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It’s November 27—the day after Thanksgiving!  And you know what that means: Peter, Hook, and the Darlings opens at Open Stage of Harrisburg tonight!*

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An original adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, this meta-theatrical event will break new ground at Open Stage.  Sword fights, pirate ships, and of course flying will make this a wonderful outing for audiences of all ages.

I’m sound designer and music director for the production, so the accompaniments, incidental music, and anything you hear during the show that doesn’t come out of the actors will have my fingerprints on it.  (I probably could find a less-misinterpretable way to say that, couldn’t I?)

PH&D has its own page up in my Projects menu (which is a great way to see what’s coming up in my professional life), and you can see there or on my Performance Calendar (another great way to see what’s coming up in my professional life) that the show runs from tonight through December 13.

I hope you’ll swing on over to the Open Stage of Harrisburg website, where you can read more about the show and order tickets online—though of course I’m happy to answer questions about the project too!  Drop me a line if you like.

*No, I don’t live under a rock.  I’m aware there’s some other big traditional thing happening today, but I don’t subscribe to such nonsense.

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One of the songs I wrote while we were working on Something Begun that didn’t quite make it to the record, “Before Me” is one I play for myself during those rare quiet moments of “me time.”  It’s one of a few pieces I’ve written that I call “Muse Songs”—although I know I’m the one that first typed this particular set of lyrics into the laptop, I find new wisdom here that couldn’t possibly have originated in my head.  You know those little parables that feel both familiar and profoundly insightful?  Yeah, this is one of those.

(Also, music geeks will enjoy discovering a bit of Arnold Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique employed in the structure of the vocal line, but that’s an Easter Egg for the “behind the scenes” tour.)

Visit the shop to take a listen to a solo demo performance of the piece, and order a copy if you’d like to add it to your music library.  It’s included in my “Completely Non-Holiday-Related Website Launch Sale,” so get that cart up to at least $40 and you get 50% off your entire purchase.

Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the song.  Comment away!

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Today at UUCV we’ll be commemorating National Transgender Day of Remembrance.  (What’s that?  Take a look, but not if you need to put on your happy face any time in the next few hours.)

I am pleased about one thing: I’ve used Namoli Brennet’s music in worship enough over the last year that I feel okay about using more of it today.  (I try not to fall into the trap of using Jewish music only on Yom Kippur, African-American music only in February, etc…..)  The choir is singing “We Belong,” from her sophomore project Welcome to the Afterglow; I’m doing a solo version of “I Belong,” from 2011’s We Were Born to Rise (probably my all-time favorite of her albums, though the newer ones are catching up); and I’m doing pianistic noodlings based upon a couple of her other pieces as offertory and prayer underscoring.

I’ve sat here trying to come up with words to describe how much I respect Namoli for a long time now, but probably the best way to give you an idea of how amazing she is, is to just give you a taste of her music.  So, here it is.  Listen.  Feel.  Remember.

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Do I look relieved?
Do I look relieved?

It’s not perfect yet, and I’ll be tweaking styles and formatting forever, I’m sure.  (Sounds like my life, eh?)  But we’re LIVE!

If you notice anything that doesn’t seem to work correctly on the site, please don’t hesitate to let me know.  If I can’t figure it out, I’ve got lots of good friends to help.

I’d also love it if you’d take a moment to leave a comment on at least one of the posts in the “News” area of the “About” section.  To avoid robots and trolls, I require you to submit a name and email before posting, but feel free to create a pseudonym if you like to live life mysteriously….

Whatever other areas of the site you explore, though, please take advantage of the “Completely Non-Holiday-Related Website Launch Sale” I have running from now through December 31.  Simply purchase at least $40 worth of products in my Shop, and you’ll automatically receive 50% off your entire order.  Couldn’t be simpler.  (No, really.  If there were an easier way to give you a discount I would have found it.)

I’ll look forward to seeing you soon, either online or in person!

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So after a pleasant drive in the capable (but Google-Navigation-skeptical) hands of dear Anne; a relaxed afternoon of “guy talk” with Elaine‘s husband and his college buddy; a wonderful evening on Broadway with friends Allison and Cullen, seeing George Takei’s powerful new musical, Allegiance (which needs to be seen by lots of people); and an absolutely soul-soothing night of sleep (where did you buy that mattress, Elaine?); I’m up early and here at the Starbucks across the street from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, just around the corner from Shetler Studios, where I’ll meet Kris to take our photos.

(Apparently I use complicated, long-winded sentence structures when I’m nervous.)*

Oddly, I’m feeling pretty comfortable and relaxed, although it may just be that I’m focusing so hard on not sweating through this shirt before Kris arrives.  At least I have a jacket to put on.

*and possibly always