To finish the lyric from the headline: Come hear the music play. Life is a cabaret . . . And I just finished a cabaret event featuring songs from several shows I wrote or co-wrote plus some from the trunk. We more than sold out the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Lone Star Theatre Co., which produced the night, raised money. Fantastic performers got the chance to show their wares. And the audience had a great evening.
So what?
Producing 101 says, “Never do anything without a reason.” So what was my reason for doing this? What do I get out of it other than a chance to hear my stuff performed well for a roomful of friends and family. What concrete development results from the night? Truth is . . . I’m not sure. And that’s OK.
A few years ago at the New York ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop someone asked Stephen Schwartz how you get a musical moving, get it closer to production, get someone interested in it. Stephen simply said, “Just get your stuff out. If it’s good something will happen.”
There are two lessons in that statement. Be good. Get your stuff out. It goes without saying we’re all trying to be good. It’s an act of discipline. But getting your stuff out often is an act of faith. I’m not sure what getting my stuff out at the Laurie Beechman will do. But a lot of people heard it who hadn’t. I benefited from a lot of encouragement. I made connections with new singers, musicians and others. It will go on Lone Star’s You Tube channel and give me my own personal “sizzle real.”
Kander and Ebb have it right. What good is sitting alone in your room? I’m a songwriter, so get out and get my stuff performed. Are you an actor? Go audition. Are you a writer? Write and submit. Whatever you do, take the next step. Was my cabaret night the last step? No. It was the next step. And it was a good step. And I’m glad I took it.
OK. That’s it, and that’s enough.
So what?
Producing 101 says, “Never do anything without a reason.” So what was my reason for doing this? What do I get out of it other than a chance to hear my stuff performed well for a roomful of friends and family. What concrete development results from the night? Truth is . . . I’m not sure. And that’s OK.
A few years ago at the New York ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop someone asked Stephen Schwartz how you get a musical moving, get it closer to production, get someone interested in it. Stephen simply said, “Just get your stuff out. If it’s good something will happen.”
There are two lessons in that statement. Be good. Get your stuff out. It goes without saying we’re all trying to be good. It’s an act of discipline. But getting your stuff out often is an act of faith. I’m not sure what getting my stuff out at the Laurie Beechman will do. But a lot of people heard it who hadn’t. I benefited from a lot of encouragement. I made connections with new singers, musicians and others. It will go on Lone Star’s You Tube channel and give me my own personal “sizzle real.”
Kander and Ebb have it right. What good is sitting alone in your room? I’m a songwriter, so get out and get my stuff performed. Are you an actor? Go audition. Are you a writer? Write and submit. Whatever you do, take the next step. Was my cabaret night the last step? No. It was the next step. And it was a good step. And I’m glad I took it.
OK. That’s it, and that’s enough.
RSS Feed
