paganism » The Juggler

Godspell at Mysterium: the joys of being fluffy

Mar 032013

There is something so special in all things NEW. We spend our lives operating under assumptions and paradigms that have stuck with us for years. Those old paradigms can be about things as minor as our morning shower routine or as major as our religious beliefs and practices. They give us comfort, but they can also rot, transforming from a useful structure into an obstacle that keeps us from moving forward with our physical, mental, and spiritual lives.

But we’ve all had that experience of newness. Perhaps it was a new child that completely changed our lives, knocked the senses out of us, but resulted in a completely revised and healthier view of life. Perhaps it was a new job, one that forced us to think and act in a new way. For many of us, it was a new religion. We have all had that time where we were so excited about all the amazing things we were learning about the Goddess, about the Aesir, about whatever pantheon we attach to that we felt charged with excitement to get out and share it with the world. The Pagan community often refers to this as the “Fluffy Bunny” stage- a stage where everything about the world is rainbows and light and unicorns, and all you want to do is share those rainbows with the entire world.

Godspell, the now classic musical by Wicked creator Stephen Schwartz, opened this weekend at Mysterium Theater. It is an energetic, beautiful, and thoughtful portrayal of the Fluffy Bunny stage of Christianity. It really doesn’t matter what your religion is, anyone with a heart can connect with the love, excitement, and sheer ecstasy that comes from this musical as it plays and experiments with the art of newness, the art of fluffiness. The apostles of Godspell are just as supercharged about their messiah as the stereotypical 16 year old Gothic chick is about her first reading of Scott Cunningham, and this production surrounds us with that amazing excitement that comes with freshness.

Mysterium’s production emphasizes the new. The show is based on the Gospel of Matthew, and it features the reactions and development of the apostles as they learn a completely new way of life from their teacher, Jesus. They begin as a useless rabble, but they coalesce into a unified, energized new faith under their new rabbi. This show is supremely adaptable, and Mysterium has added everything from Jesus rapping to multiple renditions of “Gangham Style” to Toy Story references to update the piece and give it a flair of modernity and relevancy.

Torran Kitts leads the performance. His Jesus is intentionally young and innocent, and just a bit goofy. While Kitts joins the chorus for most of the numbers, his leadership is quite clear from the very beginning. The Jesus he present is young but powerful, and he radiates a charisma that helps us really believe that these societal outcasts would truly choose to follow him. This perfect love and perfect trust he honestly establishes with his followers makes his eventual crucifixion- the end of the Fluffy Bunny stage- all the more painful.

Brian Lofting brings a bit of energy and force as both John the Baptist and Judas. While his early proclamation demanding us to “Prepare Ye” for the coming of the Lord is a bit underwhelming, his strength improves as the story moves on. By the time we see him betray his good friend, with that friend’s blessing, we have fallen in love with him as a true believer and a compassionate, realistic portrayal of our own fears and earthly concerns. Lofting’s voice isn’t much better than the rest of the cast; his dancing is average, and you can see him sweat throughout the show, but that just seems to add to the grit of the story as it unfolds.

The rest of the cast absolutely glorifies in that fluffy feeling of newnesss and love. Those of us in the audience get this amazing understanding of the thrill and joy that the original apostles felt as they lived with and learned from this crazy young upstart who challenged the codified interpretations of the Law. Each lesson is accepted with love and respect, but each apostle gets the chance to broadcast their own power. The entire chorus opens the doorway to the inspirational love and light that the apostles must have felt as they realized the transformational lessons that their teacher was giving them. Particularly memorable are Kayla Cavaness’ soprano strength, Momoko Sugai’s second act intro, and Luis Ceja’s inspiring rendition of “We Beseech Thee.”

Director Rovin Jay and choreographer Sonya Lane’t Randall capitalize on Godspell’s openness to adaptation. Together, they meld classical elements like John the Baptist’s iconic “Prepare ye the Way of the Lord” number with more modern dance styles and parable interpretations that ride the wave of this show’s improvisational heart. The love that shines through from each number, regardless of the style of choreography, reminds us yet again of the joy that came from each of us as we learned a new religious point of view and broke away from old structures into a fresh new way of thinking, acting, and believing.

That freshness is exactly what this production emphasizes. All of us have had that joyous experience where we realized exactly where our spiritual path was leading us. It reminds us of what it was like to be fluffy bunnies, and taps into the spiritual joy that must have been felt by the early Christian bunnies. At some point we all have to deal with our own crucifixions that force us to see the dark side or our faiths, but this Godspell reminds us that- before all of that pain- we all danced happily in the “Beautiful City.” We have a lot to learn from that city, from that freshness, from that love.

Craigslist Joe: The Online Aquarian

culture, film No Responses »

Feb 242013

I’ve never spent much time on Craigslist. It became popular at a time when I was much more interested in finding cheap textbooks for grad school, so my early online shopping was focused more on half.com and Amazon. I thought I could get all the information and products I could ever want on these two sites, plus a few others for travel, information, and social connections. I had what I needed, I thought. Why should I get caught up in yet another website that buys and sells other people’s junk? I had no idea there was so much more to Craigslist.

I really had no idea of the entire world that lived within Craigslist until I watched the 2012 documentary Craigslist Joe. The premise of the film is much like a cross between Morgan Spurlock’s projects Super Size Me and 30 Days. Joseph Garner resolves to live one entire month with no money, home, or contacts. His only source for food, shelter, income, and transportation is Craigslist. Armed with only the clothes on his back, a laptop, and a cell phone, Joe sets out to live for a month off the kindness off those he meets on Craigslist, the site he describes as “the 21^st century’s new town square.”

Joe’s motivations are very Aquarian: he explains at the beginning that 21^st century America has a love/hate relationship with their technology. Many, he says, bemoan the fact that our devices bring us closer together through the Internet at the cost of having any real face-to-face interaction. Human relationships, IRL, have suffered as people know each other merely as a Facebook status or an emotionally ambiguous text message. The driving force behind Joe’s experiment is to test this hypothesis and see if real human relationships still exist.

They do. In his month living off the dole of Craigslist, Joe meets new people who offer him kindness in a way that my introverted mind can only barely comprehend. Every night, he finds someone to offer free lodging. He travels across the country bumming rides using the virtual thumb that is Craigslist, and never fails to obtain a ride when he needs one. He visits with a Muslim family, a dominatrix, and a severely ill hoarder. He travels to San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, and even Juarez, Mexico meeting fascinating people and living off of their dimes. He even gets the chance to meet with Craigslist’s founder, Craig Newmark, who seems like a pretty cool guy. Along the way, he proves that, while our connections methods have changed and we don’t all share the same values, Americans still care for one another.

I still had this inspiring little movie in my head when I went to Pantheacon last weekend. What I witnessed there continued to prove the film’s sunny thesis. It seems that every year something happens Pantheacon weekend that challenges the Pagan community. Over the last few years, it has been a discussion over transgender rights and their conflict with groups that define themselves as exclusive to cis-females. It has been a painful, emotional battle on both sides, but progress has been made and many of the groups involved are beginning to move forward in the spirit of the conventions 2013 theme: “cooperation, tolerance, and love.”

Nowhere was this more evident than in the Rite of 1,000 Crowns, an ecstatic ritual led by a joint effort of the Come as you Are Coven’s Bloodroot Honey Priestess Tribe and Green Men, along with The Living Temple of Diana. In that beautiful ritual we honored the Goddess in all her forms, Masculine, Feminine, and Transgender, while also honoring ourselves in whatever gender we identify. We are all sovereigns. Can you get more Craigslisty-Aquarian than that?

Then, just as Pantheacon was ending, another challenge came our way. Now infamous, we were not even out of San Jose yet when we saw the Fox and Friends video that featured Tucker Carlson deriding Wiccans as “compulsive Dungeons and Dragons players” and “Middle-aged, twice divorced older” women “working as a midwife.” That wasn’t so much the problem for me as the factual errors; the piece discusses some strange idea of Wiccans celebrating 20 holidays and wanting to get all of them off work. What?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlXEGy20yTc

There has been a lot of discussion over Pagan blogs and podcasts over who IS and IS NOT Pagan. Non-Wiccan Pagans seek to distinguish themselves as their own traditions and no longer wish to be lumped in with a system they are not a part of. Reconstructionists, Druids, and others have been questioning their identification with the “Pagan” label. Non-Wiccan witches also have been carving their own niche in the world of Witchcraft. Some have even claimed that there is an “Anything But Wiccan” movement afoot.

And yet, when a piece makes it onto mainstream media that distorts and derides Wicca in particular, Pagans across multiple traditions came to Wicca’s defense. The Covenant of the Goddess released a statement demanding an apology, and so did Circle Sanctuary’s Lady Liberty League. Then The Lady Yeshe Rabbit of the Bloodroot Honey Priestess Tribe, acted in solidarity. On Facebook, I saw multiple statements of support from Pagan individuals across the spectrum of traditions. Thousands of people signed two online petitions. In our online community, labels don’t matter; people do.

And it worked. Tucker Carlson issued two apologies on Twitter, then issued another on-air apology in the same forum as the original comments. Yes, they were half-hearted and a little snarky. Yes, they still did not address the completely inept factual errors that were blasted about in the original piece, but it was a start. Given Fox’s viewer base, Carlson really didn’t have to do anything. The fact that he changed his tune and acknowledged that his conservative philosophy demands a “live and let live” attitude, shows the power we have working together in our community of religious ideas.

Then, less than a week later I watched our community really come together. The Temple of Witchcraft (of which I am a member) is in the process of creating a physical space for education, healing work, and public rituals. To do so, town codes require that they build a parking lot at the cost of $68,000. The Temple initiated an indiegogo campaign to raise the funds, and last week a donor offered to match any funds that were given within a 48-hour period.

The response from the Pagan community was huge. I saw the post shared on many Pagan Facebook pages from people of various traditions. In 48 hours, the Temple received $10,335 in donations, and the matching donation brought the total amount to $20,670. Just like Craigslist, Pagans come together to help each other yet again.

During the course of his documentary, Joe meets up with some very strange characters. Free spirits give him rides across the rolling miles of the United States and nice people who others would see as freaks share their stories of pain with him. He learns not only the sacredness of every human being, but also that – deep within that covering of cynicism- people will give of themselves to help others.

Joe runs across many people who are not like him at all, but who help, and that is probably the most inspiring part of this film. For him, Craigslist become the hub of an Aquarian world where people pitch in to help each other simply because they are human. In the end, he learns a lesson that echoes blogger Erik Scott’s reaction to the convention:

“These folks were almost nothing like me. And that, oddly enough, made me all the more fond of them.”

Craigslist Joe proves that, despite our differences, we can indeed work together in Pantheacon’s ideal of “cooperation, tolerance, and love.” Even if Tucker Carlson still doesn’t get our “20 holidays.”

2013 Oscar Contenders: Les Miserables

culture, film, music, Stage No Responses »

Jan 132013

I have written before about my extensive history with Les Miserables. It was The theater geek musical of my high school years, leading me to a pretty intimate knowledge of the sweeping musical’s ins and outs, its triumphs and- looking at it now from a more mature perspective- its failures. Needless to say, my breath became baited the moment I first saw the trailer for the long-awaited film version.

Quite frankly, I don’t believe it deserves a nomination for Best Picture. It was good. There were some wonderful performances and a few brilliantly poignant moments, but there is more to a Best Picture than acting and moments, especially when the script is handed to you as a proven success. Overall, despite all that was right about the movie, there were too many times when director Tom Hooper simply didn’t take advantage of the wonderful opportunities the medium of film offers over the limitations of the stage, and he seemed to have lost all of his creative juices in the process.

If you are unfamiliar with this musical adaptation of the massive Victor Hugo novel, it’s a story of faith and redemption that questions the idea of shallow, sharp distinctions between good and evil. The good guy, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), is an ex-con and a parole breaker who spends the entire musical running from the law. The “bad guy” is Javert (Russell Crowe), an incorruptible police officer who dedicates his life to capturing Valjean, despite the convict’s demonstrable embrace of all things good.

If nothing else, this central storyline should appeal to a Pagan audience. While the story is told through the filter of Catholicism, it clearly questions what truly qualifies as good and evil and advocates a view that coincides with the Law of Polarity: nothing is black and white; everything is grey. Sometimes breaking the rules is the right thing to do.

Of course, there is a lot more to Les Miz than that. For social activists, there is the story of the downtrodden rising up against their oppressors. This storyline hits hard on the dynamics of youth and their elders, questioning idealism in favor of the moderated wisdom of experience. For romantics, there is a classic love triangle subplot that forces young Marius to choose between a friend and a lover, his passion for his cause and his dreams for his future. Yet all of these plots seem to be rivers contributing to the overall “Is there such a thing as good or evil?” theme, which is a note that often resonates within the Pagan community.

So there is a lot to like here. Hugh Jackman fully deserves his nomination for Best Actor. Valjean is a role of extensive range; it requires a huge vocal range and a vast transition of character as the character transforms from prisoner to businessman to father to sick old man. We all knew Jackman could sing, but this role takes a special voice, and he has it.

Anne Hathaway’s nomination is also richly deserved. The role of Fantine doesn’t have as much range as that of Valjean, but she does sing one the show’s most popular numbers, “I Dreamed a Dream,” and her descent into destruction needs to be honest and believably complete. Hathaway does a wonderful job in this key role.

There are other spot-on performances. The somewhat infamous Sacha Baron Cohen was a brilliant choice for the thieving innkeeper Thernardier, and Helena Bonham Carter is the perfect match as his wife. This couple represents the movie’s much-needed comic relief. Unfortunately, some of their best shtick is directed out of the film, but what the duo is allowed hits the right combination of creepy and hilarious. Daniel Huttlestone is an adorably feisty little Gavroche.

But then there was what was wrong with the film. Let’s start with Russell Crowe. The man can act, and he looks great in his beautiful costumes as Javert moves up in rank over the years, but anyone with ears knows that he was not the right choice. His voice just isn’t up the demands of the music. This becomes clear in his first solo, “Stars.” The song ends with a long, emphatic note that, when properly sung, can send chills down your spine. Crowe’s rendition ends with a soft whimper, so much so that the scene just fades away, not even allowing him to finish the note. This pattern remains for each of his big endings, and each becomes an unsatisfying small ending.

There is so much you can do in a movie that you can’t do on stage. Camera angles can change, flashbacks can help tell the story, scenery can strike our heart and help us understand the setting. And Tom Hooper chose to take advantage of virtually none of that. Almost every solo is an extended extreme close up on the actor. We spend the entire song staring at the details of the actor’s/actress’ face when there is so much more a filmmaker could do with his medium. There is a sweet genuineness to the extreme honesty on each singer’s face, but it’s just too much. I’m much more well acquainted with the inside of Hugh Jackman’s mouth than I ever wanted to be.

The final sequence was a wonderful piece of filmmaking that had everything that these missed moments didn’t have. More of that, and I would be rooting for the movie to win.

One of the biggest advantages of Les Miz is the orchestra. Normally, the music is loud. It serves as just as much of a character as anyone on the stage. The rousing opening jolts you into sudden awareness, and from that point on the orchestra is ever present. However, in the film the music is so soft we barely notice it. The same opening that almost knocks you off your seat in the stage version is quiet and understated in the movie, and it never really rises to its full potential. That was a distinct waste of a good storytelling resource.

There are a lot of Oscar nominations that Les Miserables deserves. Costumes: Yes. Jackman and Hathaway: Yes. Makeup: Maybe. I liked the movie. I just don’t think that, taken as a whole, it fits as an overall example of excellent filmmaking.

Top 10 Pagan Quotes of 2012

culture, Internet Media, News 2 Responses »

Dec 282012

Well, they said that 2012 was going to be the year of radical shifts in consciousness. This year’s top Pagan quotes all seem to reflect that notion. These are not the words of happy, comfortable New Agers seeking light and love. Each one of these quotes challenges the existing paradigm and seeks to light a transformative fire under our collective rear ends.

Star Foster starts off the list by emphatically rejecting the perception that Pagans are simply a strange sect of alternative Christians, explaining in no uncertain terms how we are different from any sect of Christianity. Crystal Blanton and Michael York both challenged us to go beyond the tempting polarity of Us vs. Them and find a new way of being the inclusive we claim to be, effectively challenging us to put up or shut up.

Dr. Brendan Myers advanced the argument that a previously under-recognized brand of Paganism was coming into its own, stirring up a lot of discomfort for the more theistic element of our community. Teo Bishop made such a huge splash this year that he appears twice. First, he underwent a very public coming out process as he wrestled with two public identities. Then he set fire to his own blog by questioning an element of Pagan ritual that many people see as downright foundational.

Add to that elders publicly leaving their traditions of origin, a call for male allies in the national fight for women’s rights, and a little poke at certain Mormon politician, and you end up with a year of Pagan quotes that broke self-imposed molds and stimulated entire new ways of thinking. Our community is better for it.

As always, these quotes must have been said by people who are known to be Pagans. Words stated by non-Pagans, even if they were about us, don’t qualify, even if Conan O’Brien brings one of our most revered publications to national television. Also as usual, these are just what I found. If I missed something you really liked this year, please feel free to leave the quote in a comment.

With those disclaimers out of the way, let’s get on with the Top 10 Pagan Quotes of 2012:

10. “I reject Jesus Christ. I reject Jesus Christ. I reject Jesus Christ.

There. I’ve said it three times. We’re officially divorced.” – Star Foster, August 2

9. “We judge one another in order to define who is Black enough, spiritual enough, Pagan enough or oppressed enough and we miss the mark on the true gift of our community. The best gift that we can give is to love more, understand more, empathize more, show more, give more, listen more, connect more and even identify more with those who have experienced this here journey called life.” – Crystal Blanton, February 23

8. “Before I was a blogger named Teo Bishop, I was an artist named Matt Morris. I’ve been doing music since I was a little kid, been a pro since I was a teenager, and up until the last year or two, I’ve done little else.’ – Teo Bishop, July 12

7. “But it is to our shame that we fight among ourselves, drench ourselves in petty jealousies and reflect our worldwide human comrades more than the mother’s sanctity itself.” – Michael York, May 6

6. “I just don’t think the gods, any gods, care at all about politics. I don’t care if that god lives near the star Kolob, once resided in the Holy of Holies, or was worshipped on the Acropolis in the Parthenon of Ancient Athens.” – Jason Mankey, October 18

5. “Humanist Paganism seems to be an emerging option for those who want to be part of the Pagan community, but who want to be a little more intellectual about their practices, and they really don’t care about the “woo” anymore.” – Brendan Myers, August 18

4. “This past weekend I felt ashamed at Pagan Pride on account of a circle.” – Teo Bishop, October 22

3. “I, M. Macha NightMare, Priestess & Witch, aka Aline O’Brien, withdraw from the organization known as Reclaiming Tradition Witchcraft and hereby dissociate myself from further involvement with the tradition.” – M. Macha NightMare, August 4

2. “Don’t worry about the economy so much: as the majority labor force in this country, and the majority in colleges and universities at this time, women will be able to figure things out with the economy once we are able to stop wasting our time on, you know, worrying about being raped or forced to have children who are products of rape.” – Lady Yeshe Rabbit, August 23

1. “I stand against rape, in person and at the polls.” – Pagan men’s response to Lady Yeshe Rabbit’s call for their support against misogynistic election year discourse.

New Music Review: Damh the Bard’s “Antlered Crown and Standing Stone”

culture, Druidry, Internet Media, music No Responses »

Dec 162012

Damh the Bard is a pretty amazing guy. Aside from holding an important post within the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids, Damh is the host of Druidcast, the most consistent and intellectually stimulating Pagan podcast I know of. As if that weren’t enough, Damh the Bard is one of the foremost Pagan musicians of recent years. His music reflects his love for myth, the spiritual power of his native Britain, and beautifully honest homage for the gods of nature. A good dose of Damh’s music will enhance the spirituality of any Pagan household, regardless of its Pagan tradition.

Last month, Damh released his newest album, Antlered Crown and Standing Stone. More than any of his other work, this album is devotional. Playing it feels more like an act of worship than of passive listening, and each song expresses an inspirational spiritual love for the gods and the land and the mythologies that bind us all together.

The title track may well be the most impassioned love song to the Horned God that anyone has released yet. While Damh has released many pieces that honor various incarnations of the Green Man/Cernunnos/Herne/Horned God (check out his wonderful Green and Grey), this one really comes from a place of pure love. It is a heartfelt hymn to nature, life, and the God’s walk with us through this life:

I am lover, I am father,

I am Horned God and King,

I’m the life in all of Nature,

That is reborn every Spring,

Call of stag and cry of eagle,

I am Child of Barleycorn,

And I am the Antlered Crown and Standing Stone!

Under a Beltane Sun is an unexpected tune for our most rollicking Sabbat. Instead of going with the obvious high energy, sexual themes, Damh opts for a poetic homage to the opening beauty of nature that bursts forth every May. The music is melodic and peaceful, once again emphasizing awe and worship of the cycles of life and the inspiration available in every small piece of the natural world.

Then, the album takes a turn toward the artist’s true love for his homeland. Brighid honors the three aspects of the Celtic healing and forge goddess. Branwen’s Lament is a love letter between Branwen and her brother Bran after the god has sacrificed himself to save his beloved sister. This song does not merely retell the myth. In fact, it doesn’t retell anything. Instead, it focuses on the power inherent in the familial bond between the divine siblings as Bran sacrifices his life and kingship to save his sister disgrace:

Sister I heard you calling to me,

O’er the Irish sea,

I brought a war to those foreign shores,

For to set you free,

Now I feel I’m dying poison in my veins,

But for you my dear Sister I’d do it again.

Sons and Daughters (of Robin Hood) continues the themes on impassioned love for Damh’s land and his people. This may be his most overtly political song. It pointedly accuses Great Britain’s politicians of being power hungry, corrupt, and really not very different from each other despite party affiliations (sound familiar in this election year, fellow Americans?). Yet, the chorus calls the people of Britain to action, reminding them of their ancestral connection to the world’s most beloved outlaw. This is an understated call for revolution, and Parliament appears to be the modern version of the Sherriff of Nottingham.

Other songs of note include The January Man, in which Damh follows one man through the course of a year, creating his own mythology of the land as it cycles through a turn of the Wheel. The Dreaming changes gears a bit, altering the focus to Australia, a land where Damh has travelled as a musician many times. In The Dreaming, Damh honors the local Land, Sea, and Sky of the Land Down Under.

Here where the land still is king,

Beneath red sand the Ancestors are dreaming,

And a Mother knows which song will be sung,

When a new life has begun.

A serpent made a path across the land,

Formed the rivers and mountains where they stand,

These songs are in the kookaburra’s call,

But she’s laughing at us all.

And the Southern Cross shines down on where I stand,

And I hear the voices from the Singing Land.

Finally, Damh turns back to the core of his Druid roots with the powerful Cerridwen and Taliesin. The trials and transformation of Taliesin are familiar to any regular listener to Damh’s podcast and anyone who has some background in Celtic mythology, but this song takes a different perspective on a familiar myth. The core of the myth, the archetypal chase of Gwion by the angry mother Cerridwen, is only one section of this retelling.

The song actually begins with a description of Cerridwen’s suffering at the ugliness of her own son, and the desperate lengths she is willing to go to in order to give him some form of solace for his suffering. So this time, when Gwion licks his thumb and absorbs the Awen that was brewed out of love for her son; we feel her pain, anger and suffering. When we finally get to the chase, a part of us roots for Cerridwen as she promises to transform into whatever it takes to “tear you from your skin.” This version of the myth portrays Cerridwen more as a grieving mother than a fearsome hag.

Damh the Bard never fails to come out with new, fresh, excellent Pagan music. Antlered Crown and Standing Stone is Damh’s version of pure devotion, offering passionate reverence to the spiritual forces within the Earth, within the gods, and within each of us. If you are looking for the perfect Yuletide gift for a Pagan on your list, I highly recommend this beautiful new album.

Incidentally, Damh the Bard is in the process of trying to organize a Pagan music concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Royal Albert is the Carnegie Hall of the UK, one of the most prestigious venues in the world. A Pagan concert there would represent an incredible new step for alternative spirituality. If you’d like to support Damh in this effort, check out his webpage and Like the project on Facebook.

The Magick Jukebox: Yule 2012

culture, Internet Media, music No Responses »

Dec 022012

David Banach, host of the Magick Jukebox podcast, always comes through. Every one of his shows is a sensuous delight for Pagan ears, showcasing independent Pagan artists who range across all genres and time periods. He picks great themes, and the musical selections of each episode always go well beyond the standard artists we all seem to know.

This year’s Yule episode is a fantastic accompaniment to your hectic December. It starts with a few songs that have become Pagan standards – “Yule carols” – of a sort: Damh the Bard’s On Midwinter’s Day and The Christians and the Pagans by Dar Williams. After that, a wide range of seasonal, spiritual, and fun selections turn the rest of the show into the perfect companion for this season.

Where else can you get Egg Nog No. 5 mixed in with Lord of the Dance, Sesame Street, and Ave Maria? Even Ding a Ling the Christmas Bell makes an appearance.

Download the show and enjoy it all season!

The Book of Mormon: Turn it Off or Man Up?

culture, Stage No Responses »

Nov 182012

When you start to get confused because of thoughts in your head,
Don’t feel those feelings!
Hold them in instead

Turn it off, like a light switch
just go click!

It’s a cool little Mormon trick!

The creators of the satirical musical The Book of Mormon have described the response of the LDS church to their musical as “cool.” The major issue the Mormons seem to have is that the play is not completely accurate in its presentation of Mormon theology, and the audience leaves the theater “believing that Mormons really do live in some kind of a surreal world of self-deception and illusion.”

So where the show takes jabs at the Mormon belief in things like God living on a mysterious planet known as Kolob, doctrinal racism, and the depiction of Satan’s demons as Starbucks coffee cups, this is their problem. In a show where an unfriendly warlord quite literally shoves the holy book of Mormonism up a missionary’s ass- the church’s major complaint is that it presents Mormons as being emotionally numb and deluded.

It seems out of place to focus on something so seemingly benign when the very doctrine of their faith is being…shall we say…soiled. But it goes to the heart of a huge tension in society- How do we handle our emotions in the face of pain and difficulty? The LDS church has reacted to one characterization of how their religion suggests we should handle painful emotions, but The Book of Mormon actually presents two options: Turn it Off or Man Up.

The Turn it Off philosophy is expressed in a catchy little tap dance number. Its very lightheartedness is part of its biting satire. I quoted a bit off the song’s opening above, but here’s a little more, just to get an idea of how this song contrasts light music with heavy content:

When I was young my dad,
Would treat my mom real bad,
every time the Utah Jazz would lose.
He’d start a’drinking,
and I’d start a’thinking,
How am I gonna keep my mom from getting abused?
I’d see her all scared and my soul was dying,
My dad would say to me, Now don’t you dare start crying.

Turn it off, Like a light switch just go click!
It’s our nifty little Mormon trick!

Now imagine that with sequined vests in classic Broadway chorus line. We can all agree that this is a pretty unhealthy way to handle the difficult times in your life. This is exactly what the Mormon church has identified as their biggest problem with the show. But, in reality, it’s an overall problem with society, especially for men. We are taught early on that emotion is bad. If a young boy cries at something sad, he is ridiculed at best, bullied and physically attacked at worst. The result is an adult man trained to hold his emotions inside. Plus, if they want to succeed in a male-dominated world, women are encouraged to do the same thing: To find the box that contains their inner feelings and- as the song says- “CRUSH IT!”

The other option is to Man Up. In this option, you own up to your feelings and use them to empower you to do what must be done. I’m not thrilled with the gender exclusivity of the song’s title, but the sentiment can apply to either men or women. Man Up is the first act finale; it comes at a pivotal time in the show (as first act finales tend to do).

Glittering, perfect Elder Price has become disillusioned by the fact that not every Ugandan wants to hear all about the joys oft Mormonism. Unable to turn off his disappointment, he breaks one of the most important rules, abandoning his mission companion Elder Cunningham. Cunningham, the foolish, Cartman-esque character, takes his pain and resolves to continue his mission. He chooses to brave the danger presented by the local warlord and stand up for his beliefs in stunningly pro-Christian, pro-Mormon musical number:

What did Jesus do
When they put nails in his hands?
Did he scream like a girl?
Or did he take it like a man?
When someone had to die
To save us from our sins,
Jesus said “I’ll do it!”
And he took it on the chin!

Didn’t expect that from the creators of South Park, did you? Of course, Cunningham’s version of theology involves Jesus dancing with Ewoks and prophets having sex with frogs, but that’s another post.

If I were a Mormon, I would be much happier focusing on this song as an expression of how I handle emotions. In this sense, the show’s depiction of Mormonism kind of takes a turn and becomes positive.

But I still think that both depictions are out of balance. Certainly, “turning off” your emotions is bad. But “manning up” isn’t much better. Really, it isn’t much different from suppressing your emotions. It still paints emotions as annoying obstacles that must be overcome rather than acknowledged. Plus, it automatically throws men into the emotionless = good ring while relegating women to the emotional = bad one.

There has to be another way, and this may be why alternative religious movements, including the complete lack of religion, are growing. As Pagans, we have a greater opportunity to think in terms of polarity instead of absolutes. The choice is not between male and female, equated with good and bad, logically emotionless and wildly emotional. We seek a more balanced, middle ground where the blessings of both logic and emotion are celebrated and the dark sides of each are acknowledged. This definitely is not what The Book of Mormon was going for, but everybody brings their own view of the world into the theater.

It leaves me with a question: how do our various Pagan traditions work with the tension between logic and emotion? What do you do in the face of painful times? How do you turn to your religious beliefs when you are feeling that unstoppable rush of sadness, anger, or jealousy? How is it different from the practices of other faiths? I’d love to hear ideas form my fellow Pagans.

Trickster meets the Book of Mormon

culture, Stage 3 Responses »

Nov 082012

“You mean the Bible is really a trilogy, and the Book of Mormon is Return of the Jedi?

I’m interested!”

The Book of Mormon has been one of the hottest tickets on Broadway since it opened in 2011. Fueled by an ingenious score, this irreverent yet catchy religious satire won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Authors Trey Parker and Matt Stone are best known for their other irreverent hit, South Park, so you can imagine that this is not your grandfather’s musical comedy. It is vulgar, blasphemous (for some), and filled with enough profanity to make a sailor blush, but it tackles sincere questions of faith and doubt and our world’s rabid ethnocentrism in a surprisingly gentle way that brings everyone in the audience to their feet for the curtain call.

Let me start by saying that I actually have a lot of sympathy for Mormons. They are a religious minority whose beliefs, practices, and public face are constantly questioned. Sure, their origin story seems dubious, but Wicca’s origins aren’t exactly rock solid either. Younger religions are more open to scrutiny about where they came from. The older the religion, the less people seem to worry about the mythology of its origin. More importantly, Mormonism has made a lot of people very happy. I’m fine with that. My only problems with the faith are the aggressive and backward political causes the LDS church has backed over the years.

Given Parker and Stone’s previous engagement with minority religion, an episode of South Park that embarrassed and eviscerated Scientology, you might expect the same treatment of Mormonism in this musical. But you don’t win nine Tony Awards with two hours spent in the mean-spirited flogging of a minority. Instead, The Book of Mormon trick you. It is surprisingly gentle in its satire while focusing on the greater themes within the story. Sure, it makes some Mormon beliefs seem silly, but it also makes you think about your own beliefs. Every religion has beliefs and practices that seem silly when taken out of context.

The bigger picture of this musical is ethnocentrism. What happens when you drop two middle class, white, American kids into Uganda and ask them to preach to a community that is more concerned about surviving civil war, a rampant AIDS epidemic, and protecting their daughters from brutal circumcision? The bright-eyed missionaries struggle in the new world just as the Ugandan villagers fail to understand the words of a new, “All-American Prophet,” who promises paradise in the golden streets of Utah? When you think you have something that can save the world, you want everyone to come along. It’s easy to miss the fact that some people live with an entirely different set of challenges. This is pretty bluntly expressed in one of the show’s production numbers, Hasa Diga Eebowai.

But instead of continuing that South Park style of beating you over the head, The Book of Mormon treats its characters as real human beings instead of badly-animated cartoons. This song, sung by the Ugandan Nabulungi as she dreams of the paradise in the heavenly Mormon village of “Sal Tla Ka Sity,” expresses the show’s message of ethnocentrism in surprisingly tender way:

Mormons have described the show as “Like looking at themselves in a fun-house mirror. The reflection is hilarious but not really you. The nose is yours but swollen out of proportion.” It is so easy to get caught up in our own little bubble, practicing our own beliefs. The views of an outsider can wake you up and make you look at yourself in a fresh, new way. It introduces some much-needed trickster energy that helps us see ourselves through a different lens, and that kind of challenge can lead to growth. We could all benefit from the trickster now and again.

The Rocky Horror Show: Live at Mysterium

culture, Stage No Responses »

Oct 062012

Before there was the Rocky Horror Picture Show there was the Rocky Horror Show. In the early 70’s, an unemployed British actor named Richard O’Brien took the time on his hands and combined his love for musical theater, campy B-movie science fiction, rock ‘n roll, and muscle flicks into one of the strangest musical theater experiences ever produced. Add in the sexual liberation of the time and a small, experimental theater and O’Brien had the perfect storm for a weirdly wonderful, strangely sensual rock musical hit.

Since then, of course, the musical was made into a movie that tanked in theaters, but found its own cultural foothold as the most successful midnight cult movie of all time. Going to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show these days is countercultural smorgasbord fueled by high energy audience participation shout-outs, outrageous costumes, and flying toilet paper. But it was the stage musical that started it all, and it is always a rare treat to see it performed.

Although many people would laugh at this, Rocky is a classic descent into the Underworld story that combines elements of many of that genre of myths. Newly engaged Brad Majors and Janet Weiss go on a road trip to announce their engagement to their friend, Dr. Scott. Their tire blows out in the middle of woods on the proverbial “dark and stormy night.” The young couple is forced to seek assistance from the strange people that inhabit a nearby castle.

Then their lives change forever. They are gradually ushered into a world turned upside down. The master of the castle is a cross-dressing mad scientist who gradually transforms (some would say “corrupts”) the poor couple. He exposes them to a world where cultural norms don’t matter. Frank’s transvestism can be seen as a symbol for the weird new world: all norms of gender, behavior, and expectations are thrown out the window. Brad and Janet lose their clothing, their dignity, and eventually their self control. When they emerge, nothing is the same.

That may sound like a bit of a stretch for such a fluffy little musical, but if we see our myths as universal experiences, how is this any different? Two “young, ordinary, healthy kids” are forced to face the things they repress most in a strange world they can’t escape. In the process they are transformed. Brad and Janet are the campy, rock musical version of Orpheus or Persephone.

Going to see the show is much the same experience. When you see a midnight showing, the normal movie-going rules are changed. Where you are normally supposed to be quiet, here you are expected to scream vulgarities. Where you normally are asked to throw away your trash, here you are asked to toss it into the air. Where you are normally supposed to stay in your seat, here you expected to get up and dance. Perhaps this is why the movie became such a cult hit: it allows us a safe trip into a cultural underworld where we can express things we normally hide, where we can scream profanity at the top of our lungs in public and no one cares which gender’s clothing we choose to wear. It’s a rare chance to let our inhibitions down as the rules change around us, and seeing it live- with living, breathing actors, brings it to a whole new level.

Mysterium Theater has brought this rare treat to its October stage. Directors Marla Ladd and Elizabeth West push the campiness to full throttle, bringing out perfectly tongue-in-cheek, over the top performances. The costumes are a shade too bright; the props are garishly low-budget. This is a necessary note in Rocky Horror because audience members who are inexperienced with the show need to be quickly removed from the “sit in your seat and politely clap a perfectly measured amount of time at the end of each song” mentality and into the wild party presided over by everyone’s favorite transvestite/alien/mad scientist. This isn’t a play, it’s a party, and the direction clearly gets us into that mood.

The directors bring the same fun and fluff to their actors. Sibling servants Riff Raff (Stan Morrow) and Magenta (Rebecca Bollar) lead us into the campy otherworld with deliciously overacted performances. Much of the rest of the cast are humans trapped in this strangely enticing world, and their performances deftly show the extent of weirdness their character has taken on. Melisa Cole’s Columbia echoes Little Nell’s movie portrayal just enough to satisfy seasoned Rocky geeks, but she makes the role her own. With intentionally awkward tap dancing and a more emotions carried on her sleeve (or on her fishnets?), Cole treats us to a more complex but still fun-loving version of Columbia.

Brad and Janet, the unfortunate victims of rain, a flat tire, and an amoral transvestite, are played very impressively by Tony Perez and Kyleigh Cerro. Perez and Cerro arguably are the best all-around performers on the stage. Both possess an excellent voice which they use to full advantage during their signature numbers. Perez’s big moment, “Dammit Janet,” with its silly rhymes, sets the stage for the “strange journey” we are about to begin, more important is his performance of the little-known song that didn’t make the movie: “Once in a While.” Perez’ voice matches this crooning song of betrayal and pathos perfectly, turning what could be a slowdown in the evening into a touching and beautiful comment on life’s fragility.

Cerro rocks her role as Janet. Her transformation from ingénue to sex goddess is full and complete, reflected in her mannerisms, her face, and especially in her voice. Cerro’s early Janet is wide-eyed and wispy-voiced, but she belts “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me” with self-confident gusto. When she fully accepts the “sins of the flesh” at the floor show, she glows with an inner strength. And yet, despite their newfound pleasures, both she and Perez do a wonderful job turning into lost little sheep by their final number. Brad and Janet are the only characters with a full arc, and these two actors revel in it.

Then, of course, there is the iconic role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Tim Curry’s film portrayal is cult movie legend. It’s one of those performances you almost can’t get out of your mind. It is so embedded in the minds of fans that it is almost impossible to imagine anyone doing it differently. Bryant Watson nails it. He is powerful and smart, manipulative and funny. His ad libs push the party flavor of the show, and he is a genuine singer whose voice soars every time he picks up a mic. The challenge of Frank is to portray a selfish, hedonistic power freak who ruins innocent people’s lives for fun while at the same time making him light and likable. Watson does this perfectly and his gorgeous voice is an added treat.

From a Pagan perspective, the fact that Brad and Janet discover their inner sexuality is not the problem. Nor is the breaking of normal societal structures and rules. The real problem is the lack of balance. We may work in the other worlds, but we are grounded in this one. Frank-N-Furter’s unfortunate ending happens not because of his sexual license, but because his “lifestyle is too extreme.” Brad and Janet fly from their own extreme to Frank’s.

In the final number, we are told that “Darkness has conquered Brad and Janet.” That’s not because they open up to the lessons of this cross-dressing Underworld, but because they let it take them over. They ate Frank’s pomegranate seeds. Everything is a good time until that happens. This production really highlights the sad results of Frank’s manipulative otherworld.

So maybe, despite almost 40 years of being told this wafer-thin piece of musical theater has no meaning, we can find a real lesson. Remember the time period Rocky Horror came out of: war, sexual revolution, and protest were raging all over the world. There is a time and place for all of them, but they all have their own dangers that, if ignored, can get you stuck in darkness. There’s nothing wrong with taking that “jump to the left,” but sure you know how to get back safely or you’ll be stuck doing the Time Warp again and again and again.

The Perfect Host

film No Responses »

Jul 202012

Yesterday I ran across a strange little movie called The Perfect Host. David Hyde Pierce stars as Warwick Wilson, a prim and proper gentleman preparing for a classy dinner party. As he meticulously chops the vegetables and roasts the duck, fleeing bank robber John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) cons his way into the house and proceeds to turn his host into a hostage. Then comes the first twist: Warwick turns the tables on his captor, criminal becomes hostage, and easy prey becomes this thief’s worst nightmare.

The best thing about the movie, by far, is Hyde Pierce’s performance as Warwick. He may start out reminiscent of Niles Crane from Frasier, but this is a multi-leveled role and it truly showcases Hyde Pierce’s talent. The rest of the movie is just OK. There is a series of twists and turns that don’t completely flesh out, but the story remains intriguing. More importantly, its themes got me thinking about a few things.

The first is the value of hospitality. Pagan cultures around the world honored hospitality as a virtue. Many traditions of modern Paganism honor hospitality as well. But the truth is that, to some extent, this movie becomes hard to believe the moment that Warwick lets John into his home. Very few people would even consider allowing a wandering stranger into their homes today. Nor should they. Whatever your values are, it is simply too dangerous. We live in a society that has a strong undercurrent of fear and mistrust, much of it justified.

And that leads to the second important theme: you never know what that person next to you is really like. Warwick’s nefarious private life is completely hidden under a thick coating of civility, responsibility, and friendliness, which allows him free reign on his unfortunate hostage. Even the nosy Jehovah’s Witness lady next door overlooks way too many clues. Who knows what that quiet guy in the cubicle next to you is planning tonight?

Everyone is a mystery. That is what makes The Perfect Host and intriguing story. We have all seen enough news stories about people who do horrible things to innocent people, and most of us have probably wished we could take tie the asshole who did it to a chair and beat the living shit out of him. I can think of a certain gunman in Colorado that this applies to right now. This movie makes that fantasy a reality, helping us live that fantasy vicariously.

While it’s not a perfect story, The Perfect Host explores some very interesting themes of darkness and mistrust in our society. It delves into expressions of that darkness in many forms: John’s life of crime, Warwick’s sick secret life, and the reminder that even trusted public officials can be perfectly corrupt. More importantly, this tale of turning tables turns its exploration of darkness onto the audience.

There is a time when we truly enjoy the treatment Warwick gives to his would-be murderer. After all, the victim is himself a criminal. Revenge is sweet. After a while, though, the buzz wears off and you slowly begin to realize that no one deserves this. But we liked it while it lasted. We’re not all sweetness and light.

Then again…It just seems so out of place to talk about the darkness in us all on a day where some gun-wielding psycho opened fire in a crowded movie theater in a town I know, love, and have family in. I admit it. I would love to pull a Warwick on this guy. I know that few people have seen this movie, so you won’t get the joke, but I’m wishing I had a Polaroid camera and a Creature from the Black Lagoon mask.

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