Blunder #2

Professional Blunder #2

So here's the situation.  Some of you may know that I've been working on an original show that was written by The Man.  Apparently, he did this show here several years ago and it went over quite well.  So he decided that it would be a good idea to revamp the show (add some new songs, modernize some pop culture references, etc).  No that's all well and good except that he really is not a trained composer. By that I mean he never was really trained in the structure of music and harmony.  For instance, it is not okay to have a G sharp in the melodic line and harmonize it using a B flat major chord.  (I know that at least of of you will know what that means.)

The problem exists when I am spending large amounts of time re-writing music that is not appropriate to give to singers or a band.  Now certainly, the person who wrote the song, played it over and over again as they created it audibly, can get through that but not another singer or instrumentalist who has never heard the song.  So basically for the past three weeks since I got here the show has been reworked and re-written to make sense.  Now it's very daunting because I really have compiled, arranged, composed, purchased more than half of the music for this show.  Unfortunately the composer (The Man) does not think that I've "composed" anything, he thinks that I've merely been an "arranger". I call that bologna!

All I'm really asking for is just to have some recognition.  This marks the third original musical that I've helped to create here.  In all of those shows, I've never been credited with any artistic ownership on the shows.  Maybe just a little shout out as a "collaborator" on the project.  Each year audiences come to see the show and in the end of the curtain speech that welcomes the audience the person giving the dialogue says, "so now enjoy 'The Man's' original musical, _________________!"  I just sit there and sigh, knowing that half the material is mine.  I just suck it up, but this year I've begun to voice my opinion and will continue to do so.  The show opens tonight and I think it'll be good.

Cheers from the Mountains of Musical Madness.

CK