In the Fall 2014, I was invited to a networking event organized by the Playwrights Guild of Canada. The goal of the gathering was to connect playwrights and composers. Other than a short musical that I had composed as a student, my musical life had not really connected to the theatre world so I was quite excited to attend and see who I might meet and where opportunities might lead.
Well, it didn’t take long to connect with the fine folks who attended. Talking with various playwrights, it quickly became apparent that they had the same zeal I do to get our creations “out there”. One particular person, Catherine Frid, spent much time talking to me about her musical in progress. It’s amazing how you can really connect with a complete stranger in an initial meeting. Even though we had not sealed our creative partnership at that particular point, I felt deep down that we were going to work together on her project.
Fast forward to last Wednesday, and SKI Club, the musical, had its first exposure to the public at the Big Ideas Festival at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto. We gave the world just a snippet of the script and songs of this work in progress. But the experience was very positive and the crowd reaction was great. It sort of validates for Catherine and I that we’re on the right track.
But this is only the start of a long road with this project. The one thing that I have learnt these past bunch of months…it takes a LONG time to get a musical off the ground. But that’s okay. We’re not in a rush and we want to get it right. If we do get it right, then I feel that this could be something that the public will adore. Who wouldn’t be interested in a big-hearted musical about four seniors who plot to escape from their retirement home? First we conquer Toronto, then BROADWAY;)!