpose. Competition and comparison are just lies that get in the way of this Truth!
If you get to NYC, consider seeing Almost Famous! The life enhancing message delivered by a talented cast with many surprises, humor lightening the mood, and creative, moving sets takes you to a place where you can relate personally and continue to enjoy when the curtain comes down. Emotions arise, with more laughter than pain, keeping it Real and not crossing the line of deep suffering or painful triggers.
Almost Famous checks all my boxes…coping mechanism of music, promoting a message of the value of relationship, a powerful piece in correcting lies that settle in and hold people in mental illness, NYC, family, and…
oh yeah… my talented niece plays an amazing Anita, and has 18 costume changes! I can’t wait to see it again!