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Michael's Blog Archive
- A SILVER ANNIVERSARY
Posted: February 13, 2008 09:15 AM
Okay, this is a little bitter-sweet. This month marks the release of a SILVER ANNIVERSARY boxed set of my songs. Six CDs combining "best of" songs from albums I've created over the last 25 years along with brand new songs hot off the recording presses. The sweet part is realizing that I've been lucky enough to make music for a living for a quarter century and how exciting it is to share my newest songs with my friends who've been encouraging me to keep writing all these years.
The bitter part is the realization that it's been a "quarter century". That's OLD!!! When my folks celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary I was so happy they were still in love and going strong given their "advancing" years. They were younger then than I am now and I thought they were ancient. Well, I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun.
The latest collection is divided by themes: Hope Hiding, Tender Mercies, The Other Side of Sorrow, Changed, See Us Shine and It's Not Love Til It's Been Through A Storm. I'm pleased that Shadow Mountain Music is releasing the albums individually as well as in the boxed set. This way if you, or someone you love needs some songs about hope or love or friendship they'll be easy to find and easier to share. I do hope you enjoy the offering and that you'll let me know if any of the new songs will be added to your favorites collection.
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- The 2007 Tour of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS
Posted: November 23, 2007 04:50 PM
The 2007 tour is officially underway, and I couldn't be happier. The show this year feels very personal to me this season and I think It might have something to do with our recent experience with the wild fires. Before the tour began I wrote this for the program notes:
"Until a few weeks ago I would have never associated wild fires in Southern California with a Christmas story like THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS. But having lived through the recent fires I see a very real connection, and I’m sure it will affect tonight’s performance. When Lynne and I were evacuated from our home at the end of October an instant sense of vulnerability overwhelmed us. We weren’t in control, though we desperately wanted to be to preserve things that were important to us. We, like Nurse Chamberlain, found it hard to let go. As evacuees we experienced being “homeless” and had a new perspective on the lines from the song, “it’s HOW we live, not WHERE”. We were the recipients of great kindness and concern and discovered that we were loved and cared for more than we knew, just like Connie Lou. And then we realized all over the country various people are battling the wild fires that nobody sees…the emotional, spiritual and psychological ones that are consuming hope and destroying faith. A greater sense of urgency to be like Uncle John for those we know who are in particular need of the healing power of love this holiday season has certainly filled the McLeans. Ironically, our experience in Malibu has lit a fire within our hearts to spread the spirit of Christmas to those who may need it this year more than ever. We hope the show tonight reflects the gratitude, comfort, peace and joy we received an extra measure of during a difficult time in 2007. And we hope tonight our performance can add to the flame that burns brightly in hearts that bear the name of the One whose birth we celebrate this time of year. Merry Christmas "
PS I'm really excited by the wonderful response we've had to the release of the DVD of The Forgotten Carols Live Stage Show. So many people who've made coming to the show a part of their Christmas tradition have told us how much they wished they could share the experience with their family and friends who live well beyond the cities we tour each year. I'm glad we have something to offer, and truly hope that the show, along with the special features I added as "behind the scenes" insights about the evolution of this show, make it a gift worth sharing. So please, come to the show if you can, and if not, take it home with you and join us as we remind each other of some of the carols (and truths about the season) that have been forgotten .
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- Surviving the Fires in Malibu
Posted: October 29, 2007 01:15 AM
It's late and I can't sleep. A week ago we were evacuated from our home in Malibu, along with thousands of other residents, and spent some humbling, vulnerable moments watching the fires of Southern California alter the landscape not just of our neighborhoods, but of our hearts and minds.
We're safe, and our home survived untouched by the flames, but I'm sure I won't ever be the same. It's been an emotional roller coaster that will take me a while to recover from, and I don't know when I'm going to work that recovery into my current schedule. Rehearsals for the FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour begin in just two weeks. Between now and then I'm going to be in Atlanta for a Time Out For Women weekend and the following week in Tacoma to host another TIME OUT FOR COUPLES. Along the way we're getting an exciting DVD of The Forgotten Carols Sold Out Tour from last season ready to hit the shelves along with some exciting announcements regarding 2008 (which is the 25th Anniversary of my first album released by Deseret Book back in 1983) Needless to say, it hasn't been a great time for a fire (like there's EVER a good time for a fire)...
Or was it? During the week of our evacuation I got word that my mother was in the hospital, having suffered a heart attack. My daughter's husband did some hospital time as well (different hospital, different ailment) and I've had a few health set backs that I wasn't counting on. But the context of all the scares in our lives was this fire that could be seen on news stations and internet sites around the world. And as a result, those who know we've been here for a while have sent us SO much love and concern and faith and prayers in our behalf that I've been a blanket of tenderness comforting every day this week and I'm grateful beyond words.
Realizing that you're loved shouldn't be as surprising as it often is, but this week I've noticed that being the recipient of so much concern has expanded my ability to BE more concerned for others. What a gift that is, and what a perfect time for me to receive it...just before taking the road to do a show about the gifts we've been given that have been "forgotten".
If you have loved ones in Southern California, please let them know we're bringing the tour to the San Diego area (Dec. 20) and just over the hill from Malibu at the Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Cetner (Dec. 21). At the end of the show we do a song called ARISE which has this line: "Arise and shine forth, let us add to the flame that burns brightly in hearts that bear His name". It is THAT fire that will be burning brighter than ever for me this season because of the lessons I've been learning from the recent fires that have, for now, been contained.
Thanks for the conern, both expressed or simply felt for those of us who've had a scare this week, or, far worse, who have lost homes or loved ones from the devastation. In every effort you make to reach out to us you have fanned the flame of that OTHER fire I mentioned in the lyics to the song. Bless you for blessing all of us who needed to know we are loved.
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- SONGWRITING FRENZY
Posted: June 15, 2007 07:25 AM
I've been in a SONGWRITING FRENZY and have been afraid to interupt the flow, so NO ONE has heard much from me for some time. Forgive me for not keeping you posted, but I'm telling you when the creative faucet turns on you need to collect what you can because it can shut off at any time.
The songs are REALLY interesting and I've had a chance to try out a few of them in some TIME OUT FOR WOMEN concerts I've been doing lately. It's been TERRIFIC hearing the feedback. I'm absolutely energized by this process and wish to thank EVERYONE who has emailed me with their feed back. We're coming up on the 25th Anniversary of my first album (You're Not Alone) being released in 1983. We'd talked about putting together some kind of retrospective but I really didn't want to look back as much as I wanted to look FORWARD...hence, 25 new songs to celebrate 25 years!!! We're also discussing locations for a round the globe 25 city tour.
The ADOPTION BOOK is FINALLY going to happen. I didn't realize until recently WHY it's taken me so long to get this project done. The hardest song to finish was the one from the birth grandparents perspective. I tried and tried to understand what was in their hearts, but it wasn't until I became a grandparent that I understood on a level I couldn't before. I think I'm learning that I have to be patient with my songs. Some just aren't ready as soon as I'd like them to be. But ALWAYS the things they teach me when their completed is a blessing in my life.
Lynne and I are off to PERU as part of a humanitarian proejct that we've been involved in for sometime now. A village in the high, high Andes which we've been helping are dedicating a new school and I think they're naming it after Lynne. We'll be singing SHARE THE JOY in a couple of languages and cheering on our Inca friends who haven't seen any white faces since the Spaniards stole their culture and their gold 400 years ago
If you'd like to check this totally cool foundation out, go to www.hopeprojects.com.
Gotta run, our zone is being called. I'll share some experiences from the trip when I get back in a couple of weeks. Who knows, I may return with some Inca tunes rolling around in my head.
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- TOO LONG GONE
Posted: February 13, 2007 09:10 AM
I'm embarassed that it's been so long since my last message. Once I hit the road with the Forgotten Carols I knew it was going to be crazy busy, but this year it was the craziest...and the best. I loved the tour this year not only because it was exciting to present the story in a fresh new way, or because I was able to be on stage each night with my family. I learned something really important about taking risks on the stage, in your art and in life.
My father is fond of saying, "there are no riskless decisions". Even the decision to do nothing has consequences. Well, as we began rehearsing the recent adaptation of The Forgotten Carols I realized that changing the way I'd been presenting this show for years was a risk. I didn't know how audiences would respond, or if I would alienate the wonderful people who'd made The Forgotten Carols a Christmas tradition for over a decade. As scary as it was, diving into the new script and the new acting challenges, it was also exciting because I felt I was growing, that the show was growing better.
As the audiences showed their wonderful appreciation at each performance our confidence grew as well. And at the end of the tour I desperately wanted to capture this experience, (to chronicle the risk taken and my family Christmas pagent) so we took a couple of days mid-January, and brought in 7 cameras and an invited audience and recorded the show. In the next few weeks we'll be editing the whole thing and I'll get a chance to see something I've never seen from the audience's point of view. I think it's going to be fun.
Doing a show in a new way, rethinking how to approach the material, trying to make it better is something I'm also trying to do with my life. Not that I feel like my life has been broken and I've got to "fix it". I just feel it's time to grow on purpose...to reach a little higher, dig a little deeper, be a little better as a friend and father, husband, son and brother. But there's no growth without taking some risks. Making some changes, for the better.
As I make discoveries about things that work better in the life department I have a feeling those very discoveries will find their way into the art department: asong, or a script, or a book or a play. As I've said before, I'm sort of wired to learn that way. I'm also grateful that this blog will be my place to editorialize on what I'm figuring out. I'll keep you posted
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- Happy 15th Anniversary
Posted: November 19, 2006 06:00 PM
Fifteen years ago I first stepped on stage to tell the story of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS. I remember that as Uncle John I wore a white wig and glued on bushy gray eyebrows to help me achieve my crazy old man appearance. When I became other characters in the story I made quick changes off stage and morphed into a cab driver, a cop, a butler, an innkeeper, a shepherd and even George Fredrick Handel. And those were just the male characters. For the female characters I pitched my voice higher and made silly grimaces. It wasn’t pretty, (as those who came those early years will attest) but the story and the songs prevailed in spite of my theatrical limitations. Over the years the telling of the story evolved. Each season included new revelations; sometimes these were improvised jokes that just stuck, other times it was a suggestion from an audience member or an idea from the sound and lighting team. Each January I’d read the letters of those who were confused or concerned about some part of the program and I’d try to address those legitimate criticisms the next season. I’d hear from those who were doing various adaptations of the show around the world as well. All input was valuable and made an impact on the development of the program. At the 10th Anniversary of the release of the book I did a new CD that included performances that were part of this evolution, and also released a new edition of the book. So, one might ask, why do I keep tinkering with this story and it’s presentation. The answer is simple: Because I’m discovering every year something that was hidden in the story when I first wrote it back in 1991. You see I wrote the story in less than 10 days and though I’d written several film scripts, it was my first effort at a book. Though flawed, there was such a sense of urgency and sincerity to the story and it’s accompanying songs that it connected with many, like me, who loved the idea of a new holiday tradition. But with each telling of the story questions would arise that I never answered, even as the author of the book the touring show is based on. Questions about why Constance’s mother behaved the way she did? What was the background of Connie Lou’s father? In what ways did Uncle John remind the nurse of her deceased mother? And on, and on.
Well, for the 15th anniversary tour, which begins in Seattle the Wednesday before Thanksgiving many of those questions will finally be answered. Those answers came with the inspired help of my son Scott, (a triple threat talent: actor/writer/musician), who shaped the script that drives this year's show.
Whenever I ask my wife what she’d like for our anniversary the answer is always the same: surprise me! She loves the unexpected, she tells me, but most of all she loves that I spend time thinking about her and what would make the anniversary truly special. Well, for the 15th Anniversary of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS I’ve taken my wife’s advice.
There are surprises a plenty in this year’s show, and I’m so excited to share them Those who have made coming to see The Forgotten Carols a tradition know there are always a few new additions each year, but for the 15th Anniversary we’re pulling out all the stops. This year we’ll meet characters in the story I used to only mention in passing. We’ll discover things about the forgotten carols themselves that give added depth and meaning not only to Connie Lou, but to anyone who’s wondered if Uncle John is right when he says “everyone has a unique carol inside of them”.
To help make this magical 15th year even more special, I’m thrilled to have my two gifted sons, Scott and Jeff, helping bring the characters to life, and I welcome the wonderful Kelly Shepherdson & Kristi Summerhays to the cast. At evening’s end, I’m sure you’ll love them all as much as I do…well, almost as much as I do. When my wife asked me what I wanted for our anniversary this year I said I wanted her to be on the tour as Sarah. “Can you do it?” I asked. “You’ll be surprised” was her answer. May the magical surprise that is Christmas embrace us all this season. Happy Holidays.
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- THE TOUR SCHEDULE
Posted: September 25, 2006 04:50 PM
With the announcement of the TOUR SCHEDULE for the Forgotten Carols, and the nacho stains on the carpet from my passionate response to various football games, it's clear that fall is in the air. I love this time of year. It's the best fly fishing, it's the most glorious display of natures colorful diversities, it's when jonathan apples are fantastic and when peaches are proof that God lives and loves His children. And it's a time when my creative juices seem to flow more freely. Just finished a batch of new songs. At last completed the long overdue draft of my book/cd on adoption, performed at a fundraiser to help my friend Matt Pond in Idaho who's fighting brain cancer, been back on the road doing Time Out For Women (joined by one of my favorite vocalists Jeff McLean) and I've had a chance to outline some future projects that I'll be sharing with you in the coming weeks.
But my current focus is on THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour, and how we can make it the absolute best ever. There some VERY EXCITING additions to this year's production and they're really forcing me to practice harder than ever. I'll be making some announcements about these additions in the coming weeks. Until then, I hope you'll enjoy every second of autumn, you'll eat the caramel apples my diabetes forbids me sampling, you'll cry big tears when your favorite team falls in the rankings and you'll buy oodles and oodles of Forgotten Carols tickets when they go on sale Oct 9th.
Michael
PS The definition of "oodles and oodles" is twice as many as one set of "oodles".
PSS The definition of "oodles" is half again as many as "bunches and bunches".
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- A New CD
Posted: August 21, 2006 11:05 AM
I'm excited to say that besides my new grandson, there's been another "newborn" join the family. It just arrived last week and it's THE ORIGINAL OFF-BROADWAY CAST of THE ARK when played last fall in New York. It sounds great, but what's particularly fun about it is that with the addition of sound fx and dialogue from the show it really gives the listener an experience...as close as you can get without having actually attended the show. And because many of my friends weren't able to make it to New York before the show closed, I'm grateful this CD is finally available.
There's a few different ways you can get your own copy of The Off Broadway Cast Recording. Deseret Book just ordered a bunch of copies and will be distributing them through their channels. I'm told that TheArkMusical.com website will have some available and at other outlets where really cool music is available I'm hoping this CD will be on the shelves. OH...I almost forgot. I'll bring a bunch with me on THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour this year and will be happy to sign them if you'd like.
Speaking of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour, there's some exciting things happening this year which I'll share with you as we get a bit closer to the actual tour. As you know, I love having a chance to tell this story each year, but I have a feeling this season's additions will be extra special. More later.
Oh, one more thing. If you'd like to see photos of my extra brilliant and beyond beautiful grandchild, go to www.gailannphotography.com, click on "galleries" and then scroll down and click on "bucky". As cute as he is in those pictures, trust me, he's even more beautiful in your arms.
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- New Life, New Hope
Posted: July 28, 2006 03:55 PM
I can barely stand to listen to the daily news. Don't like seeing the headlines constantly filled with hatred, heartache and despair not to mention intense fear coming from all over the world. It's enough to discourage all glass-half-full people around the globe.
But then a miracle happens in your personal life, and there's new hope. That miracle happened in our family on the 25th of July. My daughter Meggan gave us our first grandchild, a baby boy, and made me a grandpa.(I think that should be with a capital "G", don't you?) Getting the little one here was a traumatic endeavor. After 13 hours of labor and three hours of intense pushing the medical team realized that the wee one was turned and trapped unable to get here naturally, so a c-section was performed and now little Atticus Stein is here with us. His mom is recovering, his Grandma is either holding him and singing to him, or using all her nursing skills to help the new mother feel better. Oh, and Grandpa is wondering how many ways there are to celebrate not just new life, and new hope, but the perfectness of his first grandchild.
As I look at this child I keep wondering if it's the utter innocense of the newborn that brings such sweetness...Or is it the connection between us, anticipated but never fully appreciated until his arrival...Or is it simply that he brought a bit of heaven with him and it's so real and familiar somehow when I'm holding him.
Throughout the day of birth so many times I heard myself whisper to my daughter, "it's gonna be okay...everything's going to work out just great...you can do this...you're doing so well. I'm so proud of you." Perhaps it is those fatherly (and Grandfatherly affirmations) that are part of the hope that some with the miracle. Whatever the combination, I'm deeply grateful for what has entered our lives, and entered this world.
Someone said to me, the other day, that couldn't understand why young couples today would want to bring a child into this world...perhaps it's because they are our hope, because they came so directly from the giver of all hope.
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- Smart People
Posted: May 15, 2006 02:00 PM
I'd like to take a moment and express appreciation to the smart people of the world. I'm not talking about the icky kind that think they know it all, (because really smart people know they don't know it all) and I'm not talking about the smart people who don't have time for the rest of us who aren't as smart as they are . But today I'm grateful for smart people who share their smartness in cool ways.
I was reading in the recent Time Magazine about the 100 most influential people of today, and marveling how smart so many of them are, and how willing they are to use those talents to make the world a better place. I find it quite inspiring...in fact, it makes me want to BECOME a smart person. So, I'm on a quest for smart.
Now some may say, "Michael, you don't want to be smart, you want to be wise, and it's not the same thing". I know, I know, and wisdom is great, (and I'm working on that too), but I think it would help if I became smarter. I could use that developed smartness to help me be wiser, I'm sure, but I'm after some smartness first. My first step has been to sign up for CLASSES from SMART PEOPLE.
Last week my son Scott and I signed up for a writing class from two really smart people. They teach screenwriting at filmschools and help out big shot movie makers who are trying to get great scrips. We went to the class, pen and pad in hand, poised to sponge in some smartness. We were there for three hours, and I learned how smart THEY were, and how smart they thought I could become, but it was going to take awhile and there was a fee involved. Actually more like a retainer. So I've been asking myself, what smartness is worth to me. And whether I want to be BMW smart, or KIA smart.
The answer is, and I think this is true of all of us yearning for increased smartness, I want pre-owned BMW smartness at the KIA price. And with a warranty. It's going to take some research, but I'm on it...I'll keep you posted.
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- Different Than I Thought
Posted: April 07, 2006 08:05 PM
I'm continually fascinated by the creative process. How an idea can start as one thing, and then through the course of its creative life it can become something else. Such has been my experience with this book/CD I'm working on about adoption.
As I've been reviewing all my notes from the years I've been thinking about this I've realized that simply making a collection of wannabe chicken soup for the adopted soul stories I've collected over the years following the release of FROM GOD'S ARMS TO MY ARMS TO YOURS wasn't what this released needed to be. It needed to be more, much more, and it needed to truly be the book that could be personalized and shared as a gift that was as unique as adoption itself. So, like most creative projects, though there are moments of "ahh ha", they are followed by the process of refining that feeling, that vision if you will, into something real and tangible...and in that process all kinds of wonderful thoughts and insights reveal themselves...and, in my case, new songs. I'm deep into this thing, and loving what I'm learning. The songs continue to teach me things I don't seem to be able to learn any other way. And that's a good thing for me. Hope I'm also making it a good thing for you.
Talk to you soon,
Michael
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- Three months is too long
Posted: February 28, 2006 11:40 AM
My last entry was three months ago and since then I've been in recovery mode. Glancing at the calendar I realized that last year I was only home about 6 weeks total. As exhilarating as the New York experience was with The Ark and as gratifying as the tremendous turnout for The Forgotten Carols tour, all of the excitement of that roller coaster ride took its toll...emotionally and physically. So I shut down for awhile, dealt with some health issues, and applauded the successes of family and friends as I watched from the sidelines.
One of the things that always happens to me when I take a break, however, is after awhile I get this fear that I'll never have another thought in my head. A melody will never pass from my heart to my keyboard, and I'll forget how to rhyme moon and june. If I mention this anxiety to anyone close to me their response is two-fold. First, have "you taken your medication" and second "get over yourself. Breathe deep and fill your well."
So, having taken ALL my medication, increased my beach time here in Malibu and caught up on some inspiring reading I'm ready to face the world again...sort of. What's really helped has been the opportunity to perform to some remarkably responsive crowds here in Southern California and last weekend in Spokane. Watching the power of song to connect with an audience, and then being lucky enough to hear first hand what some of those tunes have meant to these wonderful people is both humbling and inspiring. Makes me wanna keep on keepin on. So I'm creatively back in the saddle with several projects. I'm finishing my draft of the adoption book/CD offering called FROM GOD'S ARMS TO MY ARMS TO YOURS (which was put on hold last year because I was in New York launching The Ark). I've been working on several new songs for a project my friend John Batdorf will be recording soon. Just completed a treatment of a film I'm hoping gets a green light, and I've been working with my son Scott on an adaptation of The Forgotten Carols that he's developing for licensing in theatres around the country. It's a very different treatment from the show I've been touring for years, and quite frankly I like it better.
The other thing that's been helpful has been my perspective on my experience in New York is getting better with time. I'm seeing positives I'd overlooked when I was drowning in disappointment at its early closing. And, as we get VERY CLOSE to releasing the SOUNDTRACK FROM THE NEW YORK PRODUCTION OF THE ARK I'm having so much fun hearing those songs again with fresh ears and even greater hope that the show is going to find its true audience and bring a lot of smiles to families around the globe.
Other than that...not much to tell ya'. But I'll keep you posted. Thanks for your interested, love and support.
Michael
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- GIVING THANKS
Posted: November 27, 2005 07:00 PM
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I've been counting my blessings,(acutally, more than I can count) and have been finding joy in sharing THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS for the 15th Season. Starting with a terrific crowd in Seattle, and enthusiastic fans here in Idaho. There has been such an outpouring of encouragement, support and love that I'm overwhelmed...truly.
Since the announcement that THE ARK was closing in New York due to the severity of the negative reviews I've been reevaluating my definition of miracles. Though I must confess I was hoping for a miracle to keep the show open in New York long enough for it to find it's family friendly audience, still I realized that I have seen more miracles than many people see in a life time happen allowing me to see my show open in New York in the first place. The miracle of producers that believed in the show. The miracle of financial backers that wanted to help us put a creative team together that would create a show worthy of the great white way. The miracle of the people who found their way on board and fell in love with the show. (and we've been humbled and encouraged by the 93% approval rating of those who attended) Then, of course, the miracle of the "family" that was formed with actors, directors, musicians, technicians, designers, costumers, and support staff all joining together to help tell a story to delight and hopefully inspire an audience.
I was particularly touched when I heard that between the final matinee and evening performance of The Ark in New York, the ushers cleared the theatre and did for the cast their own performance of their favorite songs from the show. They'd seen EVERY show, and had memorized the songs and shared their heartfelt joy for the show with the cast they'd been watching since mid October.As everyone bid the show farewell there was a celebration of what had been accomplished, and the treasured friendships and bonds made in the process.
I've found myself very mindful of those who've had dreams that haven't yet been fully realized. My heart goes out to everyone who's been disappointed by circumstances beyond their control...and the more I've thought about it, the more I realize that how we respond to our disappointments defines us more than how well we pat ourselves on the back when things work out.
And so, the songs I've written for The Ark come back to comfort me...Hold On, Hold On, The Light Will Come, Lift Me Up and You Must Believe There Are Miracles.
I want you to know, I'm holding on, I'm feeling lifted up, and I still believe in miracles...more than ever...and as I share the story of The Forgotten Carols each night until Christmas I see the faces of others who are trying to hold on, to find hope and to believe. My great hope is that the Forgotten Carols Tour reaches those folks in sweeter and more meaninful way than ever before.
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- Opening Night
Posted: November 15, 2005 02:10 AM
I don't know if I'll ever be able to capture in words what's in my heart at this moment. It's nearly quarter past two in the morning...the early early morning following the opening night of THE ARK. Before I make any feeble attempts to express my emotions, let me just tell you what happened. A few minutes after seven pm last night I entered the theatre at 450 West 37th Street...the place that has been home to all of us working on this show since rehearsals began September 12th. The place was packed and the vibe was enthusiastic and positive...after all, everyone there was somehow connected to the performers, or designers, or costumers or creators or investors or producers...basically they were all on our side, so to speak. (There were, of course, mixed in with all this group a few critics that were there to review the show and we won't know whose side they were on until they're published.)
From the moment the show began it was clear that the audience believed they were in for a magical night and the performers were determined to deliver...and they did. I watched this performance of a show I've been working on for nearly twenty years and kept asking myself (as I have in every rehearsal and every preview performance)
how this could be better, and I honestly couldn't tell you how that evening could have been more wonderful. The cast was on fire, the audience was responsive, the band was rockin', the set was perfect, the costumes were terrific, the lighting was inspired, the cues all sync'd beautifully and the sound effects allowed us all to truly suspend any pretence of disbelief. It was magical, truly, and why I LOVE, and have always loved LIVE THEATRE.
As I watched the audience respond to the show I kept thinking to myself how surreal it all seemed. I mean, come on: how many people in the world get a chance to have a dream literally come true?...a dream I've had since I was 15 years old when I was so moved by a performance of Man of La Mancha that I wondered if I'd EVER have a chance to give someone a gift like the one I'd been given that day in the theatre. AND HERE I WAS, at a brand new theatre on 37th St. in New York City seeing an amazing cast tell a story Kevin Kelly and I have been trying to get right for two decades...and it couldn't have gone better. Wow!!! What a rush!!
After the show we went to a special party and I felt like I was in a movie where people who write musicals go to a cool party afterward and hug each other a lot, give notes of thanks to each other, say a few words of gratitude for the experience, and eat, drink and make merry. When it was my turn to share some feelings I believe I said something about how grateful Kevin and I were that talented people had helped us get this show from where it was years ago to what they saw tonight. I mentioned that when Kevin and I let go of what we thought the show HAD to be, and humbly let gifted and talented collaborators show us what it COULD be, The Ark became something truly special. And though we all hope the show runs forever, what WILL last forever is the love we feel for EVERYONE involved in this project.
So, as you who know me can imagine, I've been alternately laughing and crying, cheering and wiping tears from my eyes, and trying to figure out how to say a big enough thank you for this experience. I want to thank everyone better than I've been able to communicate before because my feelings go deeper than I have words or melodies to express...I've never been to this place before and it's not exactly familiar territory. But you know what? I'd like it to be.
I've also been trying to figure out how to thank God for this day, this adventure, this moment in time. My prayers, though sincere, almost seem lame when compared to how grateful and happy I feel. Perhaps the great thank you to heaven will be how I greet what lies ahead. How I respond if the critics deal the show a harsher hand than I think is appropriate...How grateful I feel in my heart if the show isn't as enthusiastically received by the world as it was by the crowd last night...And how faithfully I work to help this show find the audience it was written for, even if it's harder than I imagined or demands more work than I thought was necessary.
I think my best thank you will be taking every gift I've been given and using what I've learned to make what I do in the future a worthy offering (for lack of a better term).
If you're new to the web site, or just tuned in because you've been to the show I saw the listing of my web site, thanks for your interest, and for any encouragement and support...And if you felt any joy at our program there at 37ARTS, please help us pass that joy along to any others you know who might need some support holding on til the light comes.
As the cast sang the song, "You Must Believe there Are Miracles" my heart shouted out the greatest AMEN. And the great news is that if a miracle could come true for me, there might be one waiting for you.
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- NYC UPDATE
Posted: October 11, 2005 04:05 PM
So it's just a few days before THE ARK starts previews and it's been a journey I will treasure always, and certainly never forget. Each day I see little miracles as this show gets on its feet. Seeing all these gifted and talented people striving to tell this story the best it can be told is very humbling. The input from everyone is aimed at enriching every facet of the show. And starting Oct 14th there will be an audience to give us the ultimate feedback on how we're doing.
I really love the idea behind previews. For this period (between Oct 14th and Nov. 14) we get to do performances every day and make necessary adjustments...tweaks, if you will, to the scenes, the songs, the choreography. The audiences who come during the previews are giving our show a great gift...and opportunity to learn what works great and what could work better from paying customers all before the critics get their chance to respond to the show.
Our rehearsals are making these days pretty long, but there's no where else I'd rather be....HOWEVER, because of my GREAT LOVE for Idaho Falls, I PROMISE, I will be there on Friday and Saturday for the Time Out For Women performances that have been scheduled for months and month. I have been treated so marvelously by the people of Idaho for my entire career that as much as I love THE ARK, I couldn't miss this opportunity to sing some songs and tell some stories for my friends in the State 'o Spuds. Gotta run...Thanks for checking in...
Michael
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- I'm still alive...in fact, I'm in HEAVEN
Posted: September 16, 2005 02:30 PM
I know how long it's been since I've written but I've been doing rewrites on THE ARK all summer, putting finishing touches on the new album (due out end of Sept. and newly titled AS I AM), living out of a suitcase between time in New York City, LA, and at Education Week. But I promise, I'm alive, and TOTALLY in HEAVEN.
As I write this I'm sitting in our theatre on 37th St. in NYC listening to this AMAZING cast singing my songs. I just finished a rewrite yesterday afternoon on a small section of the opening number. We tried it today and it went great.
But the highlight of the day is that the new song I worked on til late last night and finished on my train ride to the theatre this morning made the director laugh (good thing...it's supposed to be funny) and solved a problem we had in the middle of act one. So I'm feeling great.
My friends, this is just more than I can fully process. Since I can get on the web from the theatre I'll try to keep a bit of journal so you can follow along with the progress.
Please help me get the word out about this show. The web site is www.TheArkMusical.com and the producers are doing a wonderful thing. As "flood relief" for the victims of Katrina, for every $100 contributed to the Red Cross (or similar agencies) you can get a free ticket to The Ark during previews. Not only can the show lift your spirits, your contribution can give hope to someone suffering the recent disaster.
Gotta go...the director wants to discuss a possible cut....
I wish I could tell you how much fun this is...
Michael
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- WOW, HAVE I GOT NEWS!!!
Posted: May 30, 2005 01:25 AM
I know, I know, I haven't checked in for awhile, but it's only because some REALLY exciting things have been happening. First, I buried myself in the studio and finished writing all the songs for a NEW ALBUM due out in September. It's going to be called THE 2nd GREATEST THING I'VE EVER DONE, and I feel really good about the first new studio album with ALL NEW songs since the Safe Harbors CD was released in 1999. The album is much like my earlier records where the songs are the stars, I use several different singers and an eclectic mix of styles and genres...but lots of heart, and hopefully some humor as well in the lyrics.
While all that was going on my son JEFF and I finished recording a NEW CD of all the songs we perform at the TIME OUT FOR WOMEN events. Eighteen songs, done the way we do them at the day long women's conferences we've been performing at for a couple of years now. This CD is NOT AVAILABLE in stores, but is for Women Attending TIME OUT events around the country. If you've been to a Time Out, and are on the email list, we'll let you know how you can order this truly unique CD, entitled TIME OUT with MICHAEL & JEFF McLEAN.
It's got all the energy and spirit of what we do at TIME OUT, and those who've heard it can't wait to get their hands on a copy. (at least that's what my wife told us)
AND IT THAT"S NOT ENOUGH, NEWS FLASH!!!!! Two weeks ago I was in NEW YORK CITY meeting with the Producers and Director of THE ARK, which is scheduled to open in New York this fall. IT WAS AMAZING meeting the members of the creative team that will bring this musical to life in the heart of the theatre district in New York City. Kevin Kelly and I were SO impressed with everyone involved in the process....and the energy of the collaboration is terrific. The Director, Ray Roderick shared his vision for the process he believes will enable the perfect cast to meet the perfect musicians perfoming in the perfect theatre with the perfect lighting and set design and perfect sound. Now we all know there's no such thing as a "perfect show" but what a great goal to shoot for, and to do it with such stellar people.
So, I'll do my best to keep you posted on how the casting for the show is going...how the rewrites are shaping up...How the new studio album is sounding, how the Time Out album is selling....Oh, and did I mention the new book....and the involvement with buidling a program to help students in South Central LA....? Next time...
Michael
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- MIRACLES IN SACRAMENTO
Posted: April 17, 2005 10:15 PM
A miracle happened this weekend in SACRAMENTO. I'm sure there are miracles happening every hour of every day somewhere on the planet, but when you get to actually be present when one happens it's a remarkable experience.. .
At a Time Out For Women day long conference in California's capital city 2000 ladies gathered for a day of laughter and learning. Two of those women had a connection that linked them together, though they didn't have any idea when they came to the event that they would reconnect that day.
Eight years ago one of these women placed her baby into the arms of a young couple who had been praying for the miracle of "the gift they could not give each other." There had been no contact between birth mother and adoptive parents in these eight years...until Saturday when this birth mother recognized the woman who had adopted her baby attending the same conference.
And as she introduced herself to that woman the songwriter at the podium began singing a song he'd written a decade earlier about a young woman who placed her baby with a terrific young couple praying for a miracle of their own. That song, FROM GOD'S ARMS TO MY ARMS TO YOURS was being sung as these two women embraced each other and wept in gratitude and tenderness.
In the back of my mind I thought about doing my song about adoption near the end of my part of the program, but something inside encouraged me to do the song earlier...much earlier than I'd considered....and it was at that special moment that these two women, unbeknownst to me, were connecting.
Now I want you to know that the song wasn't the miracle, nor was the timing of it's performance. And come to think of it, the connection between these women under these circumstances was amazing....but the REAL miracle was the greatness of these two women, and their families. One giving an extraordinary gift, the other receiving it with gratitude and grace, and then giving her all to make good on the unwritten promise that the child would get the very best she and her husband could offer.
The feeling in Sacramento was very special before all this happened, but the contribution of this connection helped fill the room with a magical presence. As corny as it sounds to say that "love was in the air", it was. And I was inspired by these great, great women, and all of their families and loved ones who supported them throughout these past eight years.
I wrote a song years ago that said, "You must believe there are miracles because today might be the day that one comes true"...I wrote it then, and it's truer than ever now. Thank you, Sacramento for letting me around when this one happened
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- IT MUST BE SPRING
Posted: March 24, 2005 02:05 PM
I LOVE writing songs. Love, love, love getting that lyric to become inseparably connected to the perfect melody. I've been itchin' all winter to find those songs that are locked up inside of me, waiting to find a voice to give them life...but they've been frozen in there, trapped underneath dead branches and cloudy skies....But it's spring. I can feel it. The songs are blossoming and it's just the most wonderful feeling you can have...it's like falling in love. And we all know how spring brings that on. I'm currently working on songs for a new album; songs for a group called URBAN COMPASS that are raising money to help youth in tough neighborhoods in LA; songs for an adoption book due out this fall; and songs for Time Out for Women (the day long womens' conferences Jeff and I are lucky enough to be invited to).
I suppose what I like most about writing songs, and I wrote my book HOLD ON THE LIGHT WILL COME to emphasize this point, is what the songs teach me. It's almost like I walk into my studio, pretend it's a classroom and ask "What do I get to learn today?"
I've wondered whether or not I pick the subjects or they pick me. Whatever happens, I'm the happy student. And just when everyone is happy to be out of school for Spring Break, I'm thrilled to be in class. Speaking of class, I've gotta get back...a tune is calling.
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- HONORED, HUMBLED AND INSPIRED
Posted: March 13, 2005 10:10 PM
This week it was my honor to be one of the judges for a high school scholarship competition sponsored by a prominent newspaper. . The Speech and Drama student finalists from around the state were stunningly smart, talented, grounded, and I'm sure are going to change the world. Some of the students had focused on Debate, others on Dramatic performance, or stage management. These students had to be scholars academically, leaders in their school, community servants along with being outstanding in their chosen field of expertise.
I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! And just when I wondered if these students were "real", (after reading their portfolios) I was able to interview them and discover that they were even more impressive in person than they were on paper. It gave me hope for the future of the world. These kids are smart and focused and capable and enthusiastic. And they haven't been jaded or turned cynical...they believe in themselves and their ability to make dreams come true, and make a difference in the world.
I've been thinking about those kids, and how much I want to reclaim in my ancient-ness the passion and hopefulness that comes with youth. I don't want to BE young again...don't want to relive all that I've been through...but I DO want to own that confidence that if you just work hard enough and apply yourself the world will change for good and the best dreams you dream actually can come true.
I'm sure some of you reading this know what I'm talking about. Your life experience has maybe dampened your enthusiasm to dream dreams. My mother like's to say she's not a pessimist. She's an optimist with experience. I think that happens to many of us as we live our lives....BUT DON'T BE DECEIVED BY REALITY...Spend some time with outstanding young people with big talent and bigger dreams and just listen...and remember. It's a beautiful thing. And maybe it's important that we give them more encouragement and support than warnings of the dangers of reaching for the stars. Those who live life defending against the potential of being hurt will never know the extraordinary joy of imagining their possibilities.
As the students left the interviews I told them what an honor it was to meet them, but I don't think they'll understand what I meant and how I felt until they're judging this competition 30 years from now, and remembering what the future looked like on the high school side of the journey.
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- THANK YOU SEATTLE
Posted: March 06, 2005 03:15 AM
First of all, BENROYA HALL in Downtown Seattle is remarkable. The sound, the stage, the feeling in the space couldn't have been better. But the SOLD OUT CROWD was tremendous. Enthusiastic, responsive, fun and spirit-filled. What more could you ask for? Thank you for letting Jeff and I share the day with all of you. Telling stories and singing songs is, by its very nature, a very vulnerable activity so it's particularly gratifying when you're allowed to do it in such a safe and loving place. On the flight back to LA last night I ran into one of the wonderful women who attended the event, and as we spoke it was clear we were both better people than we were before we came.
So, Seattle (and given the crowd I should probably say Northwestern America) thanks for inspiring me. I read the notes and letters you handed me before we left. I'm half way through three new songs, and I'm determined to outline an idea that's been rumbling around inside for some time now. I can still see your faces, hear your hearts and feel that acceptance, encouragement and love. Thank you for blessing my life.
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- WILL IT EVER STOP RAINING?
Posted: February 24, 2005 04:20 AM
Southern California has been rained on so much that I'm wondering if my musical THE ARK is getting a Hollywood style "plug" from the heavens. It's really been unbelievable. The house in the canyon has not washed away into the sea, though surrounding areas make it very tough to get to. I'm hopeful that the marvelous performance of the little house during these storms will enable our place there to fill the measure of its creation and be lived in on a full time basis.
All the rain has reminded me, once again, of how many of us are struggling with the "emotional rainstorms" that seem to last much too long. For those of you who know me well or have read my book HOLD ON, THE LIGHT WILL COME (and other lessons my songs have taught me) you know of my own personal battle with depression. It's interesting to me how often the things around us, outside of our control, have such a huge impact on our lives.
A few days after our discovery that we were going to be "homeless" for a while (see the previous blog for details) there came a series of other setbacks that threw me for a loop. Don't you hate when that happens. I'd lost a creative opportunity I thought was mine, got rejected from a project I really wanted to be involved in, found out that some folks I thought were cheering me on were anything but, and the car that was supposed to be ready to drive on the tenth of February is, as of this posting, STILL in the shop. (Those diesel engines get amazing mileage, but aren't as easy to fix, apparently). SOOOOOO, a bunch of stuff hasn't gone so great and ALL at the same time. What happens to me, all to often, is that it becomes like I'm LOOKING for the next thing to go wrong, almost hoping it will prove that I am doomed for some reason and therefore justified in feeling so sorry for myself...and of course, it's stupid, but since when have humans failed to do stupid things now and then?
But then, if we're lucky, we get something, or someone, who jolts us back into reality...I'm talking things as they REALLY are, in perspective, instead of the pretend world of gloom and doom we often paint for ourselves so we have an excuse to feel sorry for ourselves. AND THAT HAPPENED TODAY!!!!
Lynne and I had lunch with Jerry and Ella Simons from the HOPE PROJECTS FOUNDATION (www.HopeProjects.net). We've been involved with their foundation and have seen their AMAZING efforts bring hope to the people of the high Andes of Peru. We've watched, first hand, how this couple have positively impacted over NINETY THOUSAND Peruvians who had thought they'd been forgotten. Over Forty+ Villages who have NOT been forgotten, and are learning how to alter the course of their lives, and the lives of their children and grandchildren. Clean water systems, schools, farms, green houses, medical clinics, and now even technical colleges. As I watched the passion of this couple, and felt their commitment to change the world in a meaningful way, I was inspired and renewed.
And then we met some dear friends later that night and talked and laughed and shared our grief and woe, and silliness, along with ramblings about eternal verities and everything felt better. We weren't alone.
And then I noticed that the moon was shining and, at least for now, it wasn't raining in Southern California.
Wherever you are, and no matter how much it may be raining in your life, and even if you can't bear hearing this (and believe me, I KNOW how you feel)...the rain's gonna stop. the sun's gonna shine. It's not hopeless, it just feels like that sometimes...and how things feel doesn't make it how they are. So hold on, my friend, hold on...the light will come.
OR..........take comfort in one of my mother's favorite expressions: Everything looks much better when you give up hope.
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- HOMELESS, HOMELESS
Posted: February 01, 2005 07:10 AM
After we completed the Forgotten Carols tour I spent some time with the family in Utah and then went to the FIESTA BOWL in Arizona and had a terrific time watching the Utes complete a PERFECT season. Then Lynne and I drove back to California and sat in the rain for a week, feeling a bit like 'Gorillas in the Mist', not knowing that the rains would be so severe that we would be homeless for the next month. A part of the mountain in the canyon we live in sort of disappeared and our house was red tagged (which means that the place is pronouned unsafe) and so we've been vagabonds.
The GOOD NEWS about being vagabonds is that we got to visit some fun places. We spent a couple of weeks in Mexico where we go every January to recover from the Carols Tour and had a terrific, if unsettled time, not knowing what we would be coming home to. We saw on CNN the mud slides in an area not far from where we live and it was pretty scary. Fortunately our architect and neighbor has done a terrific job testing the safety of the house, the hill it's built on, and the surrounding area. The latest is encouraging news....the mountain hasn't moved...
Which leads to an interesting discovery I've made: What it means to have faith that mountains WON'T move!! It's been an adventure, to say the least, and will continue to be for awhile... but it puts so many things into perspective for me. New sensitivity to people displaced from hearth and home.
New appreciation for NORMAL days. Increased gratitude for the things that last, and the realization of how much more relationships are treasured than things....but it's weird when you think about what would hapopen if you lost ALL your "things".
So, my friends, I'm heading back to California to face the red tags head on, and take myself out of the ranks of the homeless.
In the mean time, please forgive me for disappearing from cyberspace for awhile.
I'll keep you posted.
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- THANKS FOR A TERRIFIC TOUR
Posted: December 20, 2004 11:45 PM
We just finished the last show of the 2004 Forgotten Carols Tour at the beautiful Gammage Theatre in Tempe Arizona. What a sensational spot to do a show. It was the perfect ending to our most successful season ever. As exhausted as I am physically, I'm having a hard time unwinding from all the emotions I'm feeling. Gratitude is at the top of the list. Grateful for such a talented cast and dedicated crew. Thankful for the crowds who came out in record numbers and gave the shows wings to fly. Relieved that the battles with strep infections, flu and colds were won and that we made it through the demanding schedule. Happy that we made it safely from Hawaii to Phoenix, and that we made so many wonderful new friends.
I was asked tonight how it felt finishing up the tour and I said that it was a bit like completing finals at school: The realization that you really CAN relax and take a break doesn't really hit you for awhile. It will probably be a couple of days before I'm not looking at the clock at 8:45pm and thinking it's time for intermission. But the one thing that will remain with me for a lifetime is how the spirit of this season, in particular, has touched me, and how blessed I've been to be able to share this story and these songs Christmas after Christmas with thousands of people who feel like an amazing extended family.
Merry Christmas everyone.
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- I FEEL IT
Posted: December 12, 2004 09:25 PM
Doing THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour this year has touched me more than I expected. The outpouring every night has been humbling and thrilling at the same time. Thrilling because there's such great energy and love coming from the audiences, which have been larger than in the 13 year history of the tour. And humbling for the same reasons. Every night as we say Hi to those who've come to the show we hear stories about how coming to the show has been a holiday tradition for years.....YEARS!!!! That just blows me away, and before I can ask the question, "why do you return, year after year?" the answers vary a bit, but have a common theme. "It just 'feels' like Christmas". Well, I want you to know that I'm feeling it too....not just from the show, but from you who come and "feel the magic in the air" to quote a line from the show. As much as I keep thinking I should be getting too old for this, each night there is so much to energize and lift coming from those in the theatres that I think I can understand why Uncle John believes he has been able to share his "forgotten carols" for so many years. "it's strange how things are changed when touched by love"
I'm writing this on a Sunday night before the last 7 shows of the tour, and I'm just so grateful for all you've given me, for so many years. Thank you, Ogden and Logan, Thank you Orem and Salt Lake City...and St. George, Las Vegas and Tempe, I can't wait to see you all in just a couple of days.
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- B OISE, YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL
Posted: December 01, 2004 01:00 AM
Thanks Boise for such a warm and wonderful reception to the first performance ever at the Taco Bell Arena. We've haven't been to Boise for a few years and I worried that maybe our friends there thought we'd forgotten them, but all those concerns disappeared Saturday night. What a GREAT turnout!!! I had such a terrific time, and was amazed how intimate the show felt in such a large venue. Kudos to the team at the Boise State Pavillion, now called the Taco Bell Arena, for creating a "theatre setting" that worked perfectly for our show. I hope we'll be lucky enough to return again and again to beautiful Boise.
The shows in Idaho Falls have been filled with an overflow of happiness we brought here their neighbors to the west. Idaho is just awesome. It's such an honor and a joy to perform here.
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- THANK YOU DENVER
Posted: November 23, 2004 03:15 AM
Hey Denver, thanks so much for turning out in such great numbers to see THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS. Some of you drove long distances, and in snowy conditions to see the show, and then you stood in line to tell us that you enjoyed the show, and let us sign some books and CD's before facing the icy roads. Thanks so much for making us feel so loved.
It was a long day for Jeff and I, since we were part of the TIME OUT FOR WOMEN conference that started at 9am and went until about 4pm. Those ladies were so terrific, and so much fun to sing for that we got the energy we needed to do the program that night.
Thanks too for being so excited about the news about THE ARK. (please click on the icon and find out all the latest on getting our show to New York City) We're counting on a big Colorado contingent for the show once it opens next fall.
Have a great thanksgiving. And tell all your friends in BOISE, IDAHO we'll be there this weekend. Can't wait.
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- The Tour Has Officially Begun
Posted: November 17, 2004 12:25 PM
We began THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS tour in Hawaii this past weekend. It was the PERFECT place for us to begin the season because the audiences filled the cast and crew with the Aloha spirit. And for those of you who know what that spirit feels like, you understand that we're now drenched in the perfect holiday spirit of joy and peace and love. We're SET for the holidays. Thank you Oahu for giving us such a wonderful gift.
Our next stop is Denver this weekend. I'm pretty confident that the weather won't be the same, but I've always loved performing in Colorado because the audiences have been so enthusiastic and fun. Throughout the hectic schedule I'll keep you posted on what's happening with our little troupe of performers. I'd also like you to check out NEW DEVELOPMENTS with the musical THE ARK (click on the ARK icons and find out what's happening). Pretty Exciting stuff. So, though it's only mid November I'm feeling TOTALLY in the holiday spirit...and with the news about THE ARK (along with the warm reception in Hawaii of The Forgotten Carols) I feel like I'm getting my Christmas presents early this year.
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- Getting Ready for the Holidays
Posted: October 26, 2004 10:45 AM
The tickets for THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS are officially on sale and final preparations for the tour are being made. THE HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US, and I have to confess, I LOVE IT!!! As many years as I've been sharing the Christmas season with audiences around the country, I NEVER get tired of telling the story and hearing the songs of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS. It might be because every night something unique happens to me, and discover something new in the story or hear something particularly meaningful in the songs. I don't know if it's just the spirit of the season that gets to me, or the wonderful energy that comes from the audiences that attend the performances....but whatever it is, IT'S REAL. I do hope you have your tickets and bring a few new friends or family members who haven't yet experienced our show and invite them to make it a part of their holiday tradition.
I'm also excited because I just received my copies of THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS revised edition with the ORIGINAL red leather and gold leafed coffee table size printing. The book has ALL the songs hand written and included, along with an epilogue that has become an important part of the finale of our touring production. The red book just FEELS like Christmas to me, and I'm so pleased that my publisher re-issued it in this beautiful way. I'm buying a bunch as Christmas presents this year for some new friends we've made since we've been living in Southern California. I can't wait to share it with them, and to re-discover it with those of you who will be coming to see the show.
I can't wait to see you.
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- A New Song for a New Film
Posted: October 13, 2004 02:45 PM
This week we'll be recording a song I've written for the film THE WORK AND THE GLORY which is due for release in theatres at Thanksgiving. There's an exciting team working on this production. The song will be orchestrated by Sam Cardon, the gifted composer who is doing the score for the film. The vocalist will be one of my favorite singers, Jeff McLean, and he's singing better than EVER since he's been working with the great music producer Ajay Shah. Having worked with such notables as Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Josh Groban and others, Ajay brings a unique musical perspective to this project. I have feeling this is going to be very special.
I also hope you're getting your tickets for THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS which went on sale this week. I can't believe it's that time again, but I'm really excited about this years show. I'm also excited about the DVD release of THE BEST TWO YEARS, which I was lucky enough to contribute to the soundtrack. The film has been hailed as the best in the genre, and the feedback on the music has been gratifying. After you've had a chance to see the film (again, but this time on DVD) please listen to the CD of the film's songs and let me know what you think.
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- Thanks for a great weekend
Posted: October 03, 2004 09:05 PM
This weekend I had a chance to meet with old friends and make some new ones at a signing/performing opportunity at the flagship store that's been selling my music and stories for over twenty years. While I was singing songs and telling stories JOHN BATDORF joined me, and we sang songs from the movie THE BEST TWO YEARS. I love the songs we wrote for that soundtrack, and it was so great to hear him sing them to an audience. John's musical talent is tremendous. For seven years he scored the CBS television series TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL and also the series PROMISED LAND. Because the demands of doing a network television show were so great, we weren't able to perform together, or have much time for writing songs as a team either. Recently we've had a chance to work on songs for films, and a possible project we hope will take wings next spring. I've spent so much of my life writing songs solo that it's a real joy to collaborate with someone who helps me reach for better ideas and grow creatively. (NOTE:I hope when THE BEST TWO YEARS movie is released on DVD next week you'll not only enjoy the movie, but visit all the songs that were either in or inspired by that story.)
I'm off to New York this week for exciting meetings regarding THE ARK setting sail there . I'll have more details for you when I get back later in the week. Thanks for checking in. I'll be talking to you soon
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- The Search for the Next Big Idea
Posted: September 14, 2004 01:10 PM
Just yesterday I was having lunch with some songwriting friends of mine and we started talking about "the next big thing". We asked questions like: What's the next BIG musical idea that's going to take the world by storm? What songs are going to define the "sound" of 2004-2005? What is it that people really want that nobody else is doing? Is it a twist on what was successful years ago, or is it something so new, so innovative, so fresh that it can't be compared to anything we've ever heard before?
As each of us got out our individual crystal balls and looked into the future we noticed that our personal psychics were on vacation and we were left on our own to figure this out. And then it dawned on me... wait a minute, I should ask my friends out there what they think. What do YOU want to hear that you're not hearing enough of? Is there something you wish people who tell stories and sing songs would offer that they're not offering?
Now I know it's hard to answer this without using references to things that have already been done, but still, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts.
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- When Someone Else Owns Your Songs
Posted: August 31, 2004 12:20 PM
I just returned from the closing night of THE ARK at the St. George Musical Theatre. From the second the lights dimmed it was clear that a great deal of love, blood ,sweat and tears went into this production, and the audience responded to all the hard work.
There's always something special about closing night of a show that's run all summer long, and like the rest of the members of the audience, I could feel it. But it caused me to reflect on the magic of live theatre. What makes it such a powerful medium....Last Saturday night I realized it was about what I'll call the "transfer of ownership" that takes place at the theatre.
Now I've said for years that songwriters don't really own their songs, they just "hear" them first. But when performers in a musical present the songs of the show they are doing (as those characters) the songs are no longer the property of the writers because they are now "owned" by the performers. And by that ownership, and the customizing of the phrasing and the individual passion of the actors, the audience gets a gift that is much greater than the sum of the parts. And for me, that's because the audience is having an experience that only they own. The show they are seeing will NEVER be exactly as it is that special night they were there. Everyone in that room "owns" that night. Those laughs, those cheers, those surprises, those discoveries are unique for that audience at that moment.
As I watched the show (and felt sad that I wasn't able to make it to all of the various productions of THE ARK going on this summer) I realized that I wanted to live my life so that I owned every moment , and shared those moments thankfully the way we can in the theatre.
So my thanks are not just for people who now "own" my songs from projects I've helped to create, but to every person who ever learned a song, make it their own, and shared it with an audience with all the passion and joy they can muster. Everytime that happens, it feels to me like the world's on the right track.
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- Welcome to the new and improved site
Posted: August 16, 2004 12:00 PM
I don't know why it's taken me so long to make myself "get" the interactive potential of the internet. I guess I saw web sites for songwriters as convenient ways to simply sell music to fans who were a long way from retail outlets that carried the songwriter's CDs. The idea of really using the web site as a tool for sharing not simply the music I made "once upon a time" but to exchange ideas about what's next (or better yet, what OUGHT to be next) was hard for me to grasp.
Until I started reading the amazing emails I've received since my first web site came on the cyber-scene I didn't appreciate how many people had the generosity of spirit, and willingness to share insights and ideas that could point me in new and interesting directions creatively. It seemed to me that I was missing the boat by not developing a new web site and commiting myself to using it as a meaningful tool for sharing with and learning from those of you who have connected with my music and/or books, plays, musicals, films, whatever.
So here I am, and will be each and every week, writing about what I'm doing, what's on the horizon, where I could use some help and asking you to be a part of the journey. And if you to participate, your time and talent will be gratefully received.
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- Would You Like to be a Broadway Producer
Posted: August 15, 2004 09:55 AM
Please go to the icon for THE ARK and find out how you can help this show make it to Broadway. As the history of this musical will tell you, this show's had a lot of creative blood sweat and tears poured into it over the years, and now it just needs a little some help so it embark on a world class voyage departing from New York City.
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- Happy Holidays!
Posted: November 12, 2003 12:00 AM
One book is filled with fictional characters in a magical story while the other is about real folks dealing with real life looking for real hope. Were it not for the experiences I've had sharing THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS since 1991, I may have never found the courage to write HOLD ON, THE LIGHT WILL COME. Over the years I've been telling stories about how my songs came to be, and some of the lessons they've taught me. In the new book I've given each chapter the title of one of my songs, and then I write about what the song has taught me, what (or who) inspired it, and what it's all meant to me along the way. In the back of the book there is a CD filled with the songs I've written about. As folks comes to see the Christmas show, some of the songs in THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS may take on new meaning for those who read about how they came to be. Others may understand better why I close the shows the way I do, and how grateful I am that my lifelong battle with depression hasn't robbed me of a chance to share my stories and songs with folks who have become such wonderful friends over the years. Please come see the show this year. Dates and times of the shows are here on the web site. And give me a chance to talk to you about the things you're discovering from the song that is your life. See you soon, and Happy Holidays!
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