Rave Review For Letters To Daddy

Just got word that another awesome review of “Letters To Daddy, Jr” has been published!

Here are some highlights:

The concept of an all-kid musical, of course, has been tried before. But the genre is ripe for an update, and Letters To Daddy, Jr. offers a straightforwardness and sincerity rarely seen in today’s musical theater. Creators Mark Shepard and Jill Jaysen have owe a lot to the example set by You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, but in some ways their take on preteen angst is more believable…

the dedicated young cast is so engaging, and Shepard’s upbeat score so heartfelt, that it’s impossible not to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride…

Read the whole review


Rain On A Tin Roof (Live)

This was recorded live in April of 2006 at Watering Pond Yoga Studios in Guilford, CT. Thanks again to Dorothy Cochran & Michael Bowers for all your support!

Rain On A Tin Roof | Song #101 | April 1988

Lull me to sleep like a warm Spring rain
on a tin roof darling
Rise and shine to the clean dawn tune
of the Robins and Starlings

I'm getting that feeling like I'm gonna want
to live forever
And I'd kind of like to know
If we could spend that time together...

Refrain:(X2)
Hey oh, Hey ah
Hey oh, Hey ah
Hey oh, Hey ah

I want to dream with you
Like a rock, like a roll, like a river ride
Can't you see that being with you
Is something rarefied?

You are the distant jet plane
Flash of light across dark skies
You are the wind of my love
You are the sight of my eyes

Refrain:

I was gonna bring you bacon and eggs
and English Muffins in bed
But I started singing in the shower
So I wrote this song for you instead

Hope you don't mind but singing about you
Makes me feel so fine
And the rain on the tin roof
Drums along and hums along in time

Refrain:

Commentary: This is one of my all time favorite songs to perform live because it's easy for audiences to sing along. It's also one of those classic "feel good" songs that can help to shift a person into a place of hope and optimism. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Creative Commons License
Rain On A Tin Roof by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

I See The Blue Breaking Through

I See The Blue Breaking Through | Song # 401 | 10/7/09

Now what? We begin to begin again
Now that the rain has decided to end
And our hearts are certainly on the mend

(Can you comprehend?)

How good it feels to look up and see
Blue sky begin to break through and The
Clouds of grey beginning to blow away

Gravity. Sometimes drags you down
Relax. Stretch out upon the ground
Look up. And watch the blue break through

Refrain:
I see the blue breaking through
Do you catch a glimpse of it too?
What’s it like to be brand new?

I can’t say I knew it would work this way
Had a moment when I had to keep fear at bay
But at the end of a very long day

(I have to say we found a way)
To have fun while we got the job done
And I want to thank everyone
Who joined in and helped us with our play
(hip hip hooray)

Refrain:

So what’s next?
Where do we go from here?
Climb with me up to where the air is clear
And watch the blue break through for you…

Refrain

Commentary: This song arose out of a conversation I had with Playwright and Director, Jill Jayson of Center Stage Theatre Company reflecting back on the intense week of rehearsals and 4 performances of "Letters To Daddy, Jr" with 19 amazing elementary school age actors. Saturday We did 2 performances in Westport CT. It poured rain all day. But that did not dampen anybody's spirits! The rain let up just as we had to break down the set and pack it into a half dozen parent's cars for the NYMF performances in Manhattan on Sunday. Sunday dawned clear and beautiful and everyone and every thing got to New York City by 9 am! We set up. We did a run through for lighting cues. We checked the sound. The kids did two great shows (although by the 4:00 pm show you could tell they were tired (I know I was exhausted!).

Then we had to break down the set and pack it all away in all the different cars and head back.

It's all a blur now but, Tuesday morning Jill and I were discussing future projects and while we were speaking the sun broke out of the heavy clouds and blue sky began to show through...I said to Jill, "I see the blue breaking through..."

"There's a new song!" she said.

So here it is still in a bit rough form but you get the basic idea. Can you imagine 19 kids belting out the chorus?

I just want to send out a special thank you to Jill Jayson, and the Parents of all the cast members! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Copyright by Mark Shepard

Creative Commons License
I See the Blue Break Through by Mark Shepard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

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