The Play's the Thing
from Tim van de Ven
Recently, I was commissioned to provide music for an off-off-Broadway play, "Hurt So Good", a ground-breaking story written by Johnny Blaze Leavitt and directed by Leavitt and his partner in theatrical crime, Suse Sternkopf.
"Hurt So Good" is equal parts love-story, drama, and comedy-lively, intelligent and very witty. It's also entirely groundbreaking; the crux of the story is the culture of BDSM relationships. This is not something that you'll find in the latest Andrew Lloyd Weber production; at least, not yet. Johnny's one of the first to bring this into the light of day. Michael Criscuolo of nytheatre.com gave the show a glowing review, including "Hurt So Good achieves what good theatre aims to do: it entertains while encouraging the viewer to question and examine their own beliefs."
Two of my pieces (both on this page currently) were used in the production; "Five" and "How Could I've Been So Blind" (the latter featuring the luscious vocals of Lobelia). Suffice it to say, I was very eager to see this production, both for the original content and naturally, to hear the fruits of my labours spilling out over the audience. So, it was off to New York.
I couldn't have been happier; a strong story, a gifted cast, and dynamic performances kept the play moving along and my music fit perfectly to heighten the mood. Did I mention that the play's musical director is a genius? When I wrote "Five", I'd never imagined having it used in a play; I was simply trying to write a good song. The same goes for "How Could I've Been So Blind"; it was all about the music. Hearing these two pieces worked into the body of play was amazing; they fit like the puzzle pieces that you didn't even realise were missing. Have I lauded the musical director enough yet? No? She's fantastic. You need one for your play.
There were challenges-both songs had to be adapted to really "fit" the play. "Five" had to be edited-lengthened-to fit under a 7-minute-long scene of pantomime and dialogue. Suse told me what the scene was about, and what it was going to need in terms of lengthening the song, but left the rest to me. With "How Could I've Been So Blind", I thought it would be interesting to turn the original demo version sung by a man (Paul Casey) into a duet sung by Lobelia and Paul. It provided a way to recap the first act without bludgeoning the audience. It also provided me with an opportunity to expand the song, giving it a tension it didn't have originally.
I caught the final two performances of the show, and was able to speak with almost all of the cast, and the writer and directors at a post-show gathering. I have made a lot of new and wonderfully talented friends and for this, I am deeply grateful. It's rare to meet people this special.
From my seat in the sold-out audience, "Five" fit wonderfully; it gave a sophisticated feel to the party scenes, sitting under the dialogue and putting a subtle rhythm into the activity on stage. This was something that Suse had heard all along; her foresight was what sent me back to Blue Punkin Studios to lengthen "Five" to fit these scenes. It fit beautifully. "How Could I've Been So Blind" was a treat; at the end of the first act, the curtain drops and this song pours out of the speakers and over the audience. Again, Suse was right on the money; it summed up the tension between the lead characters beautifully. Lobelia's lush and beautiful singing, when juxtaposed with Paul's treated and distorted vocals tell a wonderful story. I'll leave it up to you to decide what that story is; after all, art is a mirror (and sometimes, its work).
It thrilled me to no end to be part of the audience and to hear my music spill out and over us; I couldn't help but smile. It felt very, very good.
So, now that you've read this far, you're likely wondering, "How can I see these amazing people" or "How can I be part of this"? Well, wonder no more; you can visit the site www.pointofyou.org or click-through on the link on my page, just above my friends. They are a not-for-profit theatre company, and you can donate money or time to assist them. Help support independent theatre in New York; today's independent play might be tomorrow's blockbuster.
Thank-you to Johnny, Suse, Point of You, and the entire cast and crew for a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous experience; I won't forget this.
Recently, I was commissioned to provide music for an off-off-Broadway play, "Hurt So Good", a ground-breaking story written by Johnny Blaze Leavitt and directed by Leavitt and his partner in theatrical crime, Suse Sternkopf.
"Hurt So Good" is equal parts love-story, drama, and comedy-lively, intelligent and very witty. It's also entirely groundbreaking; the crux of the story is the culture of BDSM relationships. This is not something that you'll find in the latest Andrew Lloyd Weber production; at least, not yet. Johnny's one of the first to bring this into the light of day. Michael Criscuolo of nytheatre.com gave the show a glowing review, including "Hurt So Good achieves what good theatre aims to do: it entertains while encouraging the viewer to question and examine their own beliefs."
Two of my pieces (both on this page currently) were used in the production; "Five" and "How Could I've Been So Blind" (the latter featuring the luscious vocals of Lobelia). Suffice it to say, I was very eager to see this production, both for the original content and naturally, to hear the fruits of my labours spilling out over the audience. So, it was off to New York.
I couldn't have been happier; a strong story, a gifted cast, and dynamic performances kept the play moving along and my music fit perfectly to heighten the mood. Did I mention that the play's musical director is a genius? When I wrote "Five", I'd never imagined having it used in a play; I was simply trying to write a good song. The same goes for "How Could I've Been So Blind"; it was all about the music. Hearing these two pieces worked into the body of play was amazing; they fit like the puzzle pieces that you didn't even realise were missing. Have I lauded the musical director enough yet? No? She's fantastic. You need one for your play.
There were challenges-both songs had to be adapted to really "fit" the play. "Five" had to be edited-lengthened-to fit under a 7-minute-long scene of pantomime and dialogue. Suse told me what the scene was about, and what it was going to need in terms of lengthening the song, but left the rest to me. With "How Could I've Been So Blind", I thought it would be interesting to turn the original demo version sung by a man (Paul Casey) into a duet sung by Lobelia and Paul. It provided a way to recap the first act without bludgeoning the audience. It also provided me with an opportunity to expand the song, giving it a tension it didn't have originally.
I caught the final two performances of the show, and was able to speak with almost all of the cast, and the writer and directors at a post-show gathering. I have made a lot of new and wonderfully talented friends and for this, I am deeply grateful. It's rare to meet people this special.
From my seat in the sold-out audience, "Five" fit wonderfully; it gave a sophisticated feel to the party scenes, sitting under the dialogue and putting a subtle rhythm into the activity on stage. This was something that Suse had heard all along; her foresight was what sent me back to Blue Punkin Studios to lengthen "Five" to fit these scenes. It fit beautifully. "How Could I've Been So Blind" was a treat; at the end of the first act, the curtain drops and this song pours out of the speakers and over the audience. Again, Suse was right on the money; it summed up the tension between the lead characters beautifully. Lobelia's lush and beautiful singing, when juxtaposed with Paul's treated and distorted vocals tell a wonderful story. I'll leave it up to you to decide what that story is; after all, art is a mirror (and sometimes, its work).
It thrilled me to no end to be part of the audience and to hear my music spill out and over us; I couldn't help but smile. It felt very, very good.
So, now that you've read this far, you're likely wondering, "How can I see these amazing people" or "How can I be part of this"? Well, wonder no more; you can visit the site www.pointofyou.org or click-through on the link on my page
Thank-you to Johnny, Suse, Point of You, and the entire cast and crew for a tremendous opportunity and a tremendous experience; I won't forget this.
posted by Johnny Blaze at
8:05 PM
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