"in beautiful downtown Plymouth, IN,
where the Yellow River crosses the old Lincoln Highway."

–Cynthia Connell Davis

When I go into the Wild Rose Moon Performing Arts Center in downtown Plymouth, founder and owner George Shricker characteristically greets me with, "I have something to show you." His enthusiasm is contagious. On this day, Production Director Jim Yocom (volunteer) has completed an 8-minute video consisting of clips from events that have taken place here, during its three years of life. George will make a presentation at Sweetwater in Fort Wayne on July 3, with the hope of partnering with them to extend the reach of theirs and Wild Rose Moon's music and educational production programs.

George is wearing his wire-rim glasses on his head, his gray hair in a pony tail, and a black T-shirt with a long, narrow logo that says, "Spaulding University . . .brief residency MFA in Writing . . .www.spaulding.edu/MFA" When I mention Spaulding, where he earned his MFA, he says, "Writing and working at writing makes us human."

He thrusts into my hand a printed sheet of paper with a full-page statement from Karlfried Graf Durckheim. It is entitled "The Way of Transformation." He points out a statement he wants me to think about: ". . Thus, the aim of practice [meditation/inner work] is not to develop an attitude which allows a man to acquire a state of harmony and peace wherein nothing can ever trouble him. On the contrary, practice should teach him to let himself be assaulted, perturbed, moved, insulted, broke and battered--that is to say, it should enable him to dare to let go his futile hankering after harmony, sure ease of pain, and a comfortable life in order that he may discover, in doing battle with forces that oppose him, that which awaits him beyond the world of opposites.. . " George has struggled and fought, to start "the Moon." He achieved non-profit status and learned how to write grants. Acquiring adequate financing has plagued the project. He comments, "It can be hard. Sometimes you're really up against it. It comes back to the art of listening. You have to recognize the blessings when they come.”

"This is why I had to do this." His hand sweeps around, indicating the Wild Rose Moon. "To transform me!"

You, dear reader, have now met the man whose lifelong dream has been to establish a performing arts center, production house, education hub, and hospitality center in the building that has been in his family for three generations -- a building that celebrated its 100th birthday last year. The seed of his dream was planted when he attended the Amazing Grace coffee house in Evanston, IL, in the early 1970's. By a wonderful confluence of forces one of the original artists who helped to start Amazing Grace, Claudia Schmidt, performed at Wild Rose Moon and did the radio show, in June. "Arts in action in service to the community," says the mission statement.

The Wild Rose Moon features artists from all over the country. Here local and regional artists can experience and learn from nationally known artists. It is an intimate space -- two spaces, in fact -- each very different and eliciting different type of performances. Both are listening rooms, dedicated to audience's undivided attention to the performers. Their attention honors the creativity experienced here. The main floor space, which seats 90 people, regularly features singer-song writers, dancers, musicians, poets, comedians, story-tellers, players of drama and comedy. All genres and all ages are welcomed. The downstairs stage is home to both the Wild Rose Moon Radio Hour and the "To the Moon and Back" pod cast.

The education part deserves special mention. It, too, is dear to Shricker's heart. He wants to see young people find nurture for their passion and take wing. Director Jim Yocum says, "I mentor the interns. Interns learn the production equipment and the soft skills they need to find employment afterwards. They have a chance to build a resume based on what they are learning." More than 20 interns have benefited from the center's production hub in 3 years, and many more are expected to find training here in the future.

Wild Rose Moon offers three kinds of events: performances by local, regional and national artists; the Wild Rose Moon Radio Show; and the most recent addition, "To The Moon and Back" pod cast. "To the Moon and Back" features clips of performances woven into interviews with the performers in a half hour format. By foregrounding the ideas and process that underlie the creative work, the way an artist creates his or her work is shown.

Central to the mission of the WRM is the serious work of having fun. In addition to the performances and productions, it is accomplished during the Open Mic on the first and third Wednesday nights; during Jam Night in which anyone may bring an instrument and jam together with other musicians on the second and fourth Wednesday nights; and by the Moonatics, the improv group, on the first and third Monday nights, of each month. The Moonatics, who welcome new members at all times, was started two years ago by popular request. (Full disclosure: I am the director of the Moonatics.) Improv is a comedy format in which the performers make up the scene on the spot. It is the art of spontaneously acting out a comedy skit without preparation. Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, and a score of other comedians got their start with improv. This format is so effective in developing listening skills, self-confidence, quickly putting yourself in someone else's shoes, sensing the scene behind the scene (i.e., where someone else is coming from), team work and team-building that it has been assimilated into seminars for developing effective business communications. When members have worked together for many months, as the members of Moonatics have, they become so acquainted with one another that they can pick up a script for a play and do a "table-read" as a finished public performance.

So you're wondering about the name? George has been a singer-song writer for his entire adult life. He has performed in schools and countless other venues, encouraging children and (if I may hazard a cliche) young people of all ages to create, to make art. He named one of his albums (CD's) "Wild Rose Moon" after the full moon in June that local Native Americans called the wild rose moon, a reflection of the season when the wild roses bloom. His album occasioned so much interest, so enthusiastic a response, that he chose this name for the center. The community has supported the center with donations from individuals, businesses, and local government. The Community Foundation and the Marshall County Tourism Bureau deserve special mention for their generous donations. A team of volunteers do the behind-the-scenes work, and a growing membership also supports it, as well as large crowds at performances. Kennedy's Kitchen (three appearances), Frances Luke Accord (twice), and John Gorka among many other groups and performers have drawn maximum capacity attendance.

George Shricker is by no means alone in believing that all hope for the future of the human race lies in its ability to create. He tells an anecdote about teaching and singing with children with whom he was creating "the story inside." Then he clarifies: "It wasn't me teaching them. We were learning together." He pauses for a moment and then adds, "If we can learn to create together, nothing can stop human beings."

Link to the Wild Rose Moon: wildrosemoon.com

Address: 115 N Michigan St, Plymouth, IN 46563

Phone: (574) 276-1185