Such an interesting night. We presented the first 50 consecutive minutes of Sam Willmott's show "boy: a Roald Dahl story" for an invited audience at ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers).
It's a difficult room for sound, you have to practically swallow the microphones to be heard so there's no looking at your fellow actor while you're talking.
Our brilliant kids, Matthew Schechter who played Boy Roald and Griffin Birney as Tom, the lonely lad obsessed with Dahl's stories.
Darren Bluestone (currently in AVENUE Q) played Roald as a Young Man. Of course I looked exactly like that at his age.
With Tess Primark, a gorgeous soprano who sang several roles
Tess with Azudi Onyejekwe who played Young Roald's manservant when he journeys to Tanganyika
Darren with Daniel Baird who read the stage directions
Tim Hughes who played the ship's captain and Gavriel Savit as Officer Sanford
A rehearsal shot of Old Roald with Griffin Birney
ASCAP chairman Paul Williams was in attendance so I was able to tell him that Auntie Helen had been in town singing his songs only last weekend! Also in attendance, director Gordon Greenberg, controversial songwriter Sophie B. Hawkins, Aussie Mary Lopez who created the annual Schools Spectacular concerts and maestro Michael Lavine.
The panel, which consisted of Stephen Schwartz, producer Peter Schneider and Goodspeed associate producer Bob Alwine praised Sam Willmott's score to the skies, praising "the extraordinarily high level of talent and craft" and offering really interesting suggestions about story and structure. A most informative and educational session.
I'll be repeating my song from the show, "The B.F.G", next week at the York Theatre's free concert THE SONGS OF SAM WILLMOTT.
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