Thrilling My Soul....

“And whosoever shall be found without the soul for getting down…”

Last night I got to watch a group of high school students lumbering and lurching across a stage in bloody costumes with vacant eyes and tattered clothing. This was not their typical behavior, I promise. They were performing Thriller before a delighted audience.

For me, it really doesn’t get much better than that. So much fun. Granted, I’m a sucker for zombies and vampires and werewolves (Twilight, excepted, thank you). I have huge romantic crush on the Frankenstein monster with all of his depth of feeling and looking for love in all the wrong places which, I’ve been told more than once, is a little weird. I don’t deny it. But, honestly, my soul was fed by watching the walking dead.

It isn’t so much that they performed Thriller (which I love) it was just the pure joy they exhibited while doing it. My favorite part was when the female victim was running through the audience to avoid the zombie clan and stopped to adjust her sagging ponytail. Always try to look your best when being persued by soulless creatures.

While I appreciate a well done professional production, there is something about the earnestness and raw talent of high school students that delights me to the core. And let’s face it…taking on Thriller is ambitious. Kudos to the choir director for putting it out there. Kudos to the students for giving it their all. When the zombies started trudging onto the stage the audience erupted into exuberant shouts and applause, which just spurred those zombies on to greater lurching and stiff, jerky dancing.

I could relate.

I used to see a man I know at high school performances. His son graduated so he no longer attends but when he did, he always looked like he was facing a firing squad. Well, he sort of always looks like that anyway, but he was appallingly rude and left immediately after his son’s performance every time, claiming he simply couldn’t endure the rest of the ‘talent.’ I’d like to say I feel sorry for him for not being able to enjoy the refreshing spirit of the students. The truth is, I don’t feel sorry for him. I would, however, like to knock the stick out of his butt. But that’s not my job.

This is the same man who, when he led the church choir I participated in, said something I disagreed with and I spoke out publicly in opposition to him. A few minutes later he prayed that God would silence the voice of Satan in the room. Since I was the only other person to speak out besides him, I’m guessing I was the one with the tail and pitchfork. Hmmm….misogyny anyone? Fortunately I look good in red. Anyway, it was the same arrogance he displayed toward me that kept him from being able to take in and enjoy the effort of any student, besides his own child, who poured heart and soul into their art.

His loss.

I love a high school play. So what if the accents are less than believable and the leading man is three inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than the female love interest. For me, it is all about the passion students put into the roles and the sets and the music. They are trying it out. They are taking off their day-to-day masks and putting on different, fresher ones. In the sometimes terrifying world of adolescence they get to legitimately try out being someone else without fear of rejection. And some of them are exceptionally talented. If we can put away our critical selves, we can appreciate the joy of the effort as well as the pleasure of true talent.

In addition to Thriller, last night’s performance was a combination of choral numbers and individual acts. A talent show of sorts. The students used their gifts for no other purpose than to offer the best of what they have. Which is really all any of us are asked to do if you think about it.

Use our gifts. Do our best. Find our soul for gettin’ down.

I'm in.