UNLIKELY INSPIRATION: HOW A TINY VISITOR SPARKED A TALE OF CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY IN THE HEART OF THE MOORES SCHOOL OF MUSIC
University of Houston Students collaborate to craft a children's book
When a mouse unexpectedly graced the office of the former Moores School of Music Director’s office; it set in motion an unforeseen source of inspiration for a charming children's book destined to become a heartwarming fundraiser in the years that followed.
When traveling with the Moores School of Music to Leipzig, Germany for the 25th Anniversary of the Houston-Leipzig Sister City Association in October 2018, the mouse became a muse to pass the time. “We were making up stories about this mouse which were quite funny and became very involved. Thus, the idea for a book was born.” said Jo Dee Wright, Chair of the Texas Music Festival Council and Immediate Past President of the Moores Society.
From its inception, the vision was to engage University of Houston students in bringing this initiative to life. "We wanted to promote the success of our students by involving them," explained Wright. "Dr. Courtney Crappell, who was the Director of the Moores School of Music at the time, enlisted the support of the Creative Writing Program faculty first to find the best candidate to write the story."
Enter Sarah McClung, a former Fulbright Grantee to Spain, and at the time, a PhD candidate in Creative Writing.
“I started working on the Morry project just after defending my PhD thesis. It was like going on a cruise after an unsuccessful coup – refreshing and unexpected. The first draft I wrote was a sad and mopey story about a network of mice who brought orphan children to the opera to cheer them up. Pretty gloomy stuff, not to mention it was way too elaborate for a picture book. Jo Dee had the good sense to nix that draft and ask for something livelier. The only problem was that I was in a gloomy mood and didn’t want to write something joyful. I had just recovered from lung cancer and my mother was dying of breast cancer. I wanted to write something melancholy and morose! I wanted my precious sadness – ha!” said McClung.
In a fit of irritation, McClung sat down and wrote the final draft. “I must have been subconsciously thinking about my nephew. Since I had been sick, I had lost touch with him. He was the kind of baby you wanted to squish and never put down. The kind of boy who was happy and radiant wherever he went. I think Morry came from the space that he had left in my heart, and I filled it with all the color and glee of the opera,” she said.
Once the story of Morry, a mouse who loves opera and mischief, was realized, Dr. Crappell reached out to the School of Art to locate an artist to illustrate the book.
The opportunity landed on the desk of Associate Professor and Program Coordinator Cheryl Beckett, who frequently shares opportunities with students in the Graphic Design Block program, aligning perfectly with their expertise and specialty.
Of the students who submitted their portfolios, Dominique Francia’s style of digital paintings seemed to be the perfect fit.
"In my portfolio, I presented a collection of digital paintings influenced by the Renaissance era, highlighting iconic pop culture figures. It was agreed that this style resonated with the vision for the book. I recall feeling a tad apprehensive as those illustrations demanded considerable time and effort. However, Jo Dee and all the project collaborators graciously accommodated my school schedule," shared Francia.
The digital painting by Dominique Rose Francia, Garden of Eden (2018), that caught their eye.
The digital painting by Dominique Rose Francia, Garden of Eden (2018), that caught their eye.
“Initially, the first draft of the book included a young girl character who had a passion for music, with the mouse as her companion.
However, midway through the project, we made the decision to remove the girl character and focus on developing the mouse.
Subsequently, we introduced the conductor character, and proceeded to create sketches accordingly,” said Francia.
As the project progressed, Francia and McClung collaborated on the layout and sensibility of the book, “I was thinking of an old, illustrated Peter Pan book that I loved, one with sumptuous, theatrical paintings, and a version of The Nutcracker with dark reds and greens. I was also thinking about my nephew as a toddler, who had this enormous, lovable belly. Dominique listened to all my dingbat visions and came up with the Morry you see now,” said McClung.
After five years of dedicated effort, "Morry the Moores Opera House Mouse" was published by CKW Publishing, which specializes in children's books for organizations such as Houston Grand Opera and Ars Lyrica Houston, as well as for numerous individuals from the Houston area.
Today, McClung is finishing up her memoir and starting a novel. “Both are much longer projects than Morry, but they share the same narrative architecture and principles. It’s striking how formally restrictive children’s literature is – the word count, the vocabulary, the narrative machinery that often demands a final twist or quirk – it’s really about as exigent as a sonnet in its own way. But the experience of reading a story to children is what makes children’s literature special for me. I feel like the imaginative space I share with kids is so much more present and alive than anything I’ve felt with adults – it’s as if we could all reach out and touch the story. Maybe that has to do with the nature of children's imaginative play and how crucial it is for human development. Or maybe it’s to do with children’s lack of self-consciousness and willingness to engage in the unreal, or even their ability, or at least their necessary conditioning, to follow another person’s lead. Whatever it is, reading stories with children feels vital and thrilling and comforting. I hope Morry makes some of his readers feel that way – delighted, thrilled, and comforted. I hope he makes them feel just the way my nephew has always made me feel – charmed just to be in his company,” said McClung.
After completing her studies in the Graphic Design Program, Francia gained experience working for a crypto gaming company for a year, along with undertaking contractual work for healthcare companies. However, her involvement in creating Morry the Opera House Mouse served as a revelation, prompting her to refocus her efforts on her passion.
"I've been exploring various projects while traveling, with a focus on my passions. Currently, I'm working on developing a web comic, which aligns perfectly with my love for illustration—I mean, it's evident in the work I did for this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the process, leading me to ponder how I could merge my graphic design skills with illustration. Creating a web comic allows me to embrace a digital format, offering the opportunity to present information creatively through design,” said Francia.
On January 31, 2024, following more than five years of collaboration, a luncheon celebrated the release of "Morry the Moores Opera House Mouse," with recognition bestowed upon Dominique Francia, Sarah McClung, Connie Kwan-Wong, CKW Luxe Publisher, and Jo Dee Wright. Now, while attending a performance, you can acquire the book at the Box Office for $250, which also includes a Moores Society Membership.
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