In times of upheaval, I lean on touchstones–works of art that have shaped me and the continue to be sources of inspiration, influence, and solace. It might be rereading a favorite novel, a cherished poem, a movie, or (especially often) a favorite album with a good pair of headphones.
We do well to draw creative inspiration from artists working in different disciplines from our own. It can be a related discipline – I sometimes ask myself what is the choral equivalent Leroy Anderson’s compositions like “The Typewriter” or “The Syncopated Clock” – but it can be a very unrelated discipline.
What is the vocal music equivalent of The Muppet Show? Chaotic, hilarious, extremely silly – full of non sequiturs and not bound by the normal laws of physics, The Muppet Show. It never takes itself seriously, will go to any lengths for a running joke, and pays only the loosest attention to even a sense of continuity.
I could go on at length in the ways that the ethos of Jim Henson’s brilliant gang has influenced me as a creative person. And it has. But the truth is, The Muppet Show never fails to get a laugh out of me, and that’s enough.
The Muppets are brilliant and hilarious throughout their wide oeuvre, and I appreciate it all, but I think they never exceeded the brilliance, hilarity, genius, and sheer joy of their five seasons of work on The Muppet Show. It’s a joy to watch – or even to listen to…I’ve been known to have anticipatory laughter while listening to the show while driving on a road trip.
Then, as if all I’ve described isn’t enough, The Muppet Show routinely transcends the genre and its own standards. There are moments of deep beauty, moments of deeply emotional performance. That’s in addition to the every moment transcendence of imbuing life into arms covered with fuzzy fabric.
Brilliance, humor, joy, chaos, silliness, transcendence. These are parts of an ethos well-worth emulating.
Touchstones is an ongoing series of posts I’ll be writing during the COVID-19 season, reflecting on the works of art that support me in times of upheaval. I encourage you to make a list of your own “touchstones” and if you like, share them with me to publish here.