Patti Patti Oh Patti

So in the midst of doing all these shows, I am asked again to write the Drama League Tribute...this year it's Patti Lupone. I have never met Patti, but my partner Peter is her travel consultant and his brother Phil is her press agent. It's practically like family! It could be a very exciting evening and I am going to insist she sing at the end. What could be better? Angela went up in the Mame number. Patti needs to sing Don't Cry for Me Argentina! The only problem doing this show is that it will happen literally around my projected Road to Qatar opening and it will be a stephencolejuggling act. Well, last year I was in Pittsburgh birthing Time after Time when I wrote the Angela Lansbury Tribute with one of the best special material lyrics I have ever done. So I should be able to do it!

Stay tuned.

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER IN DALLAS

Today I booked my flight to Dallas to be at rehearsals for The Night of the Hunter. This is the third fully staged production and the first to used a 24 piece orchestra based on the orchestrations created for the concept CD which starred Ron Raines, Sally Mayes and Dorothy Loudon. It's also the third time I am overseeing a production since the composer, Claibe Richardson passed away. He never got to see it, except when we did a staged workshop at the Vineyard in NYC. He didn't even live to see the first big NYC reading. It's always hard to do a show without him. Not that he was easy, but he was there and it's his gorgeous music I must protect. Doing any show without your collaborator is hard. Re-writing becomes a balancing act. How do I change it and still keep the music the same and adjust words to fit a new vision but not music. It's not the way it should be. But this is a gorgeously dark and rich musical that demands to be seen and so I shall buck up and go to Dallas and make it the best show with a gloriously big (the biggest I have had live...Aspire was recorded with 70 pieces!)orchestra making a joyful noise in a state that Claibe hated. This is for you, Mr. Richardson.

The Years Go By

I have not written in this blog in years now. So much has happened. 2009 was the world premiere of The Road to Qatar!, 2010 saw the world premiere of Time after Time and a very lucrative production of Rock Odyssey and in October Dallas will see The Night of the Hunter with a full orchestra. Coming soon:The Road to Qatar is to have its NYC Off Bway premiere in Jan. 2011. The writing continues...working on two new shows at once, both originals and both coming along well, but where they will end, who knows: Merman's Apprentice and The Black and White Ball. Also writing a treatment and special material for a great pair of stars...on spec! More on that later when we know what the outcome will be. No books since Charles Strouse. Wish I could get another book deal, but the shows are happening now and maybe, just maybe this week will bring good financial news.