Just a quick update to say that I've added a page on this website dedicated to "Theresa at Home" the latest show I've written music for, which is now playing in Boston. On this page you can hear some examples of my score as well as see pictures of the production and read a portion of the Globe review...
While in NYC this past week I had the chance to see a few shows. My favorite of these is "Spring Awakening." I've been listening to the CD non-stop ever since. Thanks to my buddy Jason Grossman for his enthusiastic review!
Spring Awakening is set in 19th century Germany, but the only design element to reflect that is the costumes the actors wear. Everything else, lighting design, scenic design, choreography, and original music are decidely contemporary. The plot concerns the sexual awakening of a handful of white boarding school classmates, which I suppose is also decidely contemporary and probably will be for many years to come. The songs in this show are never sung from one character to another, but rather exist only in a characters head. This convention is one of the most fascinating to me in the show as it opens up so many possibilities for the composer.
The creators deal with sex in a very frank and open way. So much so that it even made me feel a bit awkward. They run the whole gamut. Teenage pregnancy, masturbation, homosexuality, sexual abuse, dominance and subserviance and seemingly everything in between... So if you go see it, and hopefully you will, be ready for it. They pull no punches. Spring Awakening is my favorite Broadway musical experience since Rent. It's innovative, empowering, and takes risks. The first act is some of the best musical theater I've ever seen. The second act, though well wrought is also forced at points into a plot structure that has to get from point A to point B in X amount of time...Unless you cut out a character or a major plot point it's hard to imagine doing anything different, but still it's a bit dissapointing after the stellar first act.
Still, this show is WELL WORTH THE TICKET PRICE! Here's a music video of one of my favorite songs from the show, "The Bitch of Living."
I've just returned to Atlanta from my whirlwind trip to Boston and NYC. I had an amazing time, and I'll review a few of the productions I saw on this blog later this week, but right now I'd love to sum up the experience of Theresa at Home!
The music I wrote for this show is your basic run of the mill doo-wop. Since Theresa is an ex novice nun who, in the script, has a propensity for playing Schubert's Ave Maria when she gets blue, I decided to take Mr. Schuberts harmonic structure and change the lyrics a bit. Here's an example: Theresa at Home - Ave Theresa
I think it's safe to say that we had a great time over tech week for this show. Under the amazing direction of Vinnie Murphy we all put our heads and hearts together and came up with a good, if not completely finished, show. The character of Theresa reminds me a bit of my wife Katie, a loving soul with a talent for listening. I haven't fallen this hard for a fictional character in quite some time. Jessica Rabbit might have been the last one... Stacy Fisher, the actress who portrays Theresa is doing an amazing job in the role as well, which made my work that much easier!
Here's another cue from the show. The end of Act One. It's a scene in which Theresa finds herself unable to pray the way she used to in the convent even though she puts up a good fight to do so. Stacy is brillant in this scene I wish I had some video to show, but the actors union nixed that one right quick. Still, here's the cue, and below it, some stills from the show with an interview from Janet Kenney our playwright... Theresa at Home - End of Act One
Theresa at Home - Interview with Janet Kenney
The craziest thing I've had to deal with soundwise in a long time happened during this show. I had originally designed the show for two Minidisc decks... Old school, if there ever was such a thing. Anyhow, these decks were on their last legs. One ended up ERASING 20 or so cues one morning. So BPT ended up purchasing a new laptop with SFX on it. I hate SFX, but it gets the job done. Completely NON intuitive software. Ugly UI and an all around crappy Windoze program, except that it really does control theater sound pretty well... So I ended up having to rebuild the entire show. 4 solid days of work, in less than 3 hours during the night of our final dress. Good times! Luckily our lighting designer had a friend who came in and helped me out. Thanks Matt!
Anyhow, I'm hoping to put together a podcast episode this week about Theresa. Should be fun. I promise lots of stuff though, so we'll just have to see if I come through or not. I had a GREAT time on this show and I also learned about some new show control software for the MAC!!!! It's called QLab. Check it out, it might be just what I've always wanted!
Back in Boston at the moment. It's cold! There's a Noreaster that's going to sweep through town today. 7 inches of snow (not much for Boston, but would bring Atlanta to a grinding halt as roving gangs of survivors scavanged the metro area for food and warmth...) at last report.
I miss Boston. I love to be back working directly on a show, something I haven't done since Haymarket in 2005. BPT is a great place to work. Not for the sounds system as much as for the wonderful people committed to great art. They are in some dire need of someone to come in and write a donation to cover a new sound system in theater A though.
There are all these new improvements in the T. No more turnstiles. The Silver Line kicks ass! Really fast from the airport. All new green line cars. In fact, they just retired the last of the green line cars yesterday that I used to take everyday in college. They were crap cars, but I spent so much time riding them that it's kind of sad. The end of an era...
Theresa at Home is a kick ass play. It means a lot to me personally because it's about the day an ex-nun wakes up and takes on her first day as a secular housewife. Like my life story on stage! Kinda....
I wasn't raised going to church. I was basically atheist growing up. Had a conversion experience. Met Katie, and now I'm a pastors wife. The problem is that I'll never be able to leave either world behind. Half in one, half in the other. In each world there are folks who think the other family is full of crazies. Like Theresa, our protagonist, it's hard to have one foot in both worlds.
It's another great show for BPT though. I hope anyone who's in Boston in the next 6 weeks will come check it out!
Heading out of the ATL today. Back up to Boston for a week or so of tech on "Theresa at Home" at Boston Playwrights Theater. Yes, I never got the Pillowman package up. That's not really true. All the materials are online if anyone wants to license it, but I haven't made an actual webpage for it yet...
That will have to wait.
Unfortunately I also lost my video camera recently. I think it may have been taken from me, so I can't take any pictures of this upcoming trip. I'll have to borrow one of my friends cameras if there's to be any images forthwith...
Anyhow, I just found this little gem on YouTube. Combines two of my favorite things, Apple products and distaste for W The President. Enjoy!
