In the Beginning There Was Unemployment

My first post of my first blog ... "blog" is one of the dumbest words ever devolved from another non-word. As I've told many friends, to me the word sounds like the noise you make as you're losing a very bad dish of clams. On the other hand, it is a new, timely rhyme for frog, log, clog, polliwog, demagogue and monologue.

But I digress in my very first paragraph.

As most writers, actors and composers know, unless you're really talented, persistent, and/or lucky, you usually need a "regular job" to pay for your arts habit.

After having been out of full-time work for eighteen months, I wanted to write and compose a revue that I could mount quickly, easily, and inexpensively. (I had done a few creatively successful evenings of my music and lyrics, but since I'm virtually unknown outside of my county and theatrical circle, they weren't exactly the monetary answers to my prayers.)

Over the past few decades I had written about 200 songs, including about eight musical scores (in addition to countless TV spec scripts and other assorted writing projects). In that time I learned that when it comes to writing and composing, satire comes the most quickly and easily to me.

But what to write ... what to write ...

From time to time throughout the years, I would recall an odd assembly that we had at Leigh High School in San Jose, California back in 1970. They were a super clean-cut group of singing kids sponsored by then-thriving Chrysler/Plymouth, and they went by the odd name of The Spurrlows. (Named after their founder, but I didn't know that at the time).

As I describe them on the show website, they were sincere, square and comet-like: sort of Stepford Kids on amphetamines, and every bit as hip and socially relevant as the Brady Bunch.

Just ripe for satire.

So, while I job hunted by day, I composed by night. And over the span of March 2009, I had fifteen songs and a libretto done -- at least enough to set auditions and begin casting.

And if I wanted to mount the show in a hurry, I needed backers.

In this economy.

Right.

Two friends happily contributed small, but no-less welcome amounts to the show. Not enough to produce it, but enough to get started. (More about high finance and extreme generosity in a future entry).

Now I needed a place.

In this economy.

Right.

I found a theater in downtown San Jose where I had held readings of my musicals and performances of my original material. But I needed to partner with the new resident group for three reasons:

1. They would handle all the administrative stuff (box office, marketing, house staff, etc)
2. The price was right.
3. It would be a great deal for both of us.

The only caveat? The earliest we could mount the show would be December 2009.

So much for quick cash ... and my first "rhymes with polliwog" entry.

Next: Writing and composing at warp speed.