I’m working on an adaptation of a historic theatre piece. I’m turning it into an easy-to-produce, very small musical. For me and old friends (ideally).

I’d like it to be the last thing I have a hand in fully co-directing/musical directing.

It’s from the early 1700s. I’m enjoying moulding it into a piece that’s easily put on a stage, while providing a fun theater history lesson and an evening that’s enjoyable for modern audiences.

If I wanted to blow it out of proportion, I’d say that I’m “shopping it around.” LOL But really, I’m just talking to a college friend in another state who has a teen/college summer program. (Not for like, now. For next summer.) We could get it up on its feet in two weeks, easy.

We’ll see. Most days I’m super into it. Other days, I’m like, “Why are you wasting your time on this?”

But. It’s fun, and my home workspace is cozy.

Script adapting, crafting new lyrics, or writing orchestrations; I work in the same spot … our gigantic king+ bed with tons of pillows, cozy linen, and a big fluffy dog.

I use a souped-up 12″ iPad Pro and a music notation/sequencing program hooked up to thousands of samples by the London Symphony Orchestra. I just got stereo/surround speakers, so I can hear the playback with instruments in their proper spots. =)

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That said, the seating usually gets fiddled with in small musical theatre because of pit and wing limitations, and you end up elbow-to-elbow with a loud horn or the pointy end of a violin bow in your face in some bizarre spot backstage.

Here’s the clever techie part — the piano (or more) can be silenced and played live. With the digital instruments; we end up with just a few players sounding like 14 or 16 musicians. (Touring companies of Broadway shows almost always use this system.) A very modest production is able to have a big, functional orchestra with very little prep, expense, and stress. Whatever parts are being used live, I simply print out.

If I choose, the program is even fully conductible!! (I’m not kidding, it can follow me.)

I thought a screen vid of (part of) the teeny-tiny overture would be fun. I love writing orchestrations. You’ll hear plenty my quirks and my personality in there, and you can follow along and see what I wrote for each instrument.

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We’ll see. I’ve way yet to finish. I get tired. I’m fully functional and all, but I don’t know how many more plays I have left in me. So I do hope it goes somewhere.