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“As actors engage in this process, they come to understand that each reply from another character causes a subtle emotional shift within themselves. These changes may be small, but they awaken new feelings and insights that deepen the scene. Over time, this work translates into greater sincerity and emotional continuity when the lines are eventually run without pauses in later rehearsals.”

I want to use AI intentionally, whether in music or in art, in a way that draws people toward deeper understanding and connection with themselves and with each other. I don't ever want the tool to obscure the goal, which is building people and the beloved community. I am grateful for a team and readers who share those priorities, and can help light the path ahead.

People gather in a theater for a transcendent, community, corporeal experience.  by Paul Anderson, Summit Stages Council Part 1 of this article ( Being a Creator in the Age of AI ) discussed the history of technology and AI generally and looked at how we as individual creators can use technological tools as agents to act and foster creativity, rather than be acted upon or provide a crutch in place of creativity. Now in Part 2, we will examine what some growing audience needs

Abundance and Happiness: An AI paintbrush amplifies the voice of a refugee artist Rebecca Burnham : If you've been here awhile, you may already read about Paul Anderson when I wrote about his production philosophy that prioritizes people. Today, he returns not as a guest, but as part of the team that is building Summit Stages into an exciting business. You'll have an opportunity to meet team member Michelle Linford in the near future. Paul Anderson: When Rebecca first invite

The 1/2 Hour Circle of Truth sets the stage for organic rehearsals Happy New Year! We're taking another look this week at organic rehearsals, with input from Manuel Leybas (Manny), who learned the principles of organic acting under the mentorship Dr. Jerry L. Crawford, who gave the method its name. Mr. Leybas put those principles into practice for decades as drama director at Casa Grande Union High School in Arizona. He shows up by name in two of Crawford's books about the ar

Once a stranger, fleeing the danger of soldiers with swords everywhere Today, I'm sending you my warmest wishes for a beautiful season of goodwill. My family and I are celebrating Christmas, so I'm going to keep this short. This evening, instead of a interview, a review, or a deep dive into the craft of writing musicals, I'm sharing a song about some things that have been weighing on my mind and entering into my prayers, especially at this season. I'd like to share just a lit

As an audience member, theatre is best experienced with a child on one side of you, and a grandparent on the other. So says Broadway producer Megan Ann Rasmussen. And she’s on a mission to cultivate more Broadway musicals that engage family audiences. 

Snyder has identified 10 different types of story, each with a key set of rules that can be adapted but not abandoned without peril. He calls them “genres” but not in the sense that we usually think of the term. This isn’t a distinction between RomComs and Action stories. It’s a differentiation between the key elements that drive a conflict and how a fulfilling end can be reached. If you’re interested, you can learn about all 10 genres here.

At a time when Broadway is struggling to turn a profit on new musicals, Wicked: For Good is breaking box office records. And with good reason.  At this writing, I’ve seen the movie twice. I think I could watch it 5 more times and still see something new each time. I found it gorgeously crafted, flawlessly performed, and powerfully moving. There were many times when I wanted to burst into applause in the middle of the movie. I thought it was that good. 

Derek Black Today is Part II of Derek Black’s transformation story, from leader in the white nationalist movement to someone who is actively working to make America a place where everyone has a seat at the table, regardless of race or any other differences. It’s a powerful story that highlights courage, both in those who reached out to him in love, and in Derek himself to confront his own misbeliefs and then to publicly break with his past, at great personal cost. I’m sharing

A friendly and influential white supremacist goes incognito to a progressive liberal arts college where he’s outed and treated as a pariah until an orthodox Jew offers genuine friendship that will dismantle his entire worldview. 

Organic Acting invited him to brush his ego aside and center the needs of the cast, both individually and as a whole, in a way that opens the door to the deep authenticity onstage that can pull in an audience, every time.

Auditions are not about the director. They are an opportunity to discover “good actors that have not yet discovered they’re good actors.” Greeted with gentleness and treated with care, they can be molded into actors that deeply connect with their work. “The environment where things grow has to be cordial and kind and gentle.” 

There’s tremendous power and resonance in the skillful blending of music and drama to convey a story that revolves around the divine, as in Joseph King of Dreams and the 1998 version of Prince of Egypt. But it’s also exceedingly difficult to treat a subject on which people anchor their faith in a manner that is both inspirational and dramatically satisfying. Here are some tips on how to approach such stories effectively. 

This is a musical about a woman who reaches after something that seems entirely frivolous  (a dress that’s fit for a princess), at the same time that it shows her deepening in substance, laying claim to an innate royalty that has nothing to do with how someone dresses.

Neverland: Wendy's Story was the beginning of the Summit Stages dream. It was proof to my heart and others that musical theatre can bridge deep and contentious divides, if we approach it intentionally. That collaboration works magic in bringing people together. And that staging stories with powerful messages can literally change people’s lives for good. Those principles are what drive our mission today.

Today I’m addressing Save the Cat's beats 1, 2 and 15, because they are all so closely connected that it's pretty much impossible to do them justice separately. Beats 1 and 15 are the opening and closing image and music. There needs to be a contrast between them that highlighs the journey of our protagonist. And we’re also discussing Beat 2, the introduction of the unifying theme, because the theme is what the contrast between Beats 1 and 15 needs to highlight.

Deaths from despair in my own community plus high-profile hate-driven killings have slammed home the necessity of making a difference and building peace in this world, however daunting the task may seem.  And in the middle of all of this, Alexander emailed me the studio video of her newest release, “Conversation on a Train.” It’s a duet by two women, both heading home from a rally/protest where they faced off against each other on one of our society’s most contentious issues:

A Showcase of Songs; part of the feedback-gathering process for Meet Me There - the Interfaith Musical This week, I’m doing another...

Rumi is lead singer in a pop-superstar trio whose secret mission is to hunt and kill soul-sucking demons and eventually sing into being the Honmoon, while hiding the tell-tale patterns on her own skin that mark her as worthy of death. And the patterns are beginning to spread, just as a super-hot demon boy-ba