The real story behind Dr. Moon: Virginia Tech’s very own street performer

It all started after the 2007 shooting, when right before he saw the unhappy looking shooter in Dietrick and wasn’t able to reach him

Chris Saunders, better known as Dr. Moon, has been playing on the streets since he graduated from Radford University in 2012. His mantra has been that art should never be withheld due to someone’s inability to pay for a ticket.

Saunders’s main goal is community outreach. He wants to bridge the gap between the locals and the students and end the disconnection. “Students have a preconceived notion about the Appalachia people who live here. I grew up coming here all the time for all the activities, and I want the students to feel connected to the locals [like I felt connected to them as a kid].”

Appalachia is a culture and a genre all rolled into one. Saunders and others living in the Appalachian Mountains refer to themselves as belonging to the Appalachia people. They are traditionally miners and loggers, but as times have changed, so have the people. For some time, Saunders’s family owned a candle and incense making business called Waxing Moon, but since then have gone to the street performing lifestyle.

“There is a tremendous untapped source of art from the Appalachian people. I’m trying to encourage that art to come out.”

Dr. Moon isn’t alone. Street performers aren’t strangers to Blacksburg. There have been several other acts in the past, including sword swallowers and magicians. Even Saunders’s wife is in on it, performing as the living sculpture she calls Tableau Vivant. Her goal is to connect with people fighting depression to let them know they are not alone.

It all began on the day everything changed for Blacksburg: April 16, 2007. At the time, Saunders was working for Virginia Tech dining as a supervisor for Dietrick, his favorite dining hall. Shortly before the shooting, the shooter came into the dining hall. He looked unhappy, but Saunders never had the chance to say anything to him to see if he was okay. That day forever stands out in his memory, but Saunders decided to do something about it. The idea of community outreach via street performance was born, and Saunders went back to school for his degree in performing arts.

Students and locals alike are welcomed to talk to Saunders on the street about anything on their mind. “I see the same people quite often. Humans are creatures of habit, so if I sit in the same place at the same time every day, I’ll become familiar with the faces and I can tell when something is wrong. Students stop and talk to me all the time, and I like to be there for them when they need a friend.” Saunders has become very partial to Virginia Tech and its students. Several members of his family are alumni of Tech, and he continues to support the Hokie community to this day, along with several other Virginia schools. He loves the interaction he gets to have with the students and values every opportunity thrown his way.

He recommends the song, “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, to Virginia Tech students, as he believes it is something we can all relate to. He also suggests Glen Campbell’s song, “Try a Little Kindness.”

Dr. Moon is commonly seen with his trademark colorful hat and customized guitar case with the words “Smile Therapy” on the inside. The phrase refers to his belief that we should all reach out to one another and help spread the smiles. “The general mental health of the community is a contagious thing. If you’re nice and friendly with someone, then they carry that on and it goes out from there,” said Saunders.  “Even if you’re going through a bad time, if you force yourself to smile it releases all kinds of endorphins, so I put it in my case and it gets people to smile.” The hat serves the same purpose of spreading smiles to the public  but has a bit more of a comedic backstory. Without the hat, people tended to believe that Saunders was a homeless man performing for money in his blue jeans in a t-shirt. While Saunders does accept tips, that certainly wasn’t the goal.

Saunders performs in several areas in rain, wind and snow. He performs twice a day in what he refers to as the unconventional spots. He has been known to stand outside of Goodwill, grocery stores and more commonly outside of Squires in the mornings. Within the next month, he and his wife hope to start giving away free paintings to add to their “art is free” philosophy.

Saunders wants to spread this message: Be yourself and be happy. Understand this to shall pass. The bad will not last forever, so don’t stress, and neither will the good, so live for the moment. As for those pursuing  a degree in performing arts, Saunders has this advice: “Definitely give the Sidewalk Stage a try. It’s sixteen blocks of stage space and gives you all the opportunity you could ask for. It’s a great place to start.”

Dr. Moon invites all students to visit him during his sidewalk performances and welcomes all conversation. He offers CDs to those interested and a friendly smile to everyone. Ask for a selfie, and he’s happy to oblige!

More
Virginia Tech