I had the great fun Saturday of attending MusicalWriter.com’s Feedback Fest, which took place in the upper reaches of the Player’s Theatre building just off Washington Square in NYC in the Theater Resources Unlimited space.
Three big lessons for me.
We share a similar passion. One presenter was a first-time musical writer from Connecticut whose show is about a one-hit wonder band that gets back together to save a local theater from a developer. It’s a sweet, personal show that he’d love to see his community theater do.
A second presenter, this one from Houston and New York, came up with the great idea of a musical based on women’s love affair with shoes--Pumped. It’s a huge show and Broadway is her dream.
A third writing pair came from Seattle with The Book of Ruth, a musical retelling of the biblical story.
And I could go on. Every musical entirely different, every creator fueled entirely by the same passion—to see this story on stage. It’s what drives us. Community theater to Broadway. It. Does. Not. Matter. What matters is the story and that someone hear it.
We share a similar journey. As my wife likes to say, “Art is hard.” Anyone writing a musical knows this. There is no line forming of people wanting to produce our shows. We labor, mostly alone, often in the wee hours. We move forward, if we move forward, across a trackless landscape, no map and no compass other than the aforementioned passion and the values that fuel it. Encouragement is rare. Encouragers are prized. But for most, it is a day by day decision to press on toward a place we’re pretty sure is there.
We need a community. I was delighted to see several friends made at Carol de Giere’s first Feedback Fest in April. “How is your musical coming?” “Did you find your composer?” “I get so frustrated.” We are in a room full of people who actually know how we feel, exactly. Who are feeling that way themselves. And we can laugh at the absurdity of it and encourage one another to not quit. We are reminded that while we feel alone, we are not alone. Not by a long shot.
Sure, I learned a bit more about the craft of musical making from an experienced panel, most of whom have made them successfully. But I learned just as much from my less-experienced fellow travelers, daily devoted to figuring out how to make them.
OK. That’s it and that’s enough.
Three big lessons for me.
We share a similar passion. One presenter was a first-time musical writer from Connecticut whose show is about a one-hit wonder band that gets back together to save a local theater from a developer. It’s a sweet, personal show that he’d love to see his community theater do.
A second presenter, this one from Houston and New York, came up with the great idea of a musical based on women’s love affair with shoes--Pumped. It’s a huge show and Broadway is her dream.
A third writing pair came from Seattle with The Book of Ruth, a musical retelling of the biblical story.
And I could go on. Every musical entirely different, every creator fueled entirely by the same passion—to see this story on stage. It’s what drives us. Community theater to Broadway. It. Does. Not. Matter. What matters is the story and that someone hear it.
We share a similar journey. As my wife likes to say, “Art is hard.” Anyone writing a musical knows this. There is no line forming of people wanting to produce our shows. We labor, mostly alone, often in the wee hours. We move forward, if we move forward, across a trackless landscape, no map and no compass other than the aforementioned passion and the values that fuel it. Encouragement is rare. Encouragers are prized. But for most, it is a day by day decision to press on toward a place we’re pretty sure is there.
We need a community. I was delighted to see several friends made at Carol de Giere’s first Feedback Fest in April. “How is your musical coming?” “Did you find your composer?” “I get so frustrated.” We are in a room full of people who actually know how we feel, exactly. Who are feeling that way themselves. And we can laugh at the absurdity of it and encourage one another to not quit. We are reminded that while we feel alone, we are not alone. Not by a long shot.
Sure, I learned a bit more about the craft of musical making from an experienced panel, most of whom have made them successfully. But I learned just as much from my less-experienced fellow travelers, daily devoted to figuring out how to make them.
OK. That’s it and that’s enough.
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