Living In The Bonus Round

BRIEF BLOG INTRO: I'm a man on a mission to convince you that music is a Super Power, and that life is worth living, no matter how many obstacles are placed in your way. And that you can accomplish great things if you just push ahead and don't let anyone tell you no.

I'm a singer/songwriter and actor from Texas who is "Living in the Bonus Round" in New York City-- having cheated death from AIDS. (In a game show, the Bonus Round is where time speeds up and the prizes are better.) Accepting my death changed me. Now, I'm consuming life as quickly and as fully as I can, while still taking time to breathe and appreciate every single day as an utter miracle.

In 2013, I turned 60 and I created a set of goals, all of which came true, including composing -- and performing in -- a Mass, recording a solo album (selling 10s of copies), headlining to a sold out house at a major night club in New York City (while getting great reviews). Now I'm out to redefine theater and cabaret. I update a few times a month these days, and I don't spam. So it's easier to keep up with me by following by Email. When this blog began, it was to track my death. I'm told it was the first AIDS blog. You can start at the gruesome beginning if you want. Or just jump in and maybe we can learn some life lessons together. Welcome to the Bonus Round. I'm Steve [SHACK-lin] and we're just getting started.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

11 SEPT 2016. The STEVE Show! "No Safety"

On the anniversary of 9/11, a song about the same violence going on now in Syria, focusing on the small boy found in the rubble of Aleppo, Omran Daqneesh. "No Safety" written and performed by The Bonus Round Band featuring Steve Schalchlin.

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

31 AUG 2016. The STEVE! Show. NYC in AUGUST 2016.

With new song! "High Water Road."

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

16 AUG 2016. The STEVE! Show. Oh You Devil.

Live studio video.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

10 AUG 2016. The STEVE! Show. Standing on the Corner in July.

Tuesday, August 02, 2016

July 2016 NYC - Prove You Wrong

Monday, August 01, 2016

30 JULY 2016. The STEVE! Show -- Takes With Jake

Monday, July 25, 2016

It's almost been a month.

I'm doing fine. Just lying low after my last upper respiratory infection, noodling around on the guitar and generally staying still. I finally started back singing at St. Clement's on Sunday mornings. So, that's gotten me out of the house. But otherwise, I'm just reading, studying, learning more guitar licks and trying to survive in this heat. This is what I looked like on Saturday:

Saturday, July 02, 2016

1 JULY 2016. The STEVE Show! Health Update.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Xulhaz Mannan / Orlando Pride

A memorial for the victims violence against LGBT persons in Orlando and Bangla Desh. Featuring Blake Zolfo & The Hamblin Singers. St. Clement's Church NYC.

"ONLY FOR A POUND" Wesley Slade

Wesley Slade sings ONLY FOR A POUND (rehearsal recording) for The Space Pirate Puppy Musical! Book by Heather Bagnall. Music & Lyrics by Steve Schalchlin. Directed by Luke Tudball.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

15 JUNE 2016. The STEVE! Show. Paddle Flap.

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Quick Links

WATCH Steve's amazing perfomance at the World Domination Summit.

Get Steve's most recent album, Tales from the Bonus Round iTunes, Spotify and IS NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon, Google Play and every other download and streaming service around the world.

DOWNLOAD sing-along materials -- lyrics and mp3s -- for TALES FROM THE BONUS ROUND.

NEWS: Steve has been honored with the first Broadway World 2015 Special Editor's Award for Excellence in Songwriting by BroadwayWorld,com. Here is their description:

In a field with many deserving candidates, this year's first ever BWW New York Cabaret Award for "Excellence in Songwriting" goes to Steve Schalchlin, a New York-based composer and lyricist who has been on quite a cabaret roll the past two years. Although his two biggest recent projects, the CD and subsequent show, Tales From the Bonus Round, and his song cycle, New World Waking, were years in development, Schalchlin performed both in New York over the past couple of seasons.

Bonus Round-which featured Schalchlin at the piano as lead singer--was performed as a cabaret show at the Metropolitan Room in October 2013 (and received a BWW Award nomination for "Best CD Release," and one of the songs garnered a nomination for "Best Original Song for a Cabaret Show"), while New World Waking received a standing ovation when performed at the Urban Stages Winter Rhythms Festival last month.

"What makes Steve stand out above the rest for his recent body of work is that he not only writes both music and lyrics, but also performs his songs," says BWW New York Cabaret Editor Stephen Hanks.

"But even more impressive is that his songs in Bonus Round compellingly chronicled his battle with the life-threatening AIDS disease, while New World Waking offered important messages about how our planet needs to finally overcome violence, war, racism, and prejudice-and how it might be possible through the power of music.

Schalchlin's lyrically powerful and pleasingly melodic songs couldn't be timelier."

Listen.

ORDER THE LONDON CAST ALBUM of THE LAST SESSION on JAY Records or at Amazon, produced by John Yap. Show was produced in London at the Tristan Bates Theatre by Rob Harris for CliMar Productions starring DARREN DAY, SIMONE CRADDOCK, AJ DEAN, RON EMSLIE and LUCY VANDI. Directed by Guy Retallack.

Purchase THE LAST SESSION, NEW YORK ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM at

Listen on Spotify.

Musical Awards and Honors

For the record and to impress our friends and relatives, a partial list of the honors for our musicals "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" and "The Last Session" which I wrote with life partner and playwright Jim Brochu of the recent hit play about Zero Mostel, "Zero Hour".

2013 The Autograph Best Original Music, The Last Session-London. What's On Stage.

Best Score, L.A. Drama Critics Circle 1997 & 2003.

Best Musical, L.A. Ovation Awards, 2005.

Best Musical, ADA Awards 2005.

Best Musical Director, ADA Awards 2005.

Best Lead Actor in a Musical nomination. L.A. Ovation Awards 2005.

PFLAG-LA Oscar Wilde Award, 1997 & 2003.

Best Concert of a Musical, Best Original Writing, Desert Theatre League Awards 2005.

Best Theatrical Production nomination, Off-Broadway & L.A. GLAAD Media Awards, 2004.

Best L.A. Theatre Production, GLAAD Media Awards, 1997.

(And thanks from me to all those groups. Prizes are fun. I like prizes.)