Earlier this year, I had the fortune of attending an event at one of our local elementary schools featuring Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House series of children’s books. Our school received this honor because one of our 4th graders submitted the winning entry to a Magic Tree House contest that asked which book they would like to see made into a musical.
Mrs. Osborne described how there was one line in the student’s short essay that jumped out at her. The student thought it would be wonderful to see a herd of mustangs run across the stage and Mary felt this observation captured the feeling of theatre.
I must say, I was impressed and delighted listening to Mrs. Osborne. She gave a brief biography of herself particularly with respect to her writing career and then proceeded to explain how the Tree House series came to life. It was a great lesson in perseverance and how inspiration can come in unusual places. It was also interesting to here how her husband Will Osborne suggested having non-fiction counterpart books for each fiction version.
Even more impressive is the integrity of the Osborne’s who have not sold out to television or film because Mary wants her readers to use their imagination. She described the “magic of books” and how they can transport us to different times and places. Both Mary and Will did feel that imagination is still present on stage and hence were willing to create a musical that is now touring the country.
Mary and Will make a great couple. There was a moment when the actors who play the characters Jack and Annie were singing a song from the musical and Mary and Will were off to the side watching. Mary was sitting on the steps of the stage and Will was kneeling behind her with his right hand on her right shoulder and his left hand caressing her left arm. They were both smiling and enjoying the music and the moment. It was one of the surrealist moments of true love I have ever witnessed first hand.
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