Every once in a while, time spent on Facebook pays off. I recently chatted with a friend from high school, Juliana. (Juliana writes a hilarious blog, which you should read.) As fate would have it, Juliana owns and operates a local theater. Remember Juliana, because we're going to come back to her later. But first I want to show you this picture.
[Baby Tyler in the orchestra pit]
There, in the background and out of focus, you will see a younger version of myself (look at that thick, full head of hair). I am 14 in this picture, can you believe it? And where am I? I'm sitting in American Fork High School playing my violin for a production of Into the Woods. This marked my first ever involvement with musical theater. I enjoyed it so much that I've stayed involved with music ever since.
Over the years, I continued to listen to the music of this play, and it became a source of teaching and inspiration. The story focuses heavily on wants, desires, wishes, choices, and consequences. Like it or not, we all have to deal with all of those every day. I've written about how the music has helped me find my place in the world, taught me that it's best to stay away from temptation, and to respect those with whom I disagree.
OK, back to Juliana. So the genesis of our chat was a link she had shared about Into the Woods. One thing led to another and she invited me to play in her theater's production. I'm very happy to be a part of this, even though it is a very small part.
You see, since my 9th grade self sat in that high school auditorium, I've been trudging through my own woods full of witches and giants and false hopes and goodbyes and reverses. It's part of growing up. It's part of living. It's hard! And it hurts! Yet there is so much happiness and so many dreams do come true. It may seem silly to you, but this particular play has become a metaphor I use to understand my own life.
It's poetic, really, that I should be blessed with an opportunity to participate in something so deeply personal and symbolic as I feel I am coming to the end of a difficult time in my own life. And it's strange that such a thing as a musical acts as bookends—one in my formative years, and the other as I've become sure of myself and determined to stay the course. I'm not getting comfortable, though. The woods will call again. They always do.
So into the woods you go again,
You have to every now and then.
Into the woods, no telling when,
Be ready for the journey.
Into the woods, but not too fast
or what you wish, you lose at last.
Into the woods, but mind the past.
Into the woods, but mind the future.
Into the woods, but not to stray,
Or tempt the wolf, or steal from the giant--
The way is dark,
The light is dim,
But now there's you, me, her, and him.
The chances look small,
The choices look grim,
But everything you learn there
Will help when you return there.
Into the woods--you have to grope,
But that's the way you learn to cope.
Into the woods to find there's hope
Of getting through the journey.
Into the woods, each time you go,
There's more to learn of what you know.
Into the woods, but not too slow--
Into the woods, it's nearing midnight--
Into the woods to mind the wolf,
To heed the witch, to honor the giant,
To mind, to heed, to find, to think, to teach, to join,
To go to the Festival!
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Into the woods,
Then out of the woods--
And happy ever after!
I wish...