Playing well together ...

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit our venue for the first time. Because eight shows will be sharing the Signature Theatre's Peter Norton Space on 42nd street over the three weeks of NYMF, it's important that the teams of all of the productions, readings and special events communicate with one another about what the individual shows require and have conversations about how everyone can work together to make the change-overs from one show to the next be as simple as possible - each show only has just under one hour to load in, and thirty minutes to load out!

Eventually the space will have a "neutral" groundplan that everyone will start and end with, an agreed upon location for the band, and a specific amount of space designated to each show for storage of set pieces, props and costumes. Ultimately, every show will have to compromise in some way in order to share the space efficiently and effectively. As our director Igor said, we all have to learn how to play well together.

Each space has been set up with a Google group so that conversations can continue in between site visits and already the emails are flying about what the "look" of each show is. It will be fascinating to see how each venue will transform with each production. So if you have the opportunity - after you've seen P&P of course! - why not check out another show in the same theater and marvel at the magic!

#43 and #43a ... (originally written 7/29/11)

It is amazing to me how the muse leads me through the arrangements of the show. From day-to-day I never know which one I will be "called" to complete. For example, two days ago I completed #43a Finale (Part 2) and then today I completed #43 Finale (Part 1). So the actual work on these two numbers was done in reverse of each other.

As I was finishing up, putting the finishing touches on the arrangements, it was a very moving experience because I found myself tearing up. Maybe it has to do with the fact that this is part of the crowning moment of the show ...

In any musical, the finale of a show is special ... It's what the audience is left with to take home ... so I couldn't help but marvel at the lyrics ... and I wanted to share them with you ...

After Darcy proposes and Lizzy accepts ... and they kiss, Austen comments on her story ... and on universal truth ... that is:

Everyone one wants a happy ending ... everyone wants their dreams to come true ...

EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE
TO BE ROMANTIC OR NOT AT ALL.
IF YOU’RE ROMANTIC, YOU HEAR LOVE CALL.
LOVE IS WONDERFUL. IT’S GLORIOUS.
IT’S NEVER EVER WRONG.

WHEN WE’RE ROMANTIC AND FALL IN LOVE,
WE DARE TO GO ON A JOURNEY OF THE HEART
TO FIND OUR HAPPY ENDING.
ALL WE WANT IS TO BELONG.


That's what NYMF is about for Lindsay and me ...

We want a happy ending ... and we want our dreams to come true. I suppose that was why I was so moved earlier today by the lyrics as I read them while the midi played the new arrangement. It made me realize that our experience with NYMF is bringing us one day closer to the possibility.

When I Fall in Love ...

"When I Fall in Love" is Lizzy's power ballad and has a unique history. When we initially began the transformation of the show from an operetta into musical theater form, Elizabeth Bennet originally sang a prop song called "The Wind and the Willow". It was an English Art Song that told the story of "Pride and Prejudice" through the metaphor. It went something like this:

"Early in morning one summer day ...
a little bird yearning to fly beyond to a place they call far away
took wing and flew into the sky ...
Flying up over the trees, she fancied a friend in the breeze ..."

The bird was Elizabeth Bennet, the wind - Wickham, and the willow - Darcy ... It is a well-crafted song, but not a power ballad. This is why it was so necessary for us to write her one. Power ballads tell us a lot about a character. The power ballad sings the soul of a character ... And this was our challenge in writing one: What does Elizabeth Bennet really want? The novel never really tells us and we have to figure it out for ourselves as we read ... and the answer is a little bit different for everyone.

What Lindsay and I think is that Elizabeth Bennet wanted happiness ... for the man she married to believe in her, to be bound by love and still be free. These are the themes we highlight in the lyrics as we interweave the original melody of "The Wind and the Willow" between the verses. In fact, the original English Art song serves as one of the melodic threads that helps to piece the show together.

The lyrics to the song are below and can be heard at our website. www.pride-prejudice-musical.com. Laura Osnes sings with Donna Lynne Champlin. They sound FANTASTIC!


"When I Fall in Love" begins with Jane Austen singing:

HAPPINESS CANNOT BE GUARANTEED.
LOVE DOESN’T ALWAYS ENDURE.
WHEN A GIRL MARRIES, SHE TAKES A CHANCE.
SHE HOPES TO BE HAPPY;
SHE MAY NOT BE HAPPY.
THERE’S NO WAY OF KNOWING FOR SURE.

ELIZABETH
THE CHANCE TO BE HAPPY IS SMALL,
SO WHY DO WE MARRY AT ALL?

... and thus begins the interaction of Jane Austen with her characters ...

AUSTEN
WITHOUT A CONNECTION
THERE IS NO PROTECTION
WHEN OLD AGE AND TROUBLES BEFALL,
SO WE GAMBLE ON MARRIAGE AND HAPPINESS,
AS LONG AS A MAN CAN PROVIDE.

ELIZABETH
IF HAPPINESS CANNOT BE GUARANTEED,
WHEN I GET MARRIED –
IF I GET MARRIED –
I WILL LET LOVE BE MY GUIDE.

WHEN I FALL IN LOVE,
WILL I KNOW IT FROM THE START?
IF I’M CAPTURED BY HIS SPELL,
HOW WILL I BEGIN TO TELL
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE?

IF I FALL IN LOVE,
WHAT WILL LOVE IMPART?
WILL IT CHANGE ME? CAN I BE
BOUND BY LOVE AND STILL BE FREE
WHEN I FALL IN LOVE?

WE MUST SHARE A SIMILAR MIND.
HIS CHARACTER – STRONG AND REFINED.
AND HIS REPUTATION –
WHATEVER HIS STATION –
IS GENEROUS, THOUGHTFUL AND KIND.

WHEN I FALL IN LOVE,
FATE WILL PLAY ITS PART.
WHAT WILL BE MY DESTINY?
PLEASE, LET THE MAN BELIEVE IN ME!

WHEN I FALL IN LOVE,
I WILL GIVE MY HEART.
WHAT WILL BE? I CANNOT GUESS.
WHAT I WANT IS HAPPINESS
WHEN I FALL –
– IF I FALL –
– WHEN I FALL IN LOVE.

A New Generation (Part 2) ...

I (Lindsay) think it’s fantastic that while we are on the road to NYMF, we’ve been presented with the opportunity to speak with young theater artists about our work. It’s great, not only because it gives us a reason to take a break from all of the computer work we are currently faced with including orchestrations and business associated with producing the show, but more importantly, because it provides us with new perspectives about the work we’ve been living with for eleven years (yes! ELEVEN!), breathing new life into what’s already been accomplished and renewing our enthusiasm we what still lies ahead.

On Monday, I was able to join Amanda (via Skype) for the second visit with the students at Edmonds Heights K-12. I was so excited to finally “meet” some of the newest members of the P&P family (that we fondly refer to as our “P&P alumni”), and I enjoyed finding out about their experience with the show and answering their questions. By chance, most of the students that day were the gentlemen of the ensemble, and I was struck by how engaged and curious they were with the story of P&P and the creation of this musical adaptation. It reminded me of reactions we have had in the past from male audience members who found themselves surprised by how much they enjoyed the show. And so my friends … If you think Pride and Prejudice is just 200-year-old Chick Lit, Think Again! EVERYONE needs a little Jane Austen!

But I digress …

Today, I was invited to speak at Geva Theatre Center’s Summer Academy. The Academy is a five-week summer acting conservatory for 30 students between the ages of 12 and 18. I spent three summers while I was in college apprenticing at the Academy and I consider my experience there as one of the milestones of my life – the classes and artist educators contributed directly to the artist and person I am today. So, you may be able to imagine how moved I was to be invited to speak with this year’s class which happens to be focusing on musical theater.

We covered all sorts of topics from my background and education to the different jobs I’ve had in the performing arts, to the way Amanda and I collaborate, to specifics about P&P itself. The students were attentive and enthusiastic and had such thoughtful questions. And we discovered through the conversation, that P&P was actually in its infancy – a kernel of an idea – while I was an apprentice at the Academy – eleven years ago.

And so, after this week, which was a kind of young artist sandwich, I’m left with the following reflection …

Our lives are shaped by the choices we make. Creatively and personally. The universe provides our given circumstances: opportunities, rejections, options, and we must use our heads and our hearts to hear that internal Ping! – that bell of truth that says “explore this” and “experience that.”

These beautiful young people – from coast to coast – have begun their journeys to become the fullest expressions of who they are in this world. And they have made the choice to use the performing arts as a way to explore the gift of humanity. What other choices will they make along the way? Where will they be in eleven years? Perhaps using a new technology to communicate with a roomful of young artists across the globe. Or maybe they will be asked to speak at the Geva Summer Academy to share the story of their choices with A New Generation.

A New Generation (Part 1) ... (Originally written 7/17/11)

On Friday, I (Amanda) had the distinct pleasure of speaking with some of the cast members and musicians from the Edmonds Heights K-12 production of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, A Musical. This amazing little school (only 450 students) produced the first high school production of our show this past May, and did a fabulous job. Through an unusual set of circumstances this summer, the show's director of that production and I were able to arrange two meetings to discuss the show. The goals of the meeting were two-fold: to talk about Lindsay's and my creative process, and share stories about their production. It was a joyful afternoon as questions were asked and the students offered their thoughts and opinions about our work.

Last fall, when Lindsay and I were initially approached by Shileah Corey, the director of the theater program at Edmonds Heights K-12, to license the show, we intuitively knew that she would do a good job with our material. It was something in the way she approached the work and how she talked to us about it that let us know. So when I met with the students this past Friday, it was evident that the project was a valuable learning experience to all and that the show nurtures a new generation of Jane Austen fans.

One of the most important steps Shileah took to encourage deeper understanding of the material was to require all the students to read the novel. From the novel, the students had a true foundation on which to critique and compare our work against the original source material. It provided them with a way to "think" about what they were doing on stage and to understand how we had adapted the material into songs and script. This was especially noticeable in the questions that were asked because they asked questions that were framed from the perspective of the novel.

One of the most interesting questions asked came from one of the mothers who asked if Lindsay and I think in terms of scenes and physical space when we are writing a scene. I found this question to be especially thought-provoking because for us, it is more important that a scene occurs instead of "where" it occurs. Everything within our adaptation is a staged out of the imagination of the author ... so scenery becomes less important and the action more so. It is kind of like living a memory. Do we really remember every detail about the memory or that it happened.

As a result, I think this is why our adaptation can be told minimally. It is what allows the acting and the singing to come to the forefront and tell the story ... As adapters, it is important that we "get this right" ... and while this is subjective, "right" for us means that the audiences understand and love the story.

Edmonds Heights K-12 did, and they evidently had a lot of fun "doing it". The archive copy I saw showed attention to detail, an understanding of the story and an audience who loved it. They are a new generation ... so now ... I can't wait now to talk to the rest of that cast on Monday ...

Lizzy's Refusal ... (originally written 7/14/11)

Yesterday, I uploaded the new arrangement of "26 The Refusal". This particular version has been with the show for quite a while and I became particularly intrigued with its construction as I arranged it for the four instruments.The scene itself is one of the most passionate and explosive of the entire show and ends the first act ...

"The Refusal" unexpectedly begins a capella. Lizzy sings without any accompaniment in response to "Darcy's Proposal" and then there is awkward silence. (cricket, cricket) It is the silence that begs for action. We feel so uncomfortable with the silence (often audiences will laugh nervously) that we are relieved when a repetitive ostinato begins. Those of us who know the story know that excitement will ensue; those who do not, know that something important is about to happen.

While the accompaniment begins in poised fashion, there is a feeling of harnessed emotion. It has the feeling of a beautiful and powerful horse who may not be able to be broken. As the lyrics unfold, the song demands that the accompaniments explode as Lizzy and Darcy hurl accusations at each other. Amidst dissonant chords and motives from previous scenes, Lizzy and Darcy are honest with each other, which later make it possible for them to build a true relationship.

The horn has a vital function because it acts like a tether anchoring the words in the harmonic structure. It also provides the countermelodies indicating the nobility of each character. The violin and cello function as the musical conversations between Darcy and Lizzy and the piano adds the percussive elements, which make things pretty exciting by the end.

It is an adrenaline-rushing piece ... and I am curious to hear how it translates in real time with the addition of the horn, violin and cello. When working with the score, everything is in my head ... and when working between a piano score that is in my head and the arrangements that are in my head, the translation occurs in theory. It is always exciting to hear a score "realized" and in real time. In this case, it will be exciting to hear Lizzy once again refuse Mr. Darcy ... "Take that! Mr. Darcy!"

Aiming to Please ...

"I am happy, very often, in all given circumstances to supply a little flattery when e'er allowed the chance ..." So sings Mr. Collins.

Last night, I completed the new arrangement of Mr. Collins song "I Aim to Please". The song itself is a patter song --heavily influenced by Gilbert & Sullivan-- and was composed so Mr. Collins could expound on his own worth in song. It was one of the original character songs presented at the 2002 Annual General Meeting of the Jane Austen Society of North America and has always remained as one of the pillars of the show's construction.

In the original workshop production at Eastman School of Music in 2004, Mr. Collins sang three songs. They were: "I Aim to Please", his proposal to Elizabeth and then a song with Charlotte called "It Suits Us Very Well". Over the development of the work, the other two were removed and remain in the older versions of our show. I particularly love "It Suits Us Very Well" because we had Mr. Collins holding a long, high note as he exited the stage on one side and entering on the other still singing it. The remembrance of this staging still makes me laugh out loud.

Sometimes people ask us if we regret the removal of a song. For us, the answer is "No!" And, while creating a song is a labor of love and takes a great deal of time, it also has a "job" to do. If the song cannot or does not do the "job" for the storytelling, we would much rather it be removed so that the story can speak. Also, even with the song "cut", the process of writing it has made us examine the character, the scene, the story in a new light and provides us with greater understanding of our source material.

Over the years we have had many songs go in and out of the show. For example: Mrs. Bennet used to sing about Jane going to Netherfield in a song called "Oh, Jane!" and she had a reprise in Act II. She also once had a duet with Mr. Bennet where they sang about Mr. Collins coming for a visit. Now she has her one fabulous "My Poor Nerves" that was expanded and now has an absolutely hysterical musical panic attack in the bridge.

Here are few other examples: The Bennet family once sang a song about going to the Netherfield Ball called "If Only It Were Today". This song is now the melody that Mary Bennet sings at the Netherfield Ball and we took some of Shakespeare's words from a sonnet and "bastardized" them so that Mary could sing something positively awful! Lady Catherine also once sang advice to Charlotte about chickens ... and we had Mr. Bennet lament that he didn't have a son. One of the funniest scenes we EVER wrote included a song where we imagined a scene where Bingley and Darcy play a drinking game! In the scene, Darcy is not supposed to utter four-syllable words and Bingley is not to mention "Miss Bennet". Of course, they both get drunk and they get into a brawl during a training session with their boxing coach ... Yes! It's true! We really wrote a song about it.

In Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, A Musical, the process of editing (cutting out and adding to) is and always has been guided by what could be or is not important to the storytelling ... and through this process, we gained new insights about Jane Austen's story and fell more in love with her characters than ever. Jane Austen's work is genius.

"I like to offer up my compliments as gently as the breeze .... I AIM TO PLEASE!"