James
J Mapes
Ever wonder what it would be like to regress
to childhood? Or experience the thrill of weightlessness
in space? Or dance with a world-class ballet company?
By
PHYLLIS A.S. BOROS
Several
theatergoers will experience all three this Saturday [20031018] when they go
on an "incredible journey"
of the mind, one that begins and ends at The Klein
in Bridgeport.
The
guide on this adventure will be James J. Mapes, an actor, writer, inspirational
speaker and renowned hypnotist, whose one-man show has been offered at more than
1,500 theaters and concert halls across the country.
On
Saturday at 8 p.m., Mapes will bring his "Hypnosis with an Edge: A Journey
Into the Imagination" to The Klein as a benefit for ArtsPort, the nonprofit
organization that runs the municipal auditorium and the Playhouse on the Green
in downtown Bridgeport.
This
particular show was reportedly a huge hit this spring when it played at The Town
Hall theater in Manhattan's Broadway district.
"One
of the most exciting one-man shows I have seen" is the way veteran actor
Hal Holbrook, star of "Mark Twain Tonight," described Mapes' performance.
And
the late Markland Taylor wrote in Variety: "Seldom have I seen one man captivate
an audience so completely... Mapes transforms the art of hypnosis into riveting
entertainment."
"A
bare stage, me and your imagination" will be the focus of Saturday's performance,
Mapes, a Westport resident, said in a recent telephone interview.
Mapes,
57, said his show is "good, clean fun" that is appropriate for all
ages. "It's about the power of imagination and an exploration of the mind's
potential," he said.
Mapes
will take the entire audience on several mind-expanding experiences and then
involve several volunteers from the audience in more focused experiments.
Hypnosis
has been used in various forms for more than a thousand years, said Mapes, a
certified hypnotherapist by the National Guild of Hypnotists and the American
Board of Hypnotherapy.
"The
word itself was coined by James Braid, a Scottish doctor in the 1800s. But it
is deceptive because it comes from the Greek word for sleep, hypnos. It's not
sleep, but rather a very relaxed state, in which the subject is receptive to
some sort of suggestion,"
Mapes said.
"It's
like when you're driving and don't remember how you got from one point to another."
Mapes,
who has a master of arts degree in theater from California State University,
said he first saw a demonstration by a hypnotist at a 1969 celebrity fund-raiser.
"I
thought it was all bogus and so far out. I remember stomping out of the room,
I was so angry," Mapes recalled, laughing.
"But
life can be filled with synchronicity that guides you to what you should be doing.
It was in 1973, through a friend of a friend, that I met Harry Arons, the founder
of the Association for the Advancement of Ethical Hypnosis."
Mapes
said he soon became intrigued with hypnosis and its potential.
"Harry
Arons became my mentor. And here we are, 30 years later, and I'm still evolving" as
a hypnotist.
As
a clinical hypnotist, Mapes has worked with clients on weight reduction, smoking
cessation and phobia elimination. He also works on memory recovery for witnesses
and victims of crimes; performance improvement for athletes; and pain reduction
for terminally ill cancer patients.
Mapes
also runs Quantum Leap Thinking in Wilton, which tailors his one-man show for
corporate presentations. Mapes said this show emphasizes such concepts as team
building, creativity, risk taking and leadership. His clients have included IBM,
Merrill Lynch, Kraft USA and British Airways.
The
hypnotist is the author of "Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner's Guide to the
Mind" and "The Magic of Quantum Leap Thinking." His doctorate
in experimental psychology is from Renshaws College in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
In
addition to his own show, Mapes has performed in more than 100 theatrical productions,
television shows and films, including "Taxi Driver" and "Star
Trek: First Contact."
"Hypnosis
with an Edge: Journey Into the Imagination" with James J. Mapes will take
place Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Klein, 910 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport. Tickets
are $20-$30. Tickets to benefit ArtsPort, at $75 each, will include premium seating
and a reception after the show. They may be purchased at the Bridgeport Bluefish
box office at Harbor Yard or by calling 345-4800, ext. 150.
Article
Last Updated: Saturday, October 18, 2003 - 9:44:34 AM EST
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