Today I lost my papa, Lewis Mahlmann. I am very sad, but I am also relieved. He was declining and recently got to the point where he would suffer if he held on. And so... he let go; peacefully, in his sleep. And I am glad. He lived a truly charmed life; he was adored and coddled by his parents, and encouraged to express himself creatively throughout his youth. He fell in love with two beautiful men who adored him, and is survived by one of them, who he has been with for over 50 years!. He has traveled extensively and has seen more of the world than most of us might hope to... and has made friends throughout! His home is a veritable museum of items he has gained amidst his travels. A fun distraction for those of us close to him would be to point at an item and ask, Where did you get that?, and he would regale us with the answer. Of course he would! He was the greatest story-teller I will ever know. You may not realize it, but he changed the world you live in. He produced puppet shows for over 40 years! Hundreds of them! He changed hearts and minds with words and music. He exposed children to art they might never have had access to. The man worked tirelessly to create in others a love for things of beauty! His entire purpose was to inspire others and give to them the gift of joy. And all he ever asked was that you sit attentively behind the magic pink line and clap if you enjoyed yourself. Ive been thinking about what Id say to explain how much this man meant to me personally... it is such an overwhelming thing to consider! Because of him I have two of the dearest friends I could ever imagine, Robin and Jerry. We met at my very first puppet show recording, and weve probably done dozens since. Everything good that you think about my work is because of them... and so, because of him. Pretty much everyone I hold dear I met on the path he lead me. I can never thank him enough. He encouraged me, and chastised me, as a true master should. He taught me music and sewing and sculpting and design; he helped me to write and to edit and to plan and to do. Some of the fondest moments of my life were while doing an oft-performed puppet show... again! I was young and impatient then, but now when I think back, I can feel the strength of his hand on my elbow as he (futilely) tried to improve the posture of my puppets. I literally have a sense-memory of a particular muscle straining every time he did that. And as long as I live, I will never forget his gentle hand resting on mine during the final scene of his Beauty and the Beast as Belle pleaded to her Beast to survive. All the while, Ravels Ma mère loye elevated toward its delirious peak. We cried every single time... even now. I loved Lewis with all my heart and there is nothing like loving your teacher. From the moment I formally asked to be his apprentice, I have never stopped learning from him. I wish everyone could have that. I owe so much to him. I love you, Lewis Mahlmann. Thank you.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 06:48:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015