Rachel DeShon
Rachel DeShon

In development

New
Works

“Anything is Possible” — a live, interactive musical celebration designed to captivate, empower and encourage young people and adults to listen to their hearts, trust their intuition and believe in their dreams.

Emmy Award Winner Tim Noah, collaborating with operatic soprano Rachel DeShon

Anything is Possible features original selections from Tim Noah’s extensive catalog, which has received public and critical acclaim, and incorporates a wide range of musical genres: folk, rock, opera, blues, classical, country, gospel, jazz, and more. The performances also include storytelling, audience participation, comedy, theatrics, sign language, dance and magic.

Anything is Possible is designed specifically for diverse audiences of youth and families. Accessibility and inclusion is creating a space and experience that encourages everyone to engage in whatever way suits them best. To know and feel included, wanted, and seen is the personification of inclusion and accessibility and are incorporated into this show. I intend to create a space for audience members of all ages to feel comfortable to interact, make noise, join along, move, and ultimately enjoy the show in the way that serves them best.

In our world today, I recognize a tremendous need for inspired, thoughtfully conceived, highly creative works for all children and families. I hope by becoming a role model for young people, I can inspire them to step out of the box, take risks and challenge themselves, and in doing so they will find greatness because ‘Anything is Possible’.

Anything is Possible had its first development performance February 1, 2024 at The Capitol Theatre in Nelson, BC. It was developed for and with young people and featured the students of St. Joseph School, Selkirk College’s SOAR Program and as well as a fantastic group of musicians including Kozmo Sammartino (piano), Mel Nieva Carter (bass), Jamie Carter (drums) and Emmy Award winning children’s artist Tim Noah.

Rachel DeShon and Tim Noah with a giant paper rose
Rachel DeShon & Tim Noah

Originally this show was set to be a one-woman opera, but it quickly became apparent from the first workshop with the students at St. Joseph School that they were indeed going to be a huge part of this project. All 130 K-9 Students, 20 Faculty/Staff and 9 Artists were included. The development process started with artist preparation; then an introduction assembly featuring Rachel DeShon, Tim Noah, and Kozmo Sammartino; followed by 12 weeks in the classroom with hands-on learning and collaboration between the students and artists. During this time Tim Noah assisted with writing and developing the script and new songs for the show. Alison Roy of Selkirk College’s SOAR Program facilitated the instruction and development of the sign language for ‘I Can Do Anything’. Additionally, Rachel created and helped build the sets, costumes, sound and lighting designs.

Rachel’s goal was to develop this piece directly for and with community members of various ability levels, which is exactly what happened. She was blown away with the student and faculty’s involvement and dedication to the piece. An additional goal was to create a space for audience members of all ages to feel comfortable to interact, make noise, join along, move, and ultimately enjoy the show in the way that serves them best. She decided to have all the students sit in the audience and come to the stage for their numbers. This allowed all the students to sing along and enjoy the whole show. Rachel also had the entire audience get up and dance for one of the numbers, it was a fully interactive show. Accessibility and inclusion means creating a space and experience that encourages everyone to engage in whatever way suits them best. To know and feel included, wanted, and seen is the personification of inclusion and accessibility and all were goals of this project.

Anything is Possible is truly giving children of all ages a positive hopeful message that yes, they can do anything. Rachel had a tremendously positive response and a mother of two of the students wrote a letter outlining her heartfelt gratitude for the incredible performance, saying it was a “magical experience” and how Rachel’s adaptation of Tim Noah’s music to be a children’s opera was “truly inspiring” and “nothing short of extraordinary”. One of the faculty expressed it was the highlight of her 35 years of teaching, in this the final year of her career. Rachel went back to watch the full video of the show with the students in the gym and every student was singing along and even more boisterous than the original production. Rachel particularly loved them singing operatically along with her. This proved to her that she had managed to make opera fun and digestible. You never know who you might inspire, there is probably a little kid in that school with a great big voice who was scared to sing in front of people just like she was. Rachel hopes by becoming a role model for young people, “I want to inspire young people to step out of the box, take risks and challenge themselves, and in doing so they will find greatness because ‘Anything is Possible’.”

Currently, Anything is Possible is still in the final stages of development and Rachel is hoping to complete the project and tour it nationally in 2028.

Watch

Rachel DeShon & Tim Noah in conversation