Heading South

So, I went and wrote a musical. It's called South, it's set in 1860 and is about a young sailor's search for his parents. It's a grown-up nautical yarn wherein we meet pirates, filthy townfolk, well-adjusted lesbian cannibals, an over-caffeinated monk, a curious dealer of religious artifacts and...well, I wouldn't want to spoil it.

Last week we got mostly cast and then had our table reading on Sunday. I played guitar and sang the songs, which felt like a bit of a celebration. It was marvelous to hear the script out loud with the real people. This show has been in my head forever, and for it to spool out into the room was not only flattering and fun, but also a relief to hear people read and respond to it. When I heard the first ripple of laughter at what was actually a laugh line, I started to strum a little easier. Of course, we've got a lot of work ahead to make it happen, but I call this a great day.

Really excellent cast and crew, here come the credits! Alison is doing the cool worldly ladies. Sadrina Johnson is playing Arabella, the disgusting cook's spicy daughter. Robb Sherman is Wheeler, the questing Sailor. Bill Tost is Captain Spar, the aging commander of the similarly aged ship Worthy. Bill was in the Fantasticks in it's original run for years and is an amazing dude. He's so venerable he doesn't even have a web page! We've got Doug Skinner as Pym, the itinerant merchant spreading faith, or at least articles of it. I'm playing the monk with the coffee problem and music directing the lot. We're still looking for Hurley, the cook, so anyone who would like to play a disgusting person and sing an entire song about a bone should give a call.

It's being directed by Bill Pace and choreographed by Kriota Willberg. I've worked with both of them on other projects and it's always been a hoot. Jenny Rose is my co-producer, a veteran of many a fringe festival show, and is helping me to understand exactly what the heck I am doing.

We're doing the show at Dixon Place in NYC in June. It's going to be fun and challenge to get back into a theater and mount a show.

Them's the basics, details to follow I'm sure.