26. "I'm Thinking Michael" (Part 26 of 34)

Like all good 80’s / 90’s children, Matthew, Jared, and Stan grew up on shows like Mr. Rogers, Reading Rainbow, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, and a myriad of other live-action Saturday morning programs. And one of the things these shows all had in common was that they would take you to another world – a place far away from the monotony of day-to-day life. They were all about imagination and fantasy, really taking advantage of the power of television.

Concept art for the Alphamites by Michael Foster.

“Do you remember how Mr. Rogers had that trolley that would take viewers into the ‘neighborhood of make-believe?’” Jared asks Matthew.

“I loved that segment,” Matthew recalls.

Jared gestures toward a small portion of the set directly left of the front door. “I think this area would be the perfect place to build a little village. We could have a train pass by, and that can transition us into an animated segment.”

“You thinking Michael?” Matthew asks.

The twins have known Michael Foster for almost 15 years. If you’ve seen something animated in anything they’ve created, it’s likely Foster was behind it. He’s remarkable not only for his rare creativity, reliability, and sense of humor but also for his willingness to participate in an artistic endeavor with no promise of reward.

In other words: he has a good heart and a boatload of talent.

“I’m thinking Michael,” Jared confirms.