Stories about a Peter Pan I Know: Mike Shimamoto

The duo called Where’s The Sheep?, a conduit for praise, worship, and inspirational songs, successfully launched their album last weekend (Friday at Eastwood Mall and Sunday at the Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill). I attended last Sunday’s album launch with Pipo and Sophie and was inspired, touched, and blessed by their music. I didicate this post to the singer of the duo, Mike, whom I regard as an anak and a dear, dear friend. (Incidentally, I use didicate because he slipped during his pronunciation of the word ‘dedicate’ during one of his spiels at the album launch. We all screamed with laughter, but really, it just added to his boyish charm.)

Taken about two years ago, during a poolside master class ;-)

1. I meet Mike, a young, chubby adolescent boy who insists on joining our church youth group even before reaching the minimum age requirement of 13. (I believe he was eleven at the time.) He is fair, chinky eyed, and chubby, and the earnestness and dedication he shows towards the group is touching. We pinch his cheeks, tickle him, and call him “Bee” (short for Big Mac, also the name of our friends' cute and chubby dog). As a response to our assaults, Mike would softly squeal, smile with his eyes squinting, and shift to his side. 

“Leave my lamb alone!” His shepherd orders us. (In our community, newbies are called lambs, and are placed under the guidance of a shepherd). Needless to say, we ignore the shepherd and the pinching, tickling, and consequent squealing continue over the next few years.

2. I am tasked to direct a play for our church community, which would allow children with disabilities and mainstream children to interact and become friends. I choose to do a re-imagining of the fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. In a fit of inspiration, I cast him as a flying kiss fairy, one who hops and leaps and squeals, and serves as the bridge between Snow White and her prince. I also have him double up as a bumblebee, and ask him to wear a midriff top, shorts, and tutu skirt all painted black and yellow. He is hesitant, but agrees. He is a hit, and good-naturedly handles all the teasing that ensue due to his, um, interesting attire.

3. I have the idea of putting up Make Believe Productions. He helps me by delivering surveys (part of my feasibility study) around Merville, and to different Titos and Titas in community. This young boy, barely in his teens but with the wisdom of ages, then encourages me and says that this crazy dream of mine is very, very possible. I feel hope.

Upon the launching of Make Believe, we invite him to apprentice with us. He agrees and helps us out every Saturday morning. We do a re-imagining of Alice in Wonderland. I cast him as the Caterpillar and my peg is the slinky, sultry Prince. He wears a Prince-inspired green outfit and sashays to Prince’s Kiss. My girl students all say “Eeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww! Gross, Teacher Mike!” but his commitment to his role – and to sashaying like Prince – is unwavering.

4. On our third workshop cycle, I cast him as the Beast in our workshop production of Beauty and the Beast. He is relieved and calls this the first “normal” role I have ever given him. He internalizes the role very well but almost does not make it to the actual show. His transformation from Beast to Prince must happen in a cloud of smoke (also so that the audience cannot see him change out of his Beast accessories). I bombard him with so much smoke during our technical dress rehearsal till there is zero visibility in our performance space. I stop the rehearsal. Members of my team emerge from the smoke with arms outstretched like zombies, feeling their way through. We open the windows then collapse with laughter. We can’t see Mike. After a few moments, he emerges, coughing but unharmed. The smoke machine does not work during the actual show. (Gee, I wonder whose fault that was? Noony-noony-noo…) He handles the technical glitch with composure and grace. He delivers a searing, sincere performance as the tormented Beast.

5. He invites me to his concert in Dulaang Sibol in Ateneo. He sings praise and inspiration songs with a clear, strong, soaringly beautiful voice. I watch in admiration and see how he is so much in his element, singing to an intimate audience about his love for the Lord. I note, a tad bit sentimentally, that he has grown up into such a handsome and talented young man.

6. After years of apprenticing with Make Believe, he is assigned to head teach a Children’s Theater Class. He directs a beautiful, heartfelt staging of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. As there is no one who can fill in the role of Aslan, he takes this on. We belatedly realize that we are lacking a lion’s headdress. Our friend and fellow Make Believer Chichi has the brilliant suggestion of sticking the fibers of a walis to a headband. We do so, but the outcome is not what we expected. During the show, the audience guffaws every time he comes out. He looks more like a tribal scarecrow than a kingly lion. Oh well. He still delivers his lines with authority and majesty. The show is a success.

Super excited to watch the show!

7. I watch his album launch at the Venice Piazza. His music pulls at my heartstrings. As he sings, I see the earnest little boy, the dreamy, good-natured adolescent, and the passionate, impressive young man he is today. And while he has grown so much, he is still what he was ever since he was young: a boy with so much love for the Lord, with a heart for praise and a love for music, stories, children, and yes, magic. His music gives full expression to who he is: a courageous, infectious God chaser unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and make a complete fool of himself in order to share love, inspiration, worship, and grace with others.

If you are looking for beautiful, simple, uplifting music, do grab a copy of Where’s The Sheep? My favorite tracks include their renditions of known praise songs Who am I, Still, Deeply in Love, Indescribable and their wonderful original song, I am Home. I also suggest that you catch them live to feel the warmth and love and intimate community their music creates.

And, if you are yearning for the kind of music that will make your heart full and give you a happy little ache inside, if you are searching for more and want to feel closer to God, then this is for you.

After the concert, I had a little conversation with Sophie:

Me: Sophie, how was the concert?

Sophie: It was great! (She gives a thumbs up.)

Me: How was Teacher Hero? (Hero is the guitarist of Where’s the Sheep and Sophie’s workshop teacher during the summer, along with Mike. He is funny and charming and a perfect foil to Mike, but that’s another story.)

Sophie: He was awesome!

Me: How was Teacher Mike?

Sophie: Awesome too! Mom, you’re proud of him, huh? (My wise little kid knows.)

Me: (Smiling.) Yes I am.

I really am. So, so proud :-)

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