Manhattan Sonata

So for awhile I've been contemplating taking on a serious project. No, I'm not talking the science fair. I'm talking music. If I'm going to SERIOUSLY make a career writing musical theatre, then it's time I get out of the dreamer mentality. It's time to make this stuff a reality. Of course, I'm still in college, which is not the real world. That creates a buffer between me and the industry, making the industry feel more distant; however, that distance can be detrimental. Once I'm out of college, that's it. I'm in it all. I need to be ready. It's a terrifying and exciting thought, but I'm purposefully starting to force myself to feel like I'm already in the business.

So, it's time to stop dabbling and start doing some serious writing. It's time to start spending serious time writing and rewriting. These thoughts have been in my mind for awhile, stewing, and a couple of days ago I decided that I'm going to write a song cycle. Song cycles are great ways to focus on lyrics and music within a loose context. You can experiment with them without fear of messing up an entire production. They allow room for mistakes without having too much repercussion, unlike a full scale musical. I figure that a song cycle will be the best way for me to gain a deeper understanding about what makes good writing good.

This isn't just a whim. I've got the concept laid out (even have a title), and I really like it. It should allow for some very emotional writing. I want the people in it to be entirely real and identifiable. Tonight I laid down an outline of songs and how the general arc of the show will flow. I'm very pleased with where I'm taking it.

My hopes are that I can have the first incarnation of it finished by the first day of sophomore year. I'm hoping that next fall I can gather the people, musicians, and space necessary to put it in front of an audience. That gives me the rest of the semester and the summer. So, I've got lots of work to do.

I'm not too sure why I just posted this, as it was very non-descript. I'm not giving away any more details though, so don't ask. :) I think I just want people to know that I'm ready to embark on a more serious project, and that you can expect to start seeing some things of more substance surfacing soon.

KMT