I recently saw “Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark” on Broadway.  It’s not a perfect show, but I had followed its creation, controversial history, and creative story from the beginning and I wanted to see the show before it closed in early January.  Despite its flaws, the show was entertaining and the moments of flying were truly thrilling.  Under the show’s problems were clear swaths of inspiration and even genius.

Now I’m reading “Song of Spider-man” where the show’s book writer, Glen Berger, shares his side of the story of the musical’s creation and rocky creative road.   Glen notes that Julie Taymor, the show’s original director, was always heralded for her “unwavering vision” in the projects she worked on.  This laser focus on her vision for a show or movie allowed her to create true miracles like “The Lion King” on Broadway or her much loved version of “The Magic Flute” for The Metropolitan Opera.”

I wrote an earlier blog post during Spider-man’s creation where Julie Taymor is quoted saying “I don’t think anything that’s really creative can be done without danger and risk.”  Of course, she’s referring to the boldness during the creative process, but this quote would be used against her unfairly when actors in Spider-man costumes started being injured during the show’s early run of previews.  You can read this earlier blog post HERE

I mention all of this because I’m also a creative person and I’m constantly weighing the risks and trying to follow a “vision” for a show.  I can honestly say that my greatest successes with marching groups as a designer have always come when I’ve had a clear idea and “vision” for what a show could be…and followed it very closely to the end.

This process of staying true to a vision is truly a VERY difficult task because most of us do not work in a vacuum.  Even on a show where I’m creating the music, drill, and coordinating all the visual elements of the show, I’m still working with the guard team, band director, and other staff at the school, plus a percussion writer and other creative team members, to bring a show to life.  This requires a lot of finesse and negotiation and can be an exhausting process.  But, this is what the process IS.  AND I'm always very appreciative when a director and his team will trust me and allow me to see an idea through fully.  I appreciate the risk they are taking and the amount of trust they put in my work and ability.

Of course the down side of following one’s vision is that you are responsible if things go badly, and the fault sits squarely on your shoulders.  This is the burden of the creative leader and is something we have to accept and learn to deal with.  However, I always hope that an audience member will have a context of understanding this risk, the “bold” choices that a creative team makes, and perhaps even some kernel of understanding that the creative process does not always create home runs.  So let’s applaud those who take chances, be considerate when things don’t always go well, and be savvy enough to understand the “danger and risk” of this kind of work.  It’s thrilling, terrifying, and not for the meek!

(Watch for a Marching Roundtable podcast on this topic in the coming months: "When Good Shows Go Bad.")