Technical Difficulties...

Hello fellow writers/readers!

Apparently, there have been some technical difficulties with everything I have posted for the last several months.  This means you are only able to follow up until somewhere in November.  Not to worry, though! Luckily, I have a back up in place that will allow me to get these posts back up asap...it's called my memory.  (Here's hoping it works!)

More to follow shortly...

-Lee

...of 'Lee'rical Wordplay...

.....in case there was any question...

A Movie Musical...? (Part 2)

Good afternoon!

As promised, here is the shocking (not really) conclusion to last weeks post...the song from Woman in the Window, written for the title character herself.  First, a little setup:

Alice has had a long night.  She had met Richard and invited him to her apartment to see some paintings, where the two were interrupted by Frank, a man she had been seeing. After an altercation, Richard prevails by inadvertently killing the uninvited guest.

Realizing that they both could be held seriously accountable for this, Richard plans to dispose of the body and in an attempt to make him anonymous, he tasks Alice to get rid of all of the man's personal belongings.

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On The Ferry At Four

Music by Cynthia Wong, Lyrics by Lee Cavellier, Book by Sara Wordsworth

Lights slowly rise on the outside deck of the Staten Island Ferry.  A clock shows the time, 4:10 AM.  We hear the thump of the diesel engine, and sense a thickness in the humid, pre-dawn summer air.  ALICE carefully enters the otherwise deserted deck, making sure the coast is clear.  SHE’s clutching a small purse and wearing a long, light raincoat, dark glasses and a shawl over her hair.

(We hear RICHARD’s VOICE, ominous in tone.)

RICHARD (V/O)

You’ll get on one of the ferries.  Right away.  Not during rush hour.  Drop everything overboard.  Be very careful that you aren’t seen.

ALICE

(luxuriously, to herself:)

AND I WASN’T, WAS I?

NO, NO ONE COULD HAVE CAUGHT A GLIMPSE, THE SLIGHTEST GLIMPSE OF ME,

AS I HURRIED ‘LONG MY WAY TO THE BOAT…

AND NOW I’M FINALLY HERE

ALL ALONE,..

NOT A SOUL,

NOT A PERSON IN-

(A nearby hawk screeches.)

ALICE

(jumping)

What the-?!  Oh God...just a...

(Singing briskly, hyping herself back to where she was..)

AND NOW I’M FINALLY HERE

ALL ALONE,..

NOT A SOUL,

NOT A PERSON IN SIGHT,

NOT A SINGLE-

(Music is cut off again as a passing boat's foghorn yells.)

Holy Mother-of...!

 (Music.  Singing very briskly, hyping herself back to where she was...)

AND NOW I’M FINALLY HERE…

ALL ALONE...

NOT A SOUL,

NOT A PERSON IN SIGHT,

NOT A SINGLE SET OF EYES-

(SHE catches a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty. Spoken:)

And what are you looking at, Miss Liberty?  It was an accident, after all!  An accident!

FROM YOUR COOL, STEELY GLARE, IT’S APPARENT YOU’RE AWARE OF WHAT I’VE DONE…

ACCIDENTALLY…

YES, THAT COOL, STEELY GLARE MAKES IT CLEAR YOU KNOW THE WEB THAT I HAVE SPUN…

SO WE DID WHAT WE DID, AND WE SAID ‘THAT’S THAT!’

BUT NOW SOMETHING INSIDE OF ME IS GNAWING LIKE A RAT…

OH, I HAVEN’T HAD THIS FEELING SINCE I KILLED MY NEIGHBOR’S CAT…

ACCIDENTALLY.

NO, REALLY, ACCIDENTALLY!

FROM YOUR COOL, STEELY GLARE, IT’S APPARENT THAT YOU’RE PUTTING ME ON TRIAL

MONUMENTALLY.

YES, THAT COOL, STEELY GLARE ALMOST COVERS UP THAT EVER-KNOWING SMILE…

(indignantly.)

What?!

HE WAS OLDER, BUT CUTE, ALSO SLIGHTLY TANNED…

NOT THE POINT, I ASSURE YOU IT WAS TOTALLY UNPLANNED…

BUT THEN FRANK CAME BARGING IN AND GRABBED…I CAN’T BELIEVE I HANDED HIM THE

SCISSORS!

WHY THE SCISSORS?!

A LAMP OR A CLOCK COULD HAVE WORKED WELL TO BLOCK THE ASSAULT…

BUT INSTEAD I GRABBED THE SCISSORS…

WRETCHED SCISSORS!

SO FORGIVE MY BAD MOOD, BUT THIS COULD BE CONSTRUED AS MY FAULT…

ACCIDENTALLY…

IT'S BETWEEN YOU AND ME, 'CUZ I CAN'T LET PEOPLE SEE WHAT HAS OCCURRED…

ACCIDENTALLY.

AND I LIKE BEING FREE, SO I'M BEGGING OF YOU NOT A SINGLE WORD...

 

‘CUZ THE GLASSES ARE WASHED AND THE BLOOD STAIN OUT…

AND THE SCISSORS ARE BOILED SPIC AND SPAN WITHOUT A DOUT…

ONLY ONE MORE TASK REMAINING, SO IT’S TIME TO FEED THE TROUT!

(She starts tossing items into the river as she sings.)

ACCIDENTALLY, I’LL ‘LOSE’ THIS WALLET…

UNEXPECTEDLY, ‘BYE BYE’ KEYS…

INCIDENTALLY…HIS HANDKERCHIEF IS GONE-

(SHE tries to throw the handkerchief into the water but the wind brings it back.  She keeps trying, getting more upset as she keeps failing…)

IS GONE…IS…IS…

Damn it!

(SHE finally holds the handkerchief out over the rail and drops it gently into the river.)

GONE!

 

(SHE gazes up at the Statue again.)

And still you stare at me.  There’s no crime in wanting freedom, is there?  Look at you, Miss Liberty.  You’re free!  Free as a bird!

(ALICE dangles ‘Frank’s’ beautiful, bejeweled poket watch over the railing.  SHE peers at the Statue, and retracts it.)

 

But still…you clutch some things, Lady.  Your torch…your book.  They’re your quiet power, aren’t they?

 

AND I COULD USE A NET, SHOULD HE SET IT UP FOR ME TO TAKE THE FALL…ACCIDENTALLY.

DAY WILL COME, YOU CAN BET, WHEN HE’LL TURN ME IN OR PIN ME TO THE WALL.

I mean, how well do I know this man?!

OK, SURE, I WAS STUCK WITH SOME THINGS TO TOSS.

AND I KNOW THAT IT’S LOUSY TO ASSUME A DOUBLECROSS…

BUT I CANNOT BE COMPLACENT ‘CUZ I’M MURDER ADJACENT, AND THIS WATCH COULD BE THE KEY!

SO I’LL PUT IT IN MY POCKET,

THEN I’LL TAKE IT HOME AND LOCK IT UP…

ACCIDENTALLY.

 (END OF SONG.)

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And now, some extra fun!!

Since a blog is nothing without it's readers, I am going to invite YOU to be part of the process!

Same question as last time...just cuz I wanna know!  Have you ever felt a movie would be better if someone burst into song? (I feel that way all the time...)

Leave a comment below, with the film moment you feel should be musicalized!

Until next time...

-Lee

...of 'Lee'rical Wordplay...

.....in case there was any question...

A Movie Musical...?

Good afternoon, writers!

Can you believe it?  We're almost through blogging my experience from the first year of the BMI workshop!

Our next assignment was a fun one, and really tested many of us.  We were paired off with writing partners, as usual, but then we were assigned a librettist to work with as well.  The teams of three were then tasked with writing a scene/song.  However, rather than each team choosing what they wished to write, we were given more specific instructions.

'The Woman in the Window' is an old film noir piece...very stylized and very dated.  The moderator from the librettists workshop (a sister entity of the composer/lyricist one I am in) chose the film, broke it down into sections, and then designated them to various teams.  Each team was to write the appropriate scene/song for the section they had been assigned.  In this way, the entire film would become a musical!

The end results, overall, were quite enjoyable.  People got very creative with their moments...many brought the piece to a fun place of 'camp' (a near necessity when working with such a dated, stylized film), and many found great moments of character and relationship, or at least humor.

My composer for this assignment was Cynthia Wong, a very talented musician who has since moved back to Beijing to accept a job in production.  I feel fortunate to have had a chance to work with her prior to her departure.  Our librettist was the amazingly talented (as both a writer AND performer), Sara Wordsworth.  As fate would have it, we were the one group that was given a scene that, get this, is not actually in the film!  That's right.  The moderator wanted to give the female lead a moment alone, so we were tasked with writing a scene/song for her that takes place in our class, and our class alone.

Fun, huh?

Actually, it really was!  Tune in next post for the resulting song...

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And now, some extra fun!!

Since a blog is nothing without it's readers, I am going to invite YOU to be part of the process!

Have you ever felt a movie would be better if someone burst into song?  (I feel that way all the time...)

Leave a comment below, with the film moment you feel should be musicalized!

Until next time...

-Lee

...of 'Lee'rical Wordplay...

.....in case there was any question...

Comedy Tonight! (Part Tres)

Hey Everyone!

So after a half successful attempt at our comedy song for 'Angels in America', my assignment collaborator, Ross Patterson, and I went back to the drawing board.

After a lot of discussion, we decided that we really loved the moment we had chosen, and wanted to stick with it.  (For a reminder, read here!)  Once that was cleared up, the question came 'How do we make this better?'  The feedback we had received was that something hadn't run quite true with the lyrics and music.  The Commie references were appreciated, but felt a bit much, perhaps unearned...and the tune wasn't quite dark enough to really capture the attitude and mindset of our character.

One of the moderators had said to me 'That's an interesting notion...what is a friend to Roy Cohn?'  Well, when Ross and I contemplated that, I came up with several variations of hook phrases tied into the idea.

We ended up liking the simplicity and directness of the word 'Friends', followed by various descriptions of what Roy expects of the people he helps out.  There's a wonderful irony to it, as his expectations are incredibly high, and these people are of course made to feel more like subordinates than actual companions.  Once we had come to the conclusion of the hook, Ross threw some ideas my way about sound.  We ended up going with a very minor, dark jazzy feel for the tune.  This helped give us an indication of his ulterior motives, as he's 'offering to help' Joe in his career.

All-in-all, this round turned out far more successful.  The scene and song meld well together, and do not lead to redundancies.  The tune is melodic, yet dark and a bit eccentric...and we even worked in a musical interlude that included the whole 'commie' bit from the first draft!

Below is our rewrite at the scene/song...Enjoy!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friends!

Music by Ross Patterson, Book & Lyrics by Lee Cavellier

The scene opens on restaurant.  Roy and Martin are sitting close to one another, across the table from Joe.  Martin has clearly been talking at length.

ROY

Well, Joe?  D.C. or not D.C.?  That is the question…

MARTIN

(Convincing.)

It’s a revolution in Washington, Joe!

JOE

It sounds great, Mr. Heller.

MARTIN

Martin.  And the justice is the hub.  Especially since Ed Meese took over.  He reminds me of Teddy Roosevelt!

JOE

 

I can’t wait to meet him.

MARTIN

Too bad, Joe.  He’s been dead for sixty years!

(He starts laughing)

Teddy Roosevelt.  You said you wanted to…little joke.  It reminds me of the story about the-

ROY

Aw, shut the fuck up, Martin.

(to Joe.)

You see that?

(Music.  VERSE, RECIT:)

NOW WATCH ME AND TRY TO MAKE SENSE, IF YOU CAN

AS THIS JEW SAYS ‘FUCK YOU’ TO THE MAN’S RIGHT-HAND MAN.

ARE MY BALLS BIG AS GOD’S?  AM I PART OF SOME CLAN?

OH, NO.  THAT AIN’T IT KID…

IT’S JUST THAT THERE’S SOMETHING BETWEEN US, YA SEE?

HE TAKES NO OFFENSE ‘CUZ HE’S LOYAL TO ME.

HEY MARTIN…

MARTIN

YES, ROY?

ROY

 

RUB MY BACK…

 

MARTIN

(gives Roy a look.)

Roy…

ROY

 (cooly.)

No, no really, a sore spot.  I get them all the time now, these…Rub it for me, darling.  Would you do that…?

(Martin rubs Roy’s back.)

Joe…

(SUNG:)

I AIN’T FULL OF SHIT, KID!

FRIENDS.

I’M TALKIN’ ‘BOUT FRIENDS.

EXAMPLE? A FAITHFUL JACK

WHO RUBS YOUR BACK WHEN IT’S SORE… 

 

Right Martin?

 

FRIENDS.

IT’S GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS.

I’M TALKIN’ A LOYAL PAL TO BOOST MORALE WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE LIFE’S A FILTHY

 

WHORE.

DO UNTO OTHERS…

AIN’T THAT WHAT JESUS DID?

 

WHAT’S MORE…

I’VE GOT THE CLOUT,

TO HELP YOU OUT…

BUT WILL I DO IT, KID?

WELL, JOE, THAT DE-

-PENDS…

ON IF WE ARE ‘FRIENDS’…

DON’T MEAN TO BE CRASS,

BUT WATCH MY ASS AND I’LL WATCH YOURS!

MARTIN

(Convincing.)

This man, Joe, is a Saint of the Right.

JOE

I know, Mr. Heller, I…

ROY

You see what I mean, Martin?  He’s special, right?

MARTIN

Don’t embarrass him, Roy!

ROY

Gravity, decency, smarts!  And, he’s a Royboy, one hundred percent.  So what do’ya say, Joe?  Will you take the job in Washington?

JOE

Look, Roy, I’m not sure what to-

ROY

(Holds his finger out over Joe’s mouth for an awkward amount of time.)

Shhhhhhh….!

HUSH…

THERE’S NO NEED TO RUSH.

YOU’VE FIVE MINUTES MORE TO FALTER BEFORE I ALTER MY MIND…

Tick, tock.  Tick, tock.  Tick, tock…

CHUMS

DON’T SIT ON THEIR THUMBS…

FUCK NO, THEY DON’T HESITATE, THEY DON’T MAKE YOU WAIT…

WHEN FATE TRIES TO TAKE YOU FROM

BEHIND.

DO UNTO OTHERS,

JOE, THAT’S HOW I GET BY.

YOU’LL FIND

WHEN PEOPLE SMEAR YOU

AND TRY TO ‘QUEER’ YOU…

A TRUSTY GUY WON’T FLY…

OH, NO…  HE DE-

 

-FENDS!

SO, JOE, LET’S BE FRIENDS…

AND IF THEY ATTACK, I’VE GOT YOUR BACK IF YOU’VE GOT MINE!

JOE

Roy, you know that if I could-

ROY

WOULD YOU LEAVE A FELLA HANGING…

HELPLESS,

AND WATCH AS HE SCREAMS AND KICKS?

NO! THAT’S WHEN YOU TAKE A STAND, BOY.

YOU LEND A HAND, BOY…

YA DON'T LET HIM HIT THE BRICKS.

WELL, I WOULDN’T KNOW A DAMN THING

ABOUT FRIENDSHIP FROM THE MORMON POINT OF VIEW…

BUT JUST ASK ANY JEW…

HELL, EVEN THE GODDAM COMMIES KNEW!

MARTIN

Commies?!

ROY

HOW’D ST. PETERSBURG, IN JUST ONE DAY, TURN INTO LENINGRAD?

THOSE ‘BULL-SHIT-VIKS’ WERE MAD,

BUT KNEW JUST WHAT THEY HAD…

THEY HAD COMRADES!

THEY HAD FRIENDS!

 

MARTIN

 

Sing it, Roy!!

ROY

AND WHO COULDN’T SEE THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THESE LITTLE LARKS?

THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH SPARKS,

WHEN ENGELS FIRST MET MARX.

THEY WERE COMRADES! 

THEY WERE FRIENDS!

MARTIN

 

We need an answer so quit your Stalin!

 

ROY

JUST GRAB LIFE BY THE BALLS, AND BROTHER,

SEE HOW ONE HAND STROKES THE OTHER…!

FRIENDS!

SOMEONE WHO ATTENDS!

A PARTNER WHO UP AND FLIES TO D.C. AND TIES YOUR LOOSE ENDS!

BE MY COMRADE, BE MY CRONY,

BE MY BOOSTER, BE MY STUD

BE MY FAN, NOT A PHONY!

BE A SIDEKICK TO THIS DUD!

BE MY BOOTS WHEN IT’S MUDDY,

BE MY BROTHER, BE MY BUDDY!

LOSE THE DOUBT!

MARTIN

Say yes, say yes, say yes, say yes!!

ROY

HELP ME OUT!

MARTIN

Yes I will!  Yes I-

ROY

BE MY FRIEND!

(END OF SONG.)

 

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And now, some extra fun!!

Since a blog is nothing without it's readers, I am going to invite YOU to be part of the process!

Let's face it, turn of the 20th century Russian revolution references are hilarious...

Leave a comment below, with the clever 'comrade' reference you'd have included in the piece!

Until next time...

-Lee

...of 'Lee'rical Wordplay...

.....in case there was any question...

Comedy Tonight! (Part Deux)

Our assignment?  To write a comedy song for the dark dramedy turned HBO miniseries, Angels in America.  We could use any character we wanted, any moment we wanted and any style we wanted, as long as it made sense with the overall 'feel' of the piece.

My collaborator on this was the amazingly talented Ross Patterson.  We decided to write a song for a moment where Roy Cohn and Martin Heller are trying to convince the young (closeted) Joe that he should take a job in Washington D.C.  Roy had offered to help Joe with the position a while ago, but Joe is reluctant because his wife doesn't want to move.

Below is our first attempt at the scene/song...Enjoy!

Comrades!

Music by Ross Patterson, Lyrics by Lee Cavellier

 

The scene opens on restaurant.  Roy and Martin are sitting close to one another, across the table from Joe.  Martin has clearly been talking at length.

MARTIN

(Convincing.)

It’s a revolution in Washington, Joe!

ROY

 Aw, shut the fuck up, Martin.

(to Joe.)

You see that?

(Music.  VERSE, RECIT:)

NOW WATCH ME AND TRY TO MAKE SENSE, IF YOU CAN

AS THIS JEW SAYS ‘FUCK YOU’ TO THE MAN’S RIGHT HAND MAN.

AM I BALLSY, OR STUPID?  OR PART OF SOME CLAN?

OH, NO.  THAT AIN’T IT KID…

IT’S JUST THAT THERE’S SOMETHING BETWEEN US, YA SEE?

HE TAKES NO OFFENSE ‘CUZ HE’S LOYAL TO ME.

HEY MARTIN... 

MARTIN

YES, ROY?

 

ROY

RUB MY BACK AND AGREE…

(Martin gives Roy a look.  Roy speaks cooly.)

No, no really, a sore spot.  I get them all the time now, these…Rub it for me, darling.  Would you do that?

(Martin rubs Roy’s back.  SUNG:)

I AIN’T FULL OF SHIT, KID!

(CHORUS.)

HOW’D ST. PETERSBURG, IN JUST ONE DAY, TURN INTO LENINGRAD?

THOSE ‘BULL-SHIT-VIKS’ WERE MAD,

BUT KNEW JUST WHAT THEY HAD…

THEY HAD COMRADES!

THEY HAD FRIENDS!

AND WHO COULDN’T SEE THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THESE LITTLE LARKS?

THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH SPARKS,

WHEN ENGELS FIRST MET MARX.

THEY WERE COMRADES! 

Right Martin?

THEY WERE FRIENDS!

A FRIEND CALLS YOU OUT WHEN YOU’RE CRASS.

AND IN THE DARK IN CENTRAL PARK,

A FRIEND WILL ALWAYS WATCH YOUR ASS

 

A FRIEND’S BY YOUR SIDE, THIN AND THICK.

A FAITHFUL JACK WILL RUB YOUR BACK

AND THEN MASSAGE YOUR GREAT BIG EGO!

SO, JOE, LET ME DO THIS FAVOR, YOU CAN’T SAY ‘NO WAY’ TO ME,

JUST TELL ME THAT YOU’LL BE

MY ‘ROYBOY’ IN D.C.!

BE MY COMRADE…

BE MY ALLY…

BE MY FRIEND!

(A false finish, as Roy and Martin both stare at Joe, awaiting a response.  The music keeps starting and stopping in an anticipatory riff.  Joe looks stunned.  After a couple of riffs, the normal underscore starts up.)

MARTIN

(Convincing.)

This man, Joe, is a Saint of the Right.

JOE

I know, Mr. Heller, I…

ROY

You see what I mean, Martin?  He’s special, right?

(BRIDGE.)

HE’S GOT GRAVITY, DECENCY, SMARTS.

MARTIN

Don’t embarrass him, Roy!

ROY

 (to Martin.)

HE’S A WHOLE LOT GREATER THAN THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS!

WELL, IF WASHINGTON’S SICK, HE’S THE CURE…

THE KID PISSES RAINBOWS, HIS HEART’S SO DAMN PURE!

MARTIN

We’re on the move, Joe.  On the move.

JOE 

Mr. Heller, I…

MARTIN

We can’t wait any longer for an answer.

(Roy and Martin both stare awkwardly at Joe.  The music keeps starting and stopping in an anticipatory riff.  The riff continues under the following awkward exchange.)

JOE

Oh, Um, I…

ROY

Joe’s a married man, Martin.

MARTIN

Aha.

ROY

With a wife.  She doesn’t care to go to D.C., and so Joe cannot go.  And keeps us dangling.  We’ve seen that kind of thing before, haven’t we?  These men and their wives.

MARTIN

 Oh yes. Beware.

JOE

 I really can’t discuss this under…

MARTIN

Then don’t discuss.  Say yes, Joe.

 

ROY

SO YOU’VE GOT A WIFE WHO’S GOT A LIFE SHE DOESN’T WISH TO QUELL?

SIMPLY LOOK HER IN THE EYE AND TELL ‘ER

THAT SHE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL…ER!

MARTIN

…and I’ll set her straight!

ROY

Come on, Joe…

BE MY COMRADE!

 

JOE

It’s just that…

MARTIN

(Backing up Roy, encouragingly.)

SAY YES, SAY YES, SAY YES!

ROY

BE MY CONFIDANTE!

 

MARTIN

(Backing up Roy.)

YES, I WILL! YES, I WILL!

ROY

(growing frantic.)

BE MY COMRADE!  BE MY CRONY!

BE MY FAN! BE MY STUD! 

BE MY BOOSTER!  BE MY INTIMATE,

A WINGMAN TO THIS DUD!

BE MY BOOTS WHEN IT’S MUDDY,

BE MY BROTHER, BE MY BUDDY!

JOE

 Buddy?

ROY

Buddy!

MARTIN

Say yes, Joe!

 

ROY

Now. Now.  I’ll hold my breath till you do, I’m turning blue waiting…

ROY

 

NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW…! 

Now, goddammit!

MARTIN

 Roy, calm down, it’s not…

 

ROY

 

Aw, fuck it.
(Chord.  He takes a letter from his jacket pocket, hands it to Joe.)
Read.  Came today.

(END OF SONG.)

And now, some extra fun!!

Since a blog is nothing without it's readers, I am going to invite YOU to be part of the process!

Let's face it, turn of the 20th century Russian revolution references are hilarious...

Leave a comment below, with the clever 'comrade' reference you'd have included in the piece!

Until next time...

-Lee

...of 'Lee'rical Wordplay...

.....in case there was any question...