To see a synopsis of each play including play summary, casting and running time, please click the title of the play you are interested in.
The stars on each play indicate the number of times it has been previously produced.
When using any music during the dramatization of a song, the rights for that piece must be acquired from the music publisher before usage. Please follow the guidelines for music rights usage as outlined by The Dramatists' Guild of America.
GREAT ART SPEAKS TO EACH NEW GENERATION
As I was preparing to direct my one-act play THE WRITING OF “I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY” for a performance at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on December 13, 2105, I re-read the lyrics of the carol and was awestruck how the words were as appropriate today as when they were written in 1863 during the Civil War: “And in despair I bowed my head. 'There is no peace on earth,' I said. 'For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.'” Isn't that the situation today, especially with the refugee crisis and wars going on? Great art, no matter what medium, transcends the day it was written. “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day” as one example of great art has lasted because it speaks today's issues—issues that are each generations' issues.
THE WRITING OF “I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY”, performed at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs
My play THE WRITING OF "I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY" was performed at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on December 13, 2015. Jerry Weisenauer, Wendi Owens, and Christie Shore were marvelous in their roles before a congregation audience of 1500 in a play about Longfellow struggling to write a Christmas carol during the Civil War. Congratulations also go to Donna Ament and Jeannette Vogt for their excellent Civil War-era costumes and Nancy Gum for the authentic set.
My play THE WRITING OF "I HEARD THE BELLS ON CHRISTMAS DAY" was performed at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on December 13, 2015. Jerry Weisenauer, Wendi Owens, and Christie Shore were marvelous in their roles before a congregation audience of 1500 in a play about Longfellow struggling to write a Christmas carol during the Civil War. Congratulations also go to Donna Ament and Jeannette Vogt for their excellent Civil War-era costumes and Nancy Gum for the authentic set.
Inspiration Happens
It can be a sentence, a part of a sentence, or a word. When it happens, you see a whole play on stage. All that's left is writing it down on paper...and rewriting it...and rewriting it. How can a play develop from something so simple? I don't know.
In emailing Charley Nevaril, an accomplished actor in Florida, about a play for which he had been casted for, he ended the email with “When am I going to be John the Baptist playing opposite Salome?” And then it started for me. I hadn't any ideas about writing for weeks, but then it happened with Charley's comment. I started to visualize how I would present John and Salome in conflict in a 10 minute play. I reviewed Bible passages about John and how and why he found himself in King Herod's prison. Having seen the Broadway production of SALOME by Oscar Wilde with Al Pacino in 1992, I read again Wilde's play to see how he tackled the conflict and the outcome that became dependent upon Salome. The whole play unfolded before me on stage. Rushing to the computer, I put it on paper: THE PROPHET AND THE KING. And sent to Charley!
It's a mystery, a beautiful mystery. It doesn't take much, but inspiration works! How? I'm thankful for it, however it works.
THE TEXT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
In a New York Times review (11/12/15) of a New York production, the reviewer makes this very illuminating comment, “Ms Lloyd's “Henry IV” is, among other things, a celebration of the metamophic wonder of live stage acting, and of the distinctive insights it affords as we watch people transform themselves into others.”
Isn't that the truth? A play starts with a text, but that is only the beginning. It's then the actors with their interpretation of the text, along with their movements and emotions that propel the work into THEATRE. But it's not only that. As director, I also see others involved in a production make the play a wonder. Watch the set designers. Witness the excitement in their faces they put together the staging, as in the recent production of my play SCATTERED ASHES in Florida. The set designers built right in the church an open grave and a graveyard, that made a wonderful contribution to the production!
An open grave with a skull on top right on stage! THE EXCITEMENT OF THEATRE! What about costumes? In our production the costume designers transformed two actors arriving for rehearal in tee shirts and jeans into 14th century grave diggers. What MAGIC! And makeup. The actors had to look like they had already dug a few graves before they reached John Knox's grave to finish their jobs. Lighting? An important key to any production. Over the years ofdirecting my plays in Portland, Maine, the lighting technician in charge of the spot had some of the best comments and criticisms that really fueled the finished production. Don't forget sound. Most of large spaces like a sanctuary in a big church need amplification. Sound is key. If you don't hear the lines...
WONDER in theatre is live stage acting but also the COLLABORATION of all involved in a production. So when the audience looks and listens, they experience THEATRE.
Isn't that the truth? A play starts with a text, but that is only the beginning. It's then the actors with their interpretation of the text, along with their movements and emotions that propel the work into THEATRE. But it's not only that. As director, I also see others involved in a production make the play a wonder. Watch the set designers. Witness the excitement in their faces they put together the staging, as in the recent production of my play SCATTERED ASHES in Florida. The set designers built right in the church an open grave and a graveyard, that made a wonderful contribution to the production!
An open grave with a skull on top right on stage! THE EXCITEMENT OF THEATRE! What about costumes? In our production the costume designers transformed two actors arriving for rehearal in tee shirts and jeans into 14th century grave diggers. What MAGIC! And makeup. The actors had to look like they had already dug a few graves before they reached John Knox's grave to finish their jobs. Lighting? An important key to any production. Over the years ofdirecting my plays in Portland, Maine, the lighting technician in charge of the spot had some of the best comments and criticisms that really fueled the finished production. Don't forget sound. Most of large spaces like a sanctuary in a big church need amplification. Sound is key. If you don't hear the lines...
WONDER in theatre is live stage acting but also the COLLABORATION of all involved in a production. So when the audience looks and listens, they experience THEATRE.
Writing Great Plays Part III
David Ho in a comment to a review of a recent episode of “Homeland” remarked, “In a story the author is free to make up a lot of things, but no matter the time and place, human character and emotion need to ring true.” What wisdom in one sentence!
Ho's comment extends our recent blogs on writing great plays and should revolutionize our playwriting. Whether we dramatize something around the corner or around the world, we need REAL characters in our plays. Let's look at what we've written recently. Are the characters flat with only one dimension? Are they authentic with layers of emotions? Even bad individuals can have some goodness in them and be happy some of the time—not like the characters in the current production on Broadway of “Therese Raquin” as adapted by Helen Edmonson.
Writing REAL will be writing GREAT.
David Ho in a comment to a review of a recent episode of “Homeland” remarked, “In a story the author is free to make up a lot of things, but no matter the time and place, human character and emotion need to ring true.” What wisdom in one sentence!
Ho's comment extends our recent blogs on writing great plays and should revolutionize our playwriting. Whether we dramatize something around the corner or around the world, we need REAL characters in our plays. Let's look at what we've written recently. Are the characters flat with only one dimension? Are they authentic with layers of emotions? Even bad individuals can have some goodness in them and be happy some of the time—not like the characters in the current production on Broadway of “Therese Raquin” as adapted by Helen Edmonson.
Writing REAL will be writing GREAT.
Writing Great Plays Part II
As Theatre continues to celebrate Arthur Miller this year, a revision of “A View From The Bridge” opened on Broadway this past week. The reviewer for The New York Times brings into focus why a playwright like Arthur Miller is great while most playwrights are not: “Beneath the play's period trappings and kitchen-sink naturalism is pure primal force. In this centennial year of Miller's birth, his exalted notion that classic tragedy and common man can indeed coexist has never seemed so organic.”
In too many produced plays today (or yesterday) the issues are small, the characters weak, and their actions trivial. Not in Miller's plays. The reviewer of “A View From The Bridge” continues:
“None of the its characters are articulate, and much of the play's power comes from the aching gap between simple words and vast and complex feelings.” In another play that opened this past week, “The Humans,” described as “quite possibly the finest play we'll see all season,” the issues are not big, the characters are weak, and the actions manifesting the feelings of the characters are trivial. Are there in any of Miller's plays, actions by a character dominated by going in and out of the bathroom because of diarrhea?
Miller's plays are worth producing over and over again (three major productions of “A View From The Bridge” in 5 years) because the issues are BIG, the characters are STRONG (even if inarticulate), and their actions (even if simple) MOTIVATED BY INTENSITY OF EMOTION.
Let's write plays like Arthur Miller. Let the bathroom be used by the actors during intermission.
As Theatre continues to celebrate Arthur Miller this year, a revision of “A View From The Bridge” opened on Broadway this past week. The reviewer for The New York Times brings into focus why a playwright like Arthur Miller is great while most playwrights are not: “Beneath the play's period trappings and kitchen-sink naturalism is pure primal force. In this centennial year of Miller's birth, his exalted notion that classic tragedy and common man can indeed coexist has never seemed so organic.”
In too many produced plays today (or yesterday) the issues are small, the characters weak, and their actions trivial. Not in Miller's plays. The reviewer of “A View From The Bridge” continues:
“None of the its characters are articulate, and much of the play's power comes from the aching gap between simple words and vast and complex feelings.” In another play that opened this past week, “The Humans,” described as “quite possibly the finest play we'll see all season,” the issues are not big, the characters are weak, and the actions manifesting the feelings of the characters are trivial. Are there in any of Miller's plays, actions by a character dominated by going in and out of the bathroom because of diarrhea?
Miller's plays are worth producing over and over again (three major productions of “A View From The Bridge” in 5 years) because the issues are BIG, the characters are STRONG (even if inarticulate), and their actions (even if simple) MOTIVATED BY INTENSITY OF EMOTION.
Let's write plays like Arthur Miller. Let the bathroom be used by the actors during intermission.
SCATTERED ASHES production in Florida
Can you imagine two gravediggers dramatizing an important event in the history of the early Reformation and Bible translation? in my play SCATTERED ASHES, Charley Nevaril and Jerry Terry, two terrific actors, played the roles of these unsavory characters in 1425 digging up the bones of John Wycliffe who had translated the Bible into English. They riff about how this will stop the dissemination of Bibles in England in the production that took place at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida on November 8, 2015. With laughter from the audience/congregation at Charley scratching his back with a bone or forgetting the skull, the audience/congregation learned a number of important truths about this time in Church history. Several of the scenes from the production are depicted here. A video of the production will be available soon. SCATTERED ASHES is available on my website and is available for a production at YOUR church. Make the congregation laugh—make them learn. Incidentally, 200 years later Wycliffe’s banned English language translation of the Bible became the basis of the King James Version of the Bible.
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From the Portland Press Herald: Reflections: Man looks at the outside, but the Lord looks at the heart
Here is the link to my latest article in the Portland Press Herald from November 14, 2015 issue.
http://www.pressherald.com/2015/11/14/reflections-man-looks-at-the-outside-but-the-lord-looks-at-the-heart/
Stage Directions: From The Dramatist Nov/Dec 2015
Playwrights and directors agree on a lot of things about producing a play, but there is one thing they often disagree about: STAGE DIRECTIONS. As a playwright I don't understand why. When I write, I see more than talking. I see action. The mise-en-scene. What can happen when someone says, “I love you” on stage? Can a director really know what was in the playwright's mind—who wrote the play-- with just those words? “I love you” can elicit a response from the extreme of an embrace to a slap in the face. And everything in between. How can you direct (or act) in a play without knowing the response of characters to the words as the playwright intended? That is why stage directions are just as important as dialogue.
A column in the November/December issues of The Dramatist, the journal of the Dramatists Guild of America, addresses the issue of stage directions. The writer, John Patrick Bray, Assistant Professor of the Department of Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Georgia, states that in his basic dramatic course students told him they cross out every stage direction “because stage directions didn't matter.” Where did they learn this? In high school!
Although there are a variety of opinions about stage directions among playwrights, most feel that stage directions are just as important as dialogue. Stage directions reveal a major component of the inner life of characters that is lost if stage directions are ignored. How a character responds to “I love you,” can tell us even more than what they say. As Edward Albee has said, plays are literature and what is expressed on the page needs to be expressed directly on the stage. Just as a pianist can botch a piece of written music, so can an actor spoil a play by making choices not specified by the text. The Dramatists Guild of America states, “Stage directions are part of an author's play, much like the title or dialogue itself.”
Importantly where there are many earnest opinions about this issue, a spirit of collaboration must exist with all involved in a production regarding stage directions.
For more discussion about this important topic, please read the full article “Stage Directions: Do Playwrights More than Dialogue?” in The Dramatist.
ATTENTION ACTORS: KNOW THE STORY
While rehearsing my play SCATTERED ASHES in Florida in November 2015, one of the two actors was having difficulty memorizing his lines and actions especially when the other actor would miss a line or change a line. The first actor could not remember where he was—on the page and on the stage.
A problem actors (particularly new actors) have is trying to memorize their lines and actions before they know how the play is developing. KNOW THE STORY AND THE LINES WILL COME. If an actor first reads the play and understands where the dialogue and action are going, it is much easier to learn the lines. In this way the lines and actions are absorbed organically and character can be developed in the rehearsal process. And if the actor does not understand where the play is going and how a line or action fits, ask the director and/or the playwright. There maybe be some logic behind the line or action that the actor does not understand, or maybe the line needs to be changed or deleted!
Another example of this principal also occurred during the rehearsals of SCATTERED ASHES in Bonita Springs. It became obvious to both actors and all others at the rehearsal that a line was best said by a different actor than originally written for. Why? KNOWING THE STORY. The other actor had prior lines that build up to this particular line: “Almost forgot a big one!” This line referred to leaving John Wycliffe's skull on top of his grave that was dug up.
Want to know more? SCATTERED ASHES is available on my website. KNOWING THE STORY worked during the rehearsals of SCATTERED ASHES, and the production benefited from it!
Writing Great Plays
Arthur Miller would have celebrated his 100th birthday in October 2015 had he not died in 2005. There was much he could have celebrated—his work remains as popular as ever. A number of his plays in the West End and Broadway are undergoing revivals. Several notable actors and directors involved in these revivals in the West End were asked by BBC News on October 15 why his plays remain fresh. Their responses about his playwriting should help all of us playwrights write great plays. I gleaned 12 characteristics of his writing from these interviews:
HE WRITES ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING HUMAN
WE RECOGNIZE OURSELVES IN HIS CHARACTERS
HE WRITES CREDIBLE CHARACTERS IN ETERNAL SITUATIONS
HE HOLDS UP A MIRROR TO HOW WE BEHAVE
HE MAINTAINS A WORLD THAT IS REALISTIC
HE MAKES TRAGEDIES OUT OF THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE
HIS CHARACTERS CAN EITHER COPE IN CRISES OR BUCKLE UNDER THEM-- THAT'S A WORLD WE CAN RECOGNIZE
THE SIMPLICITY OF WHAT HE DOES IS MASKED BY THE INCREDIBLY CAREFUL PLOTTING
HE IS A MASTER OF STRUCTURE AND STORYTELLING
HIS WORK HAS A STRONG SENSE OF JUSTICE AND HONESTY
ACTORS WANT TO PLAY HIS CHARACTERS BECAUSE THEY ARE GREAT ROLES, FULL OF COMPLEXITY
HE WAS OPEN TO WHAT THE ACTORS FELT THEY WANTED TO BRING OUT IN
THEIR ROLES
These are a dozen elements of writing great plays. Master even one and you are on your way.
New Video from Northport Readings: Dressed to Kill and Dress for Success
A new video has been uploaded, which is from the readings done at Northport Theatre on September 21, 2015. The two plays that were read are Dressed to Kill and Dress for Success, both available for download in the plays section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw0sy1rPX60
DRESSED TO KILL at Crowbait
DRESSED TO KILL had a staged reading at the Crowbait Club on October 7, 2015. The cast included Anna Conathan as Lami and Peter Karasopoulos as Mohammed. The play depicts the dressing of a wife in a suicide vest by her husband.
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NEW PLAY: BUSINESS AS USUAL
To dramatize the crisis of Syrian refugees, I have written LIFE JACKET (Our free download), a play about a woman traveling by inflatable raft from Turkey to Greece to seek asylum. The play revolves around the purchase of a life jacket. Subsequently I saw in The New York Times a photo of a merchant standing in front of his men's store. In one window were mannequins dressed in suits, white shirts, and ties. In the other window were mannequins dressed in life jackets and jeans. I pondered how people try to live their lives as normally as possible even during times of great stress or struggle. As a result I have written BUSINESS AS USUAL, a poignant piece of a young couple from Syria coping with the mundane things of life as they prepare to begin a dangerous voyage across the sea to Greece from Turkey.
DRESS FOR SUCCESS and DRESSED TO KILL Read in New York at the Northport Reader’s Theater, September 21, 2015
Two of my one-act plays were read in New York at the Northport Reader's Theater last week. The video of the readings will seen be available soon. Both plays had been previously revised based upon readings at the playlab of the Snowlion Rep Co as well as comments of my tutor at the University of Oxford this summer. Yet more could be done! The comments in New York were very gracious and constructive. I reviewed both DRESS FOR SUCCESS and DRESSED TO KILL after the readings in New York and realized that I could explore the characters more and their relationships with each other.
Having the opportunity to present one's work in a number of different settings provides input that can have major impact on developing a play for the stage. Watch the video (coming soon) of the readings of DRESS FOR SUCCESS and DRESSED TO KILL and then the newly revised versions on my website to see how much dramatic each play has become.
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THREE PLAYS HAVE STAGED READINGS AT THE SNOWLION REP CO ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2015
Three of my plays dealing with international issues of human rights received staged readings at the Snowlion Rep Co on September 10, 2015. I called the program “A Night of Fashion: Three Plays About Clothes, Hair, Shoes, and Makeup.” The title was designed to be ironic. In each play the characters wish to live their own lives dealing with simple things, but are unable because of external forces and people. These plays were DRESS FOR SUCCESS, DRESSED TO KILL, and MAKEUP. The plays take place in Egypt, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. Photos of the actors in the plays are on my Facebook page. The plays were well received by other plawrights and directors. I was stimulated by the comments to develop the characters in the plays more fully and consider their total humanity. In this way characters both protagonists and agonists will be more real for the audience to see and the actors to portray. It was back to the keyboard the following day to make revisions! All for the better. All for better writing.
BLOG on SCATTERED ASHES—New Revisions (September 2015)
There's nothing like seeing a production or having a reading of your work to stimulate re-writing your play to improve it. Among other works, I asked my tutor, Dr. Lynn Robson, at the University of Oxford to review my play SCATTERED ASHES. We met in early September 2015. She had intriguing suggestions regarding one of the characters, especially since the play was set in a grave yard. Lynn's comments were so helpful that I spoke with the actor whose role would be affected by the changes in the production of SCATTERED ASHES planned for November 2015 at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida. He was very enthusiastic about how the changes would enhance the character and make his acting more interesting. I have re-written the play based upon Lynn's suggestions. The Arts Ministry Director at the church found that the changes impacted the play in a very positive manner.
Don't be afraid of comments of those that have seen or read your plays. These comments can be keys to finding deeper treasures in your writing. SCATTERED ASHES (with the new revisions as of September 2015) is available for your church. Have you already planned a play for Reformation Sunday this year (or want to start planning for next year)? Doesn't the story of John Wycliffe, the great English reformer and translater of the Bible into English, told by two gravediggers, intrigue you? Or is it one gravedigger and a...?
Photos from Snowlion Repertory Company’s Playlab: Sept 10
Below are photos from Dressed to Kill and Make Up, performed at Snowlion Repertory Company's Playlab on Sept 10.
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DRAMA IN WORSHIP AT FPC
From the Article in the "Epistle", the newsletter of the First Presyterian Church of Bonita Springs, September-October 2015:
Last season, Director of Sacred Arts Jeff Faux initiated a drama program at First Church, led by award-winning playwright Dr. Delvyn C. Case Jr. Delvyn developed the Drama Ministry at the First Baptist Church in Portland, Maine and served as its director for 20 years.
“The Drama Ministry at FPC is based upon the following principle,” Delvyn explained, “its purpose in corporate worship is to glorify God by depicting His story in the lives of His people. Our goal here is to glorify God through our work on stage… and backstage.”
He said that last September the drama ministry with an organizational meeting attended by an eager group of actors and technical crew. The first production took place on Reformation Sunday in October — “Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms: Day of Decision,” with Jerry Weisenauer, Nancy Janek and Charley Nevaril as Martin Luther. This five-minute drama was well-received, as were successive productions, including one on February 15, “Valentine’s Day 269 A.D.”
“Members of the congregation each received a Valentine card with a Christian symbol and explanation on it, Delvyn recalled. “They represented those given to St. Valentine when he was imprisoned in Rome. The first Valentine cards!”
With Jerry Weisenauer as Valentine and Christie Shore as Priscilla, children from FPC also took part in the production. They handed cards to Valentine on stage as the children did in a Roman prison in the third century. Delvyn hopes to continue to involve our children as well as our youth in the Drama Ministry this coming season.
Next was a production of “The King of All Kings” during the men's weekend of the Great Banquet. This play depicted Elvis receiving a Grammy Award for gospel music and his testimony of Christian faith.
In March, “St. Patrick 440 A.D.” with Jerry Terry and Charley Nevaril taught the congregation learned how Patrick used the shamrock to teach the people of Ireland about the Trinity. The season ended with the Maundy Thursday production of “One Man, One Table,” a one-man play depicted Judas returning to the site of the Last Supper.
“We are developing an energetic fellowship of talented individuals to serve the church through drama,” Delvyn said. “We are open to new people stepping forward to try their talents on stage or backstage in the areas of acting, staging, set design, costumes and make-up.”
Plans for the upcoming season include a play on John Wycliffe in November and one about the writing ofan American Christmas carol for December. Additional plays are being developed based on the Pastor’s sermons and Holy Week.
“We would love for more individuals to step forward and get involved,” Delvyn added. “The commitment usually requires only a few hours during the days before each performance and is lots of fun to work together!”
Last season, Director of Sacred Arts Jeff Faux initiated a drama program at First Church, led by award-winning playwright Dr. Delvyn C. Case Jr. Delvyn developed the Drama Ministry at the First Baptist Church in Portland, Maine and served as its director for 20 years.
“The Drama Ministry at FPC is based upon the following principle,” Delvyn explained, “its purpose in corporate worship is to glorify God by depicting His story in the lives of His people. Our goal here is to glorify God through our work on stage… and backstage.”
He said that last September the drama ministry with an organizational meeting attended by an eager group of actors and technical crew. The first production took place on Reformation Sunday in October — “Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms: Day of Decision,” with Jerry Weisenauer, Nancy Janek and Charley Nevaril as Martin Luther. This five-minute drama was well-received, as were successive productions, including one on February 15, “Valentine’s Day 269 A.D.”
“Members of the congregation each received a Valentine card with a Christian symbol and explanation on it, Delvyn recalled. “They represented those given to St. Valentine when he was imprisoned in Rome. The first Valentine cards!”
With Jerry Weisenauer as Valentine and Christie Shore as Priscilla, children from FPC also took part in the production. They handed cards to Valentine on stage as the children did in a Roman prison in the third century. Delvyn hopes to continue to involve our children as well as our youth in the Drama Ministry this coming season.
Next was a production of “The King of All Kings” during the men's weekend of the Great Banquet. This play depicted Elvis receiving a Grammy Award for gospel music and his testimony of Christian faith.
In March, “St. Patrick 440 A.D.” with Jerry Terry and Charley Nevaril taught the congregation learned how Patrick used the shamrock to teach the people of Ireland about the Trinity. The season ended with the Maundy Thursday production of “One Man, One Table,” a one-man play depicted Judas returning to the site of the Last Supper.
“We are developing an energetic fellowship of talented individuals to serve the church through drama,” Delvyn said. “We are open to new people stepping forward to try their talents on stage or backstage in the areas of acting, staging, set design, costumes and make-up.”
Plans for the upcoming season include a play on John Wycliffe in November and one about the writing ofan American Christmas carol for December. Additional plays are being developed based on the Pastor’s sermons and Holy Week.
“We would love for more individuals to step forward and get involved,” Delvyn added. “The commitment usually requires only a few hours during the days before each performance and is lots of fun to work together!”
Photos from King of Crows featuring King of All Kings
Here are photos from the King of Crows performance of King of All Kings Sept. 3-5 2015. Announcer played by Bridgette Kelly, Elvis played by Adam Ferguson.
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From The Portland Press Herald – Reflections: In times of stress, turn to prayer and let God handle things
Here is a recent column in the Portland Press Herald.
An excerpt from the column:
"God can handle the stress and let you get on with your life."
Danny said he probably felt like many of the 14.5 million cancer survivors alive in the United States today. Anxious and alone. Though 25 years had past since the diagnosis and treatment of his cancer, Danny did not have even have a doctor to give him check-ups. According to his memory, his original hematologist had discharged him after 10 years, and he had been followed by his general practitioner since – but not specifically for his leukemia. That diagnosis was not mentioned during his regular exams, though a day hardly went by that he did not think about it. Danny called it the “terror of survival.” After his GP retired, Danny called my office for an appointment because he felt someone should be looking at him once in a while. He wanted to talk.
To read the rest of the article, click here.
Elvis’ Three Grammy Awards
Elvis received 14 Grammy Award nominations for his recordings of pop, country, and gospel music. Yet he received only 3 Grammy Awards. All 3 were for gospel music. Why? All three were given later in his career when he was struggling with many personal and professional demons. In his white jump-suit opened all the way down to his navel, he looked like a caricature of himself. His public appearances became erratic in the '70's. He even left the stage in Baltimore in 1977 during an embarrassing performance. What was it about his gospel music that was real even to a secular group of musicians voting for the Grammy Awards? His gospel songs were about his Christian faith. Despite his struggles, the light of his faith was trying to shine. How are we doing? Does our faith shine despite our struggles. Do others—not just Christians—see our faith through what we do and say? Elvis always claimed gospel music was his favorite kind of music—through that kind of music, the authentic Elvis was visible.
Elvis received 14 Grammy Award nominations for his recordings of pop, country, and gospel music. Yet he received only 3 Grammy Awards. All 3 were for gospel music. Why? All three were given later in his career when he was struggling with many personal and professional demons. In his white jump-suit opened all the way down to his navel, he looked like a caricature of himself. His public appearances became erratic in the '70's. He even left the stage in Baltimore in 1977 during an embarrassing performance. What was it about his gospel music that was real even to a secular group of musicians voting for the Grammy Awards? His gospel songs were about his Christian faith. Despite his struggles, the light of his faith was trying to shine. How are we doing? Does our faith shine despite our struggles. Do others—not just Christians—see our faith through what we do and say? Elvis always claimed gospel music was his favorite kind of music—through that kind of music, the authentic Elvis was visible.
ATTENDING REHEARSALS at the Theater At Monmouth
This past week I concluded my 13th summer of attending rehearsals at the Theater At Monmouth. The theater in Monmouth, Maine is the designated Shakespearean theater of Maine. Over the years I have sat in on rehearsals of many plays by Shakespeare as well as other classical and modern playwrights. This has been a wonderful opportunity of watching a director work putting the text of a play to life on the stage with actors. During tech week, the whole production takes shape as all the elements of the show are added. This year I attended rehearsals of “The Winter's Tale” and “Fallen Angels.” This experience continues to be very valuable to me as a director and playwright. I highly recommend contacting a local theater company to learn by becoming the audience for rehearsals. Over thirteen years I have met a number of young actors as well as continued friendships with a many veterans who return to Monmouth each year to be part of this excellent repertory theater. I can't wait until next summer to do it again!
From the Portland Press Herald – Reflections: Sick or not, stay in the zone
Here is a recent column in the Portland Press Herald titled “Sick or not, stay in the zone”.
An excerpt from the column:
"Righteous living, as well as believing, is important to your well-being."
The first thing Jack and his wife did after leaving my office was to go to their church and put Jack’s name on the prayer list. Jack knew he could not handle the diagnosis of leukemia and the chemotherapy without the support of his church family. He had already learned too much today and more was coming tomorrow, when Jack was to be admitted to the hospital for three to four weeks (“minimum”) of intensive treatment. Jack also knew he might not come out of the hospital alive. Therefore Jack and his wife would need all the resources their church could provide beginning with prayer: “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5: 14).
To read the full article, click here.
COLLABORATING WITH SON ON PLAY “NYARING”
One of the great experiences this year has been the opportunity of collaborating with my son in writing my play NYARING. Embedded in my one-act play is a song for which I wrote the lyrics. I asked my son Delvyn who is a composer to write the music for the song. This was the first time we have worked together artistically. Not only was it wonderful to work with my son, but I learned much from the experience. As Delvyn worked on the music, it was clear that certain words and phrases had to be revised to make the overall song work. Such changes made the song build to a musical climax and resolution. Looking back on the experience I realized how the words of the song even without the music were more dramatic with the changes made. There is much to be gained through collaboration. It is exciting to see one's work develop more fully with the input of colleagues through critical review or artistic ideas.
Raising the Dramatic Intensity of Your Play
How do you make your play(s) more dramatic? Direct them! When I have the opportunity of directing one of my plays, I discover as I sit down for the first reading of the play as director my play appears like someone else wrote it. This is because I look at the play totally differently—as how the play looks on stage. Of course this should be how we consider all our plays as we write them, but a director carries with him the additional responsibility making the play come alive with real actors in real costumes, real staging, real props, and real lighting. Directing my plays has made me look at my plays with the eyes of a director. Directing my plays has made me think right from the first words on the page how much more dramatically my play can be. As a result directing my plays has made me a better playwright.
How do you make your play(s) more dramatic? Direct them! When I have the opportunity of directing one of my plays, I discover as I sit down for the first reading of the play as director my play appears like someone else wrote it. This is because I look at the play totally differently—as how the play looks on stage. Of course this should be how we consider all our plays as we write them, but a director carries with him the additional responsibility making the play come alive with real actors in real costumes, real staging, real props, and real lighting. Directing my plays has made me look at my plays with the eyes of a director. Directing my plays has made me think right from the first words on the page how much more dramatically my play can be. As a result directing my plays has made me a better playwright.
Lighting
LET THERE BE LIGHT! Proper lighting is crucial in focusing attention on the action on the stage. Don't lessen the impact of your drama by distractions. You'll want the best presentation of the message of a play whether it's in a church or a Broadway theater. Don't cheat the congregation (or audience). There's a simple way to focus attention on the actors on the stage of your church, and it costs nothing. Start with “killing” the house (sanctuary) lights and leaving on lights limited to the area of the stage where the action takes place. This will do much! Watch the video of my play VALENTINE'S DAY 269 A.D.: THE END OF THE BEGINNING produced at the First Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida, in February of 2015. Notice how attention is focused on the actors with the lighting “design” as described. Though you can see candlesticks on the altar, is the 150 person choir behind the action a distraction?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWWEzLLBX8
What's the next step? Order an inexpensive spotlight and use it. Concurrently reduce the stage lights. You'll like the result. You won't accept anything less for lighting in your next drama production at church!
Scattered Ashes
The cast of SCATTERED ASHES doing a staged reading of my Christian history play at the Crowbait Club Wednesday 6/3/15. These gravediggers in 1425 are digging up the bones of John Wycliffe, then burning them, and scattering the ashes over the Thames River. In that way the Reformation will not spread and the Bible will not be translated into English! SCATTERED ASHES is a featured play on my website and available for your church for Reformation Sunday.
Cast: Cullen T.M. McGough and Adam Ferguson
[gallery link="file" ids="1577,1578,1579"]
The cast of SCATTERED ASHES doing a staged reading of my Christian history play at the Crowbait Club Wednesday 6/3/15. These gravediggers in 1425 are digging up the bones of John Wycliffe, then burning them, and scattering the ashes over the Thames River. In that way the Reformation will not spread and the Bible will not be translated into English! SCATTERED ASHES is a featured play on my website and available for your church for Reformation Sunday.
Cast: Cullen T.M. McGough and Adam Ferguson
[gallery link="file" ids="1577,1578,1579"]