Narrative Arc

Talking to my pal Glen Marshall today, and the subject of the story of the show came up, and he asked what that might be specifically. I replied that it would be light on story and heavy on music, which he challenged a bit, offering that every great play or musical/comedy features a character who wants something and spends the running time of the show trying to get it. So what does the character of 'me' want?

We batted around the idea of starting right at the beginning, with me trying to learn to play the guitar, trying to impress the girls, trying to sing through a changing voice, and being humiliated by my peers, my sister, and the voices of my heroes in my head. The character wants something: perhaps to prove to himself and the world that he can do it: gain the spotlight and own it, even if just for a moment.

So begin at the beginning, with me learning my first song (Closer to the Heart?) and take people through the story of my musical development, and all the songs that were important to me, and why. But be unafraid to touch on all the humiliations along the way: the failed attempts to woo the ladies, the train-wreck performances at jam nights, the scathing reviews for my first few records---all the events that led me through perseverence to that full-circle moment of playing for Rush this year.

That piece of the puzzle, that narrative arc, is something that has been missing until now. Now I can go to work on this thing with a little more direction and purpose.

I meet soon with my friend Chris Conley to try out some potential music rig solutions for the show, that will automate some of the looping and effects (as well as lights and video). That's another unknown at this point, so we shall see what we can figure out. It needs to be seamless, subtle and supreme. By the end of the story, anyways.