Wilde Power, Episode 1

Without question my favorite stories about the Village of Wilde Lake come from my kids’ summers at Slayton House Camp of the Arts, both as campers and staffers. The groups were divided by age ranges and each group would perform a small musical play in a show at the end of each camp session. 

In those days the scripts were adaptations of Broadway musicals, movies, and even cartoon characters and storybook/fairy tales. They were cobbled together by camp counselors with an eye to length and suitability. Each show had one vocal number and one dance number, even if the original story did not.

And so it came to pass that a group of middle schoolers presented a show based on the eco-themed Captain Planet animated series. 

Our world is in peril. Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, can no longer stand the terrible destruction plaguing our planet. She sends five magic rings to five special young people: Kwame, from Africa, with the power of Earth... From North America, Wheeler, with the power of Fire... From Eastern Europe, Linka, with the power of Wind. From Asia, Gi, with the power of Water... and from South America, Ma-Ti, with the power of Heart. When the five powers combine, they summon Earth's greatest champion, Captain Planet. Go Planet! The power is yours!

— Opening Narration of the Captain Planet series

The costumes were the usual Slayton House/summer camp combination of colored T shirts, tights, leggings, and what-have-you. Captain Planet himself was the lone male member of the cast, boys being more scarce in the ranks at that age level. Towering over his cast mates he wore grey sweatpants on top of which he sported bright red gym shorts. 

Imagine if you will: Kwame, Wheeler, Linka, Gi, Mai-Ti, and Captain Planet united to thwart the dastardly eco-villains while decked out in outfits that might have been more at home in a peppy workout video. The players stifled a few giggles here and there at the ridiculousness of the proceedings but they gave it their all.

I can’t remember what the dance number was, but the ensemble song was - - unaccountably - - “You Gotta Have Heart” from Damn Yankees.

You've gotta have heart

All you really need is heart

When the odds are sayin' you'll never win

That's when the grin should start

You've gotta have hope

Mustn't sit around and mope

Nothin's half as bad as it may appear

Wait'll next year and hope

When your luck is battin' zero

Get your chin up off the floor

Mister you can be a hero

You can open any door, there's nothin' to it but to do it

You've gotta have heart

Miles 'n miles n' miles of heart

Oh, it's fine to be a genius of course

But keep that old horse

Before the cart

First you've gotta have heart.

- - music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross.

This was the moment where I got the giggles but did my utmost to suppress them. 

When the five powers combine, they summon Earth's greatest champion, Captain Planet…and sing music from a Tony award winning musical from 1955.

Well, alrighty then. Such are the quirky joys of amateur summer camp productions. Add to that the zest of middle schoolers throwing themselves into a story of heroes and villains and planet-saving (with a little soft shoe thrown in.) This was more than ten years ago and my child wasn’t even in this particular show, but this production of Captain Planet has stayed with me.

These kids absolutely convinced me that you didn’t have to have Hollywood costuming and special effects to be heroes. You just had to have heart - - and combine your powers to work together.  I walked out of the theatre remembering those dramatic words:

By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!

Come back tomorrow for a Wilde Lake Captain Planet sequel. And, remember: the Power is Yours!