The Daily Campus

Issue date: 9/20/07 Section: Focus

Media Credit: Jamie Dee Fish Students peruse through possible decorations for their dorms at the poster sale held this past weekend.

Amused astonishment is the perfect phrase to describe the atmosphere at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday night. James Mapes, a renowned hypnotherapist and public speaker, presented his one-man show "Journey Into the Imagination" Wednesday night for another year at UConn. Hundreds of people attended the show with feelings of excitement, anticipation and for some who had already seen James Mapes, the knowledge that they were in for a good night.

Purple and red lights shone on the white backdrop of the stage. A single row of about 30 chairs were lined up with three overhead projectors evenly spaced behind them.

As soon as the lights faded applause broke out in the audience, whistles were heard and by the time the SUBOG student representatives left the stage after introducing Mapes, the anxious conversations ceased. A man's voice came on the speakers and gave the audience some background information on Mapes. Mapes has been seen in over 150 television shows including All My Children and One Life To Live as well as the movies Taxi Driver and Star Trek VI, according to the voice overhead. Mapes was the first stage hypnotist to receive the "Campus Entertainer of the Year" award and has worked with professional athletes for sports improvement and the New York Police Department assisting in memory recovery. He has also worked with cancer patients by helping them to control their pain. He has an MA in Theater, is a certified hypnotherapist and holds a Ph.D. in experimental psychology.

Suddenly, "Pure Imagination," the title song from the classic "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," starts to play on the speakers. James Mapes took the stage wearing an all-black suit with a purple shirt on underneath, somewhat resembling a magician. The crowd erupted into applause and screamed.

"'Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.' That is my favorite quote by Albert Einstein," said Mapes. He then went into an explanation of the various exercises he would be conducting with certain members of the audience. The first exercise involved Mapes biting into a lemon - which made the juice fly everywhere and caused the first major laugh of the night - and asking the audience if anyone felt their jaw tighten or tasted a sour flavor. Scattered hands rose in the audience.

Continued...

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