My Personal Journey Into Germelshausen

Writing for me has come as an almost mid-life crisis thing. About three years ago after seeing Les Miserables in Charleston, I decided I'd like to try my hand at creating a musical. I'd never been exceptionally adept at writing, and figured that this would be a foolhardy experiment at best. Never the less I plunged in. Surprisingly once I settled on what I was to do things started to fall in place and the original draft came swiftly. I'd have to say that the most time-consuming part was all the research I did. I read everything I could get ahold of on playwriting, musicals, songwriting, stage design, etc! Not to mention scripts and libretto's of other established playwrights I read to get an real idea of how playwriting works. I volunteered for costuming and props at the Charleston Stage Company and helped in a small way on all but the last two plays in the 96-97 season. Working with the theatre helped me get perspective on the real limitations of a staged performance and I was able to adjust my script accordingly.

The real hurdle I had in choosing to write a musical was that I could not compose! A musical without music is nothing, not even worthy of submitting for workshopping. Fortunately I have found a composer willing to plunge his time and talents into a project they may or may not become something. Time will tell that story.

The original story of Germelshausen is an obscure literary work, unless you're a student of German language. I discovered the story in a 50 year old compilation of short stories. I thought the plot was interesting and decided I could use it as the starting point in my playwriting career. I worked long into the night for two months writing my first draft and doing the research. Soon I discovered that there already was a musical with a similar plot, Alan J. Lerner's Brigadoon! I was thrown off keel for a short time as I rethought my thinking. I decided to go ahead anyway because I believe this is a good story and different enough from Mr. Lerner's work to stand on it's own merits without pausing for comparision. Mr. Lerner's work is wonderful. It's a delightful story. My work on the other hand, though sharing the same story idea, is darker. I believe it to be an accurate representation of the original work and the original mood of that piece despite modifications for the stage. Although my work has light moments it is thought provoking and meloncholy. My intention at the start of this project was to make a musical that would leave an audience speechless with the questions brought up but left unanswered.

I found myself in all of the characters. They all represent a facet of me.

ARNOLD...is the part of me that needs to be recognized, to,"...not leave this world with nothing to show I was here!" and the hidden desire to avoid the unpleasant and see only the good...

GERTRUD...is my unmerited guilt over occurances in my life and my reluctance to share that supposed guilt...

WOODSMAN...is the part of me that spends a lot of time saying that things don't bother me when perhaps they really do...

TILLY...is the thoughtless side of me...

MAYOR and MATILDA...represent the side of me that is mature but downtrodden with worries...

SALLY...is the hurt, sensitive me...

BUB...is just the kid in me...

This is my first attempt at playwriting, and I'm certain it has many flaws. It has not been produced or workshopped. It's raw but potent material, and deserves to be looked at. I do hope you enjoy it.