The future of Frome

The team at LAP is working on the next steps for Ethan Frome: An American Romance. I can't disclose yet all the details, but we think we'll be performing in the late winter or early spring. Look for more updates as we know more and you all for your support.

The evening was...

...amazing. It's all about the oboe. Josh Clayton is a genius.

Kathryn Lumpkin

Looking on as we all experience Ethan for the first time.

The Ruby Reacts

As the Ethan Frome orchestration is heard for the first time.

Talk Back

Adam, Mike, Josh, and Dan (from left to right) giving their thoughts
and asking questions in their talkback.

SUCCESS!

The orchestration presentation and subsequent talk back were and
overwhelming success. Josh Clayton's orchestrations not only enhanced
the score. They gave the show an entirely new dense set of emotional
layers. I am so proud of the piece. I'll be posting a few rough shots
I took from the night and giving more thoughts but we are all thrilled
with the results of the presentation. We learned more about the show and
we gave people something to get excited about

The Big Day has finally arrived

Hello all,

So the big day has finally arrived! From 9am this morning on until about 9 tonight we will take over one of the studios at Carroll music in order to perform the orchestrations of Ethan Frome: An American Romance for industry professionals, opinion makers, close friends and even a little family. Dan and Josh are at the fore today. They'll be mananging a talented cast, and a Broadway-Level Orchestra. Wish us luck today. More to come throughout the day.

"Can We Push This Back A Week"

Ward Billisien our Ethan Frome just asked. The mood was light but the
intent clear. We're all feeling some pressure today a mere 24 hours
from the big day.

More purple at work

Dan at work

Another live shot of rehearsal. This one of Dan at work@City Center.

Working on the presentation

More live shots of ethan frome rehearsal.

Next Stop, Starkfield...

It's been five months since Ethan Frome last graced a stage. A cast of incredibly talented students ventured into snowy Starkfield, Massachusetts for a staged workshop reading at The University of Oklahoma - and it was, to put it lightly, magical. We saw a mixed audience of students, parents and local patrons of the school fall laugh...gasp...even hang on the words of some of the characters. It was something I'll always remember.

Now, we get to go back to Starkfield in Autumn - and I couldn't be more excited. Objectivity be damned - I think tomorrow is going to be pretty damned fantastic. I have purposely avoided rehearsals. And I will be totally surprised, nay, likely overwhelmed by what I hear tomorrow. It's been two years since I first set fingers to keys on this project, and now we have a full 9-piece orchestration and a cast including Broadway talent bringing the show to life.

It's kind of amazing to think...as James has mentioned in his recent posts, we've all been very busy away from Ethan Frome. I've spent the last week in the theater producing a short play Festival, seeing a new work of mine premiere as well. Ethan Frome seemed such a distant project, having written it so long before this new piece that heard its first laughter and applause on Friday. And yet, in just a day's time, I know I'll return to Starkfield. And I suddenly find myself as giddy as I was five months ago in Norman, OK...as excited as I was at the York 18 months ago...as happy as the day I began. Yeah, I'm getting nostalgic...but this is Ethan Frome. This is my first musical. And I think I'm entitled to a little glee.

The stress mounts on the presentation

Team Frome is busting it's collective butt to get the job done on this
presentation. It's a stressful time for everyone involved. We all are
busier than ever before on other projects.

Mike Ruby is producing the Chester Horn Festival. I am lighting the
Crown Point Festival. Dan and his company Off-Broadway booking are
producing the national tour of I Love A Piano. Josh Clayton arranges
and orchestrates for City Center Encores. Katryn Lumpkin works full-
time contracting national tours.

All the while as are trying to create this presentation of a piece we
have all put so much time and effort into. This is our final push. We
expect to announce our future intentions within a week of the
presentation once all the reactions are in and we know what's
possible. It's an exciting and harrowing time for everyone involved.

Thanks for keeping up with the blog. We'll keep you posted as updates
become available.

James Bedell

Josh at work

So we've sung through As We Are and are finishing up the finale.

Another shot

Live from rehearsal

The presentation is Monday. We're working away to present mr.
Clayton's amazing orchestrations.

A Little Song, A Little Dance...

It's been a while since I've posted - but here's a fun one to get back into the swing of things. For those of you who saw The Emmys on Sunday, then you've seen this. If you didn't, then you're in for a treat. A little musical theater featuring everyone's favorite talking dog and baby: Brian and Stewie Griffin.

From the Desk of Adam Gwon.....

As working creatives here in NY, it's important that we all keep our juices flowing, so to speak.

Adam Gwon, the composer of Ethan Frome, is very busy indeed, I wanted to share with the Frome-Loving world, what else our man Adam is all about.

The following is an announcement he posted just yesterday...

Dear friends,

Here's a quick run-down of some of my things you can check out this fall -- performances of pieces old and new, happening here and there.

First up, there's an informal presentation of the work of the outgoing Dramatists Guild fellows on Monday, September 24 @ 7PM, at the Guild (1501 Broadway, 7th Floor). I'll be presenting a couple songs from my latest musical ORDINARY DAYS. It's free, but space is quite limited, so I'd recommend making a reservation at (212) 398-9366, ext. 20.

Next, my short musical FOLLOWING (which premiered at HERE back in 2005) will be part of the Chester Horn Short Play Festival, as one of 12 pieces selected from more than 600 submissions from around the world. It's part of "Series A," which runs Sept 27-30; tickets and info at http://www.theatrerats.com/inproduction.html.

That same weekend, you can catch my song "Don't Wanna Be Here" (from ORDINARY DAYS) in "A New Generation of Song" concert that's part of this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival. Info here: http://www.nymf.org/Show-707.html.

FOLLOWING will also be seen, along with "I'll Be Here" from ORDINARY DAYS, at the ClearSpace New Works Festival in Rehoboth Beach, DE in November. Check http://www.clearspaceproductions.com/upcomingevents.html for details.

Last but not least, ORDINARY DAYS (the whole thing this time!) will have a workshop production out at Penn State University, part of the Penn State New Musicals Festival this December. There will be public performances on December 12 & 15. More info here: http://www.psunewmusicals.org/.

In other recent news, I was thrilled to be named one of "50 to Watch" in the July/August issue of The Dramatist magazine, which featured my charming face on the cover and published an excerpt from ORDINARY DAYS.

As always, you can find all the details and updates on my website. Hope this finds you all well!

Sometimes, I design Lighting

When not ruminating on producing decisions, in my copious spare time I create lighting for theatre. ShakespeareNYC's production of Macbeth is currently running at The Beckett theater of NY's theatrerow. Despite a challenging production calendar, the show is up and looking pretty good. I wanted to share some images I have taken by Fight Choreographer and photographer, Al Foote.

Macbeth is one of my favorite plays in Shakespeare's cannon. Lighting can be created purely based on character point of view. And from there you can drive from a visual library of your own choosing. Lady Macbeth's drive to power and manipulation of her husband. Macbeth's desire to rule and his hubris, these are discussed intimately by the characters, and they can be displayed in the visual arc of the show.

As always for ShakespeareNYC, Macbeth was directed by Beverly Bullock. Her allowance for visual freedom and her fearless direction to me (it can be very dark), drove me to create a visual field of saturated color and deep contrast. While I would never call myself a designer based on subtlety, Macbeth allows for even more visual freedom. Brandon Giles set is a stark, blank canvas of floating material and black frames shaped in a flowing arc. This gave ultimate opportunity for freedom and creativity from scene to scene.

I know this post didn't have much to do with Ethan Frome. However, I felt it important to share something creative I worked on this month. While Mike writes the words, and Dan conceives how the show will work on stage, I light the work.

Here's some of that work.

A New Way Forward

"Selectively Transparent"

It's a phrase used to describe the level of disclosure needed to create a successful corporate blog. I wouldn't really call Lively Arts a corporate entity, nor would I necessarily call Ethan Frome a product to be sold yet. However, exactly how far we pull back the curtain to the world of our sausage-making is always a bit of question. I lead with this because this entry will be a look into how a decision, or a non-decision gets made concerning a project. And even if not a single member of the public ever reads this entry it will serve as a valuable record for LAP in looking back on how we did things, so we can better look forward on how to do the next one.

There have been some important decisions made about the fund raising process of Ethan Frome. Kathryn Lumpkin, our partner in crime, and fund-finder supreme is having a difficult time garnering interest. Dan Lavender, who spends a significant portion of his time all week finding money for shows has been met with skepticism. With very few exceptions people have responded positively to Ethan Frome. They engage in the art, the solid foundation provided by Ms. Wharton, the adept score of Adam Gwon, and the book of Mr. Ruby. What people don't see is how this moves forward as a project.

The York theatre has been kind enough to open their doors to us. However, kind of people that put money into shows, either on the development side of the not-for-profit world, or on the investment side of the commerical producing world, aren't seeing how this production fits into the scheme of either. It seems in trying to thread too many needles in the producing world, we have tied a knot. We are a non-yet-official commercial producing LLC, that has created and two members of which created a piece of intellectual property that has garnered interested as part of a season at a not-for-profit theatre. We, the commerical entity, are attempting to raise funds from donors not for Lively Arts Productions, but for The York Theatre in the form of tax-deductible donations, ear-marked for Ethan Frome. In our desperate desire to bring this product to the stage we utilized what industry interest we have gained to attempt this York production.

That's what this concert on Oct. 1 is all about, letting the power of the full orchestrated score fill the hall and impress donors to making this production possible. Yet we are being met with skepticisim from our known contacts before they even reach the front door of our venue. Not because they don't believe in the art, but they don't know where it should go and what it should be. They believe the path we have chosen for it isn't its best path.

And so the question becomes...now what? Our answer is simple...we don't know. We do believe in the power of the art. So the concert is going forward. We will be inviting select guests to come in and watch Josh Clayton, our amazing orchestrator work with the musicians and Adam to refine the score in front of our eyes and listen to the fully imagined musical life of Ethan Frome. And they we are going to turn to our friends and contacts and ask, "where do you think this show should live?"

Does it want to develop at a regional theatre out of town? Or perhaps an off-off production, or at the York? What best for Ethan, now that we've all heard it at it's best?

I suppose that's the best part of all this...is the learning. This is afterall, our first one out of the gate.

A Tough Day in NYC

Today is inevitably going to be a tough one here in New York. It's September 11th again, and it would be inappropriate to not take a minute of pause and reflect on where we are as a nation 6 years after the horrible events of the day. Whatever your political stripes there are certain things we can all agree on, especially if you're a New Yorker.

The men and women of FDNY, NYPD, Port Authority, EMS, and National Guard performed with incredible grace and courage throughout the uncertain and frightening events of the September 11th and it's immediate aftermath. As New Yorkers and Americans we owe them a tremendouse debt of gratitude.

And without getting super-political or starting too much controversy, I can say this. While you may or may not agree with our current national policy in regards to Iraq, the War on Terror, etc...I think we can all separate the War from the warriors and recognize that we owe the men and women of our armed services a huge thank you for their ongoing sacrifice and hard work.

This blog has largely been about what it is for us as young people to try to create something in New York, specifically an off-broadway musical. It has taken our hard work, our dedication, artistic drive, and a big hunk of our income.

But as creatives we have to look to the outside world. Inspiration comes from the good and the bad, the beautiful and the tragic. Ethan Frome is far flung from the events of September the 11th. But watching the way people came together, and the way people have been torn apart in it's aftermath, the way its imagery has forever changed our art. The way drew new lines to divide ourselves, and ultimately, the way we found out at our core, we are all patriots, and when push really comes to shove we are in this thing together. Those are the instinctual, human feelings that come from every great story, from every great song, and even from this little musical we're trying to create.

Pace Alum Hits the Online Big Time

Dan and I started working together back at good ole' Pace University. There he directed and I lit 5 shows together. One of them was Brigadoon. For the uninitiated, Brigadoon is the story of two contemporary men who get pulled into a fantastical idealic place(also known as old Scotland), and the consequences therein. Mr. Lundy, is the town elder and the only one that understands the magic. To play this role, as well as several others in the library of Lavender musicals he cast a fella named Reid Levin. Reid's passion is comedy. His comedy group (of which I was briefly a member) Better Than the Machine, works on stage and on screen, but his latest work is a series of web episodes on NBC.com in their dotcomedy series.

So in the spirit of support for independent producing and getting the work you love out in the world-I wanted to share this clip with you....

The High School Musical Effect

Broadway has finally hit puberty. It's Spring Awakening for the Great White Way. Broadway is getting off PBS and actually broadcasting nationwide. Who cares if it's Legally Blonde on MTV? At least millions of young people will get exposed to musical theater in New York...and you know what? It might actually drive people TO the theaters, not away!

It's The High School Musical Effect. Let's face it: High School Musical is not a good musical. It's not even close to original. It's so far from challenging. It makes The Sound of Music seems scandalous (hey, he marries a nun!). And the music is not very good. But High School Musical does a couple things very, very, very well. It tells a universal story. It's universally acceptable/watchable. It's got a great (if not sugarcoated) message. And it's getting kids everywhere excited about musical theater again!

Sure, Wicked, Legally Blonde, and the very best of the bunch Spring Awakening are tapping into the millions of spending dollars/influence tweens actually have at their disposal. But it's High School Musical that's got America's youth crazed about musicals again.

So, even though I may blow chunks on my keyboard after I type this, here's to High School Musical 3! (BLEH!) If it gets high schoolers excited about musicals, maybe it'll get them excited about a musical of a book they'll all have to read anyway. IE: Ethan Frome. (Bet you were wondering how I was gonna tie in our show, weren't you?)

I Can Feel It Coming In the Air Tonight...

To pick up on yesterday's blog theme, all good things come in time. Then, maybe I'm just trying to rationalize this incredible video featuring a gorilla and Phil Collins. No, this is not from Tarzan. It's much, much, much, much better than that. And it's convinced me that the role of Harmon Gow in Ethan Frome must be played by a large ape. Sorry, Gene Hackman.

Oh, What Beautiful Day!

The corn may not be as high as an elephant's eye (yes, I checked), but my oh my is it a beautiful day here in New York City! On this first of September, the two year anniversary of the day I first set fingers to keys to outline Ethan Frome, there's so much to be happy about. In fact, as I sit and recall now, I believe this was the weekend I also first met Adam.

I had gone home to visit family over the holiday weekend, then returned to meet Adam for the first time and discuss working together. We met in Union Square. I told him to look for the kid in the red hat - my red Callaway golf hat which, somehow, serendipitously, I am actually wearing right now after cleaning my apartment!! See? WOW!! (cue The Twilight Zone music)

This is truly a frenetic blog entry, but there's just some kind of energy in the air today. The entire creative team has had great news this past week, which we'll be sharing in blog entries to come. We're gathering momentum on the casting front for our orchestration premiere (more on that soon, too). And the sun is shining bright o'er all of the island Manhattan. Happy holiday weekend to all who happen upon this entry.