It won’t receive a Tony award or any other for that matter, but last Thursday I saw LEAP OF FAITH, the musical at Blank Canvas Theatre, an intimate little place that holds only about 100 people in an old warehouse on W. 78^th Street in Cleveland.  I’ve seen several plays there and have never been disappointed but last Thursday, even though it wasn’t my favorite play seen there, was one I’ll never forget.

Right before the show started, the Artistic Director and Founder of Blank Canvas, Patrick Ciamacco came out and told us that the lead for the show had fallen ill and instead of canceling the show like they had to do the weekend before because of multiple illnesses, that he would be filling the role of the lead actor and apologized that he would be having full script in hand and further apologized that he had just gone over the musical pieces he’d be performing and hoping it wouldn’t take away from the show.
Utt-ohhh didn’t get sighed out loud, but I believe the audience of about 70 people thought this might be one to escape by intermission.  WRONG!

Patrick’s THE SHOW MUST GO ON mentality for me, WAS THE SHOW.

He shared in his Director’s note:

It’s always been my goal for Blank Canvas Theatre to present shows that are rarely, if ever, produced in the Cleveland area.  We strive to give you, our audience, an opportunity to discover something new, whether it be a recently-written piece or a little-known show.  Leap of Faith opened on Broadway on April 26, 2012 but despite its impressive credentials, an all-star createive team, an EGOT winning composer, multiple Drama Desk Award nominations and a Tony Award nomination for Best Musical—it ran for only 20 performances.  That’s just twice the number of performances that Blank Canvas Theatre will present!  While no piece of theatre is ever perfect, Leap of Faith certainly has its flaws.  But it is still a story worth telling and seeing something new is always fun.

I saw the film, Leap of Faith in 1992 and remember being intrigued by Steve Martin’s performance in a very different type of role than he usually played.  Religion was not a crucial part of my life growing up, and while religion and belief in God play a role in Leap of Faith, I find that the story of Jonas Nightingale means much more.  To me, this is a story about faith in all its forms: religious faith, yes, but also the faith we have in the world, the faith we have in our friends and family and most of all, the faith we have in ourselves.  We may sometimes lose faith in those we love because of their actions or our feelings.  We may lose faith in ourselves, doubting every decision and choice we make.  Each of us has flaws, and we all may feel like we are far from being who we want to be, but with faith, we can succeed.

I hope that you share our faith that this show will succeed both as an evening of entertainment and as an opportunity to consider the role of faith in our lives.  Thank you for taking a leap of faith in coming to see a show that is most likely unknown to you—and thank you for supporting live theatre!

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”  Martin Luther King, Jr.
Patrick Ciamacco
Witnessing what Patrick did on stage that night will never be award winning, but more importantly, never forgotten by those of us in attendance.  He not only took a huge Leaf of Faith, he GIFTED  IT, and for then as in right now, (and I believe a part of my ‘forever’) I’m a severely grateful beneficiary
SO.            .            .
what Leap of Faith
have you not only taken recently
but have gifted another.            .          .          ?
THE WORST STEP OF ALL
IS THE ONE
NEVER TAKEN.          .          .

D        R        E        A        M        I        N        G

when   you’re   A W A K E

or  A S L E E P.          .          .          ?

Back in December I had a lot of colleagues get laid off right before Christmas and though I grieved for them each for the personal loss I was feeling it was for the REAL LOSS they were Experiencing.          .          .

It made me start this very present

never-ending game called:

WHAT  IF

It goes like this and I’m going to invite you to play along

although this is a game that doesn’t get competed and go safely back into a box;

Let’s begin:

Do you have a WHAT  IF  LIST?

Actually it’s more than just a list.          .          .

it’s a couple of lists;

at least two.          .          .

Here’s the first WHAT IF LIST:

What if you lost your job RIGHT NOW:

What would you do.           .         .

LIST      YOUR      POSSIBILITIES

I’d be a Lyft driver and immediately start writing a book entitled LYFT TO LIFT chronicling  all the experiences and all of the stories that I would gather together with the folks I would take from one destination to another.      .     .

I’d start working for Starbucks

I’d start working for Amazon

I’d become a REDCOAT for Cleveland Clinic and instruct/help them where to go

I’d work exclusively for funeral homes

I’d become a full time Officiant for funerals, weddings, baptisms

I’d open up a cigar shop and call it HOLY SMOKES

I’d open a bar and call it CONFESSIONALS

I’d open a full service Spa and call it SOULED OUT

I’d open a coffee/tea shop and call it HOLY GROUNDS

I’d begin a Churchless Church that would never meet on Sunday’s and call it
NO PLACE

I’d open a hospice facility that’d never be dependent on government funding or regulations and call it BEGINNINGS

I’d open a FREE thrift store called GIFTED

I’d open a second free thrift store and call it CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY

Now what about that second what if list.          .          .

It’s a great list called:

WHAT  IF
You   won   the   500   million   dollar   lottery  list

I’d be a Lyft driver and immediately start writing a book entitled LYFT TO LIFT chronicling  all the experiences and all of the stories that I would gather together with the folks I would take from one destination to another.      .     .

I’d start working for Starbucks

I’d start working for Amazon

I’d become a REDCOAT for Cleveland Clinic and instruct/help them where to go

I’d work exclusively for funeral homes

I’d become a full time Officiant for funerals, weddings, baptisms

I’d open up a cigar shop and call it HOLY SMOKES

I’d open a bar and call it CONFESSIONALS

I’d open a full service Spa and call it SOULED OUT

I’d open a coffee/tea shop and call it HOLY GROUNDS

I’d begin a Churchless Church that would never meet on Sunday’s and call it
NO PLACE

I’d open a hospice facility that’d never be dependent on government funding or regulations and call it BEGINNINGS

I’d open a FREE thrift store called GIFTED

I’d open a second free thrift store and call it CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY

Sounds like both of my lists are the same.          .          .

Sounds like both lists talk about me being very altruistic and giving loving and
non-judgmental.          .          .

Sounds like both lists really uncovered who I truly am at heart:
S       E       L       F       I       S       H

YEAH. It might sound like I’m altruistic;

it may sound like I’m a really giving person but here’s the truth:

I      AM      SEVERELY      SELFISH

A   HARSHER  TRUTH:

I’m  STRIVING  to  become  even  more  S E L F I S H

I am the way that I am even though it appears so good, so true, so compassionate, so empathetic, so giving.            .            . when really I’m the most selfish person
I   have   ever   met.             .            .
It truly makes me feel good to be the way that I am and I agonize that I’m not  even  more   like   that.          .          .

I think I’ve uncovered the secret of life.          .          .
it’s not the fountain of youth;
it’s not quick get rich scheme;
But it is so highly effective
and I believe even more severely contagious;
I would hope that it not only characterizes me as a
Caring Catalyst
but also Caring Person.         .       .

The Secret:

GIVE      WHAT      YOU      WANT      TO      RECEIVE

No abracadabra stuff.         .        .
No magic.        .        .
Secret formula or potions.        .        .
No A-B-C-D  and then you will get X-Y-Z.         .        .

W H A T-IF-ING

is a great game.           .          .
It’s a fun game.          .          .
It’s a really cost-you-nothing-bet-your-life-changing-game

that, if involving others,

will long outlast a pulse beaten,
a breath taken
a heart pumping;

And it’ll absolutely teach

THE  LESSON:

COMPASSION      COMES      WITH      DIRT-CRUSTED      HANDS
that never come clean

Go ahead.          .          .

Bring FLAME  to  WICK

E           X           P           E           R           I           E           N           C           E

the pure answer of

WHY    LIGHT    A    CANDLE    WHEN    YOU    CAN    IGNITE    WICKS

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh.          .          .
W     H     A     T         I     F

I just recently watched it

a       g       a       i       n.       .       .

I often do that with movies I really enjoy:

WATCH   THEM

over and over and over again.       .       .

Have    you    ever    begun    again?

The 2014 movie, BEGIN AGAIN with Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo is hardly Academy Award winning in any aspect, but,  just the same, this is my favorite scene where Ruffalo’s drunken record producing character imagines instruments playing.

“That’s when the magic happens,”

his character tells us.

And you. . .when does the magic happen for you–in your head. . .in your heart. . .in your soul. . .?

The greatest stories

The worst stories

The greatest speeches

The worst speeches

The greatest pep talks

The worst pep talks

The greatest motivational insights

The worst motivational insights

come  from   Y     O     U. . .inside  of   you

Just because we don’t say IT out loud doesn’t make it any less powerful.

Forget Churchill

Forget Ziglar

Forget Tracey

Forget Robbins

Forget Canfield

Forget all of the great speakers you thought were awesome, or motivational, or inspirational or inciteful. . .

YOU ARE THE MOST POWERFUL SPEAKER YOU’VE EVER HEARD

What we tell ourselves

What we imagine

What we convince

What we think between our ears is more herculean than any other message heard or read.

Dare you harness THAT  imagination?

Dare you leash THOSE  thoughts?

B      E      W      A      R      E :

Your imagination is the most influential force you’ll ever encounter. . .

or you’ll ever need.        .        .        

Wow.      .      .listen to that music

It’s the greatest symphony ever composed;

It’s the greatest orchestra ever assembled;

and    it’s    all    inside    of    you

Shhhhhhhhhhh.        .        .
Listen.         .         .

let your eyes close slowly. . .

see.         .         .

hear.           .           .

Y     o     u,

The Conductor,

have already tapped your baton on the podium.         .         .

your   arms   are   raised

and shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.    .    .

  The      first      notes      are     about    to

B  e  g  i  n      A  g  a  i  n