I’m on the road today, so this comes to you pre-scheduled.
- This week’s posting, aside from this kind of randomness, has been centered on repurposing bits of a presentation I did this past weekend. Here’s today’s post, and you can wander backwards from there.
- I am still processing this week’s Better Call Saul – I’ll have a post on that (and the season so far) on Friday.
- Today’s Gospel is part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus from John. Here’s the first page of the pertinent entry from the Loyola Kids Book of Bible Stories.
Funny story about that.
I don’t know how other publishers work it, but when I’ve had a book with illustrations published the process goes like this: I send specs, as I write, of what the illustrations should contain. Guidelines for the artist. Then, as the artist completes his or her work, images are sent to me for approval. Most of the time, of course, they are absolutely fine. But when this was sent to me, I immediately wrote them back saying…big problem here. The background is….daylight.
Because, of course, Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night is a pretty important element of the narrative…
Fortunately, a quick fix!
- And now for the quite random – there’s a Song of Bernadette musical being premiered in Wisconsin next year. It’s been in development and workshop for a while. If it were some kind of production with interesting music weaving together, I dunno, traditional French folk melodies and instrumentation with popular French religious music of the period and a dash of chant, you might have something, but…..
The final show of the 2022-2023 season will be The Song of Bernadette, presented May 19 – June 11, 2023. This world premiere developmental production, presented in partnership with Indie Theatrical and by Special Arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical, is a breathtaking musical based on the novel ‘The Song of Bernadette’ by Franz Werfel. It tells the true story of Bernadette Soubirous, a young and impoverished girl living in the French town of Lourdes who sees a vision that would change her life, the town of Lourdes, and the world forever.
This inspiring and empowering story of hope and perseverance is composed by Broadway’s Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel).
And another one – same mood. “Living Out Loud.”
I mean, I hate this style of music anyway – is it a “style” or really just a template? Anyway. These songs strike me as having been written, not in service of any story – especially this one – but more to be used in innumerable auditions and show choir performances, over and over again….Lord.
Change the world/Make it shine/Word by word/One girl at a time/Maybe if the world can change/It’s better off than before I came/I will have done you proud/Living out loud..
Can you see it? Can you?
“I am the Blessed Virgin’s broom, and now that’s she’s finished with me, I’ve been put back in the corner.”
Yep. Totally the same girl. Nothing to question here.
We saw “Come from Away” a few months ago. I’m not a theatre or musical snob, but the songs were tedious, like “Tear it Down”. It was a very forgettable experience…..homogenized stuff.
(I enjoyed shows like Les Mis, and Phantom of the Opera btw)
Watch for the forced insertion of woke and LGBTQ themes.