August 11, 2015
I can't stop thinking about Sunday night, July 26 at UCB in Chelsea. The house was packed for the 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm shows. Supporters of Worldwide Orphans had bought tickets when they first went on sale and then by the end of the second day, all the tickets were sold out by the devoted followers of Amy Poehler and her awesome monologists who are simply brilliant, awesome and hilarious.
I came to the theater totally excited and eager to enjoy the performances, but more than that, I wanted to understand the process because we at Worldwide Orphans are now going to bring improvisation to at-risk and vulnerable children all over the world. Amy and I have had many discussions over the last few years about how she, as the Arts Ambassador, wanted to provide service to the young children and youth abroad and now in the US where we are starting our Element of Play program in Orange, New Jersey. Element of Play includes Toy Library, Music in Motion, Storytime, and a 4th component for the expressive arts. We met a few weeks ago for lunch and decided that we would partner and come up with a name for the expressive arts part of Element of Play.
I sat through the first set and mostly laughed so hard that I was a bit achy. I was with Amy for each intermission and we chatted on stage and thanked all the guests for coming and supporting WWO. Just before the second set intermission, I went backstage and stood with the monologists. An epiphany had occurred. I realized that this group of uber creative artists were the most focused people I had ever met. There was a relaxing freedom during the performances and I could not detect the slightest anxiety in the room from the performers and the audience. We were unshackled and completely in the moment. The imagination of these human beings dominated and ruled the night. I asked them if this was true. Amy agreed that she used her work to free herself from anxiety and the nods and knowing expressions of consensus on this comment were 100%. Imagination beat anxiety into submission.
I turned to the group and offered the name of the 4th section of Element of Play, "Imagination Place". We all smiled. We will consult with Marvel Citizen and likely do some tweaking, but at least we are clear that it is the imagination that provides the life energy to be free from toxic stress which gives rise to exhilaration, freedom, and creativity and a worry free moment of peace and well-being.
What better gift could we give to poor children who live in challenging settings all over the world...to be in the moment perfectly free and without anxiety...laughing and creating from within their minds and souls, and being purely original and unique.
Dr. Jane Aronson, CEO, Worldwide Orphans