Understudies is now entering rehearsals. It is both exhilarating and a little scary. The book writer and collaborator, Craig Sobel, has written a great piece on his blog that touches on sending your art out into the world.
It is really scary. I want to grow thick skin, but I know that some folks negative reception will cut deep – but I also really want feed back. My greatest fear is that no one will tell me that my songs are just “ok”.
Right now I am excited for Understudies to move forward. Soon I hope to have some recordings available on the website as well as sheet music for a couple songs. Break a leg Corbett Prep!
The book is the collected poems of William Blake. Within it there is an almost chronological progression of his poetry moving for the songs of innocence to songs of experience to much more epic content.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but theater lyrics exist within a show – they are heard once and often in quick rhythm. Therefore it is important not to overload the lyric with too many words or words that are difficult to understand when sung. In other words, keep it simple…stupid.
The talk was quickly written down and published in The Dramatists Guild Quarterly in autumn 1973. Finding a copy was difficult for me. Local libraries don’t stock back issues of the journal, and, not being a member, I wasn’t privy to the online content. It was, however, re-published in a 1974 book compiled and edited by Otis L. Guernsey: Playwrights Lyricists Composers On Theater. The local library didn’t have a copy but amazon was able to sell and ship me a 
An official lauch date for Secrets Your Accompanist WANTS You to know has been set! Mark your calendars – copies go on sale Friday, January 24th.