South is an original musical that I wrote. It was developed at Dixon Place in NYC over a few years with two concert readings and culminating in a showcase production in 2009. There have also been concert readings at The Bridge Street Theater in Catskill and The Western Stage in Salinas, CA. A musical isn’t really finished until it has a full production and run somewhere, for each of those versions, rewrites and adjustments were made, each time people saw it I got audience feedback and it got better. The show exists right now as a script and score. I’ve taken the project as far as I can with the theaters I have relationships with, it’s time to make a proper recording of the show. The goal will be a full recording with all dialogue and music for release in some physical format and to distribute it online.

Here’s the plan.
1. I have a completed script and score with un-arranged music, that will be the template we work from.
2. I have recorded scratch versions of all 20 songs, these will used as guides.
3. Record scratch versions of all dialogue, with or without final cast.
4. Edit and assemble all dialogue and music into full-length rough.
5. Evaluate rough version, make change list and apply to edit.
6. Create arrangements for the songs.
7. Record final instruments for songs.
8. Record final actor dialogue.
9. Edit to final cut, probably several versions.
10. Add sound effects.
11. Mix full-length version starting 1/1/2021.
12. Mix songs only version.
This completes the part where we make the recording. The next step is to manufacture a terrestrial version, which will probably be a two-CD set of the whole show. That is to be completed by April 2021.

So, South is a big project for my little studio that will keep me very busy through 2020.

I’ve got an approach, but there will be lots of twists and turns. I’m working with local talent for the singers as much as possible, but I have yet to find an Arabella, the ingenue. Corona has limited mobility in and out of the studio, and a good number of singing and instrument tracks will be recorded remotely. Challenges are ok, we’ll figure it out, it’s a civilized timeline.

That’s the scope of the work. Getting it into theaters is a separate project.