Jill Gallina

Use Your Imagination

Creativity, curiosity and problem-solving skills have long been the attributes associated with success. In this musical, the Muses of the Mind seek to remind children of these valuable intellectual gifts. By comparing the resolution of everyday problems with the achievements of some of the great creative minds of the past, students will learn about their own creative and intellectual potential. The staging instructions suggest that the main performance area be divided in half. One side depicts mini-scenes of everyday problems that are in need of thoughtful and creative solutions. The other half of the performance area is then used to portray mini-scenes, which provide parallel examples of how some of the world's greatest thinkers-Thomas Edison, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, the Wright brothers-used their imaginations and creative powers to address challenges and problems. Using six characters who portray Muses of the Mind (Spark of Creativitiy, Titan of Tenacity, etc.), the children become more aware of their own creative abilities. Six other characters depict Enemies of Imagination and provide graphic examples of how Defeat, Frustration, etc. can inhibit our ability to experience the full range of our creative and intellectual powers. Designed for upper elementary/junior high students, Use Your Imagination can be performed by either a small ensemble or a 'cast of hundreds. '