Hear My Song!

I tried so hard with Leading Lady and there's really, sadly, nothing to report in the way of real progress. I will not give up on it, but it's going to have to wait for another opportunity.

The project that's heating up is Hear My Song. We've been working on it three years already. Hard to believe how long it took to just get the rights. But I must say that since last Fall, when that was finally sorted out, we have moved it along significantly.

Saving Romance

If you want something to happen in the theatre business you really have to want it bad and you have to love it and never give up. It sounds like a total cliche, but it's absolutely true. I'm sure that sometimes things just magically line up, but I doubt that happens much.

My partners and I have been trying to get another project off the ground for a few years now... we've had a few really great ideas, and we've had many ways of looking at it. Only now does it look like maybe we're actually getting somewhere. There are a couple things cooking. With any luck, maybe... just MAYBE... one of them will actually happen.

This blog got off to a false start, the earlier notes from last year are from one of the projects that didn't happen. I'm leaving it there as a reminder. And I'm keeping the title of the blog the same. It's still appropriate. "The Play's the Thing." It's true.

The focus of this blog is the project that is now slowly coming to life. It's a musical adaptation of the 1991 British film "Hear My Song": a fictional account of a young nightclub owner who tries to save a failing music hall and his relationship with his girlfriend by convincing the famous Irish singer Josef Locke to come back to England from tax exile to perform at his club.

The lead character is on a mission to save romance, and, in a way, we're on the same mission. To save the romance... the fantasy... the dream... of making a contribution to the musical theatre.

A Bigger Picture

The big project is still being considered by the artistic director - just heard from him yesterday. He is sharing the proposal with his co-artistic directors and the board. So... no news (is good news?).

There's also a couple of other irons in the fire.

Looks like we have a really good shot at finally getting a production of Go-Go Beach going - maybe at Hart House, maybe at a regional... and there's a director very interested who thinks it should be taken to one of the commercial producers here in Toronto.

And, had a great meeting yesterday with a not-for-profit company interested in developing The Flowers of Evil with us.

And... Jonathan is having a meeting with a Montreal theatre about Fancy Walkin'.

Keep pressing forward.

Waiting.

Still waiting for the artistic director to come back with some more info... had a couple discussions, now it's in the hands of his associates and the board. I hate waiting. So much waiting involved in getting projects going. Crazy making.

The play's the thing.

I have been wanting to write blog for a long time, but never could decide on a suitable subject. Finally found one. I am about to embark on a very ambitious project, and want to keep a detailed account of it as it develops. More of a journal, really.

The project is a musical drama. I researched the subject and wrote a treatment for it ten years ago. Recently had an opportunity to present it to an artistic director for a major regional theatre.. so I picked up the old treatment and did a complete and thorough redesign/rewrite. It's now with the director, and I'm waiting to have the next discussion with him. 

That's all I will tell about it for now. No point blowing it if nothing happens. More soon.

I can't go on. You must go on. I will go on.

It's about time to start the daily blog. I've been putting it off for some time now. Lots to tell... but don't hold your breath.