Poster Design for PFLAG-Olympia benefit concerts.

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Olympia, Washington

Two shows.

Saturday, January 25th.

Bonus Round Portland Performance Now Online.

Steve Schalchlin from Chris Guillebeau on Vimeo.

I am grateful to Chris Guillebeau for inviting me to the World Domination Summit 2013. You'll hear several references to other speakers in my talk. All of their talks are also online and I absolutely ENCOURAGE you to click around and listen to them.

Steve Schalchlin Free Concert Dec. 2, NYC

9:00 PM. ARRIVE 8:45 PM

New York Ethical Culture Society Building
West 64th & Central Park West, 4th floor

I've been asked to sing an "Afterglow" for the University Glee Club of New York City, and I couldn't feel more honored and scared. It's one thing to sing for "civilians." It's quite another to sing for people who really know music. It's a free event for the public, also. So, anyone who would like to attend, get there at 8:45pm.

I know 9pm is a late start for a show, but I promise I won't be doing a 2-hour presentation. I believe Afterglow lasts only about 45 minutes.

I know I'm going to sing "Gabi's Song" and "William's Song" (unless I invite a special guest soloist to do so -- hmmmm) because of all the gay bullying/suicide stuff in the news.

For me, these are my entries in the "It gets better" meme that's been going around, where older gay people tell younger gay people that, no matter how horrible things can get, it does get better if you endure.

Also, "Rescue" has been requested.

Should be fun!

Announcement: I'll be Singing Parts of New World Waking this Sunday Morning at St. Clement's.

This Sunday morning, during the 11am worship service, I (with friends) will be performing selections -- about a half hour of music -- from New World Waking, my song cycle for peace based on John Lennon's Imagine piano, at St. Clement's Episcopal Church (on the set of Zero Hour). Joining me will be John Fitzgerald and Jeramiah Peay.

SFGMC's Freedom Tour to Feature "William's Song" and "My Rising Up."

Kathleen McGuire posted on her blog, about the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus:

CALIFORNIA FREEDOM TOUR BEGINS THIS MONTH!
The passage of Prop 8 showed that there is still a great deal of work to be done in our own backyard when it comes to acceptance of the LGBT community. The Chorus changes hearts and minds in places where our voices need to be heard. We believe that to accept us, you must know us. It is by telling our stories, and through our culture, that this happens. In 2010, SFGMC will embark on a tour of five California cities: Redding, Chico, Fresno, Bakersfield, and Tracy. The tour is in three trips with the first leg in Chico and Redding later this month; the second will take us to Fresno and Bakersfield in May. The final leg will be Tracy in July.

Approximately 100 chorus members will travel by bus to each destination. Funds are still being sought to underwrite the trip. If you feel inclined to make a contribution, please contact the SFGMC office: 415-865-3650; info@sfgmc.org

TOUR BENEFICIARIES
The tour is being co-presented by Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbian & Gays. 50% of the proceeds from the concerts will be going to PFLAG, and the other 50% to local LGBT-friendly organizations.

If you're in the area, go. And word has it that they're going to include "William's Song," which I linked to just the other day, and "My Rising Up," a rousing gospel anthem.

Letter from Dan Wackerman, Artistic Director.

Dear Steve,

I just wanted to acknowledge your generosity to Saint Clement's Episcopal Church by organizing and performing in Living in the Bonus Round as a benefit for the church's Food Pantry and free Vet Clinic. In additional to thanking you, however, I wanted to say how impressed I was by your music, your skill as a singer and master of ceremonies and the quality of the talent you assembled for this event.

All of the music struck me as polished and professional, both as written and as performed by the ensemble. A few of the numbers I think I will remember for a very long time. Lazarus Come Out was an anthem of personal liberation with deep spiritual overtones as was My Thanksgiving Prayer, performed with the utmost tenderness by you and John Fitzgerald. How Do You Fall Back in Love?, sung by you and Jim Brochu, was simultaneously witty and poignant as it described the process of reuniting with an "ex."

But the songs from The Last Session really blew me away. How can it be that music this tuneful, this rocking with such clever, relevant, funny and sad lyrics isn't better known? This is "popular music" in the best sense of the term. In other words, you know how to write that endangered species in American musical theater- a "song": an unforgettable melody supported by lyrics that really mean something. And when music this good is performed by the likes of Michele Mais and Amy Coleman... wow!

Michele is an R&B powerhouse who really "took us to church" with The Preacher and the Nurse. Amy Coleman is that rare combination- a great actor with an equally great singing voice. I was completely captivated by her performance of Somebody's Friend , an angry, heart-wrenching ballad about "miracles cures" for HIV. Amy's rendition was exactly my idea of a great musical theater moment- the distillation of character through song.

Anyway, I just wanted to say "bravo." And please light a fire under your agent so that more people get to experience what I heard on Wednesday night!

Best,

Dan Wackerman
Artistic Director
The Peccadillo Theater Company

[Note from Steve: I don't have an agent. Or a manager, for that matter. Anyone interested?]

Rehearsing with Jennifer Wren.

Yesterday afternoon, I rehearsed with Jennifer Wren.

She's a stunningly beautiful woman, but even more, she sings with such passion and presence, you never want her to stop. I wish I had dragged out my video camera and just taped the rehearsal, but I didn't. Bringing in a camera makes rehearsing difficult because now it's not a rehearsal, but a performance, and sometimes you need to just rehearse.



When you hear her sing "Nobody Leaves New York" on Wednesday night -- hopefully, we'll be able to tape some of the show -- just be prepared. She will kill you.

While we were sitting there, we got to know each other a little better. Like me, she's been dealing with some awful health issues, which nearly took her down. But she seems indomitable. And when she applies all that life to my music, it almost feels like we were made for each other.

The thing about singing is that many people have great voices. In fact, in a town like New York, great voices are a dime a dozen. The key is not so much having a great voice, but having something else, an ineffable quality that you have to hear to understand. It can't be described properly, but, especially for my music, there has to be some kind of edge of pain, rooted way down deep that you don't so much hear as feel.

John Fitzgerald has this same quality. As the press release says, they're just two people I stumbled across, though I think Amy Shapiro gets credit for keeping Jennifer in our reach. (Jennifer has been singing the song Amy has been writing for her BMI workshop).

John nailed me a few weeks ago when I was sitting, attending the Sunday morning services, at St. Clement's. I've become so fond of the vicar, that, even though I don't relate at all to the high church type of liturgy, being raised Missionary Baptist, I can't help but want to be there.

Anyway, John was singing with the choir, and when he started on his solos, I thought I had been transported out of the room. He has that same quality I was talking about with Jennifer. How I love great singing. He and I are planning to sing "My Thanksgiving Prayer." But who knows? I gave a new song to Jennifer last night right on the spot. And she just nailed it.

This evening I'm meeting with Amy Coleman. Our first time together in years and years. I think we did TLS back in Rochester at the Downstairs Cabaret Theater.

Wow. This concert is becoming real. And the best thing is that we have no idea how many people are gonna show up. We've already raised $300 for the church just by people coming to Jim after the show asking to buy the painting that night. (He paints an original portrait every single night during the show.)

Oh, and speaking of that... well, I can't tell it yet. Remind me. A gift someone very talented gave to Jim.

Anyway, it's kind of exciting to wonder who's going to show. The concert is "just show up at the door." No reservations. We don't know if 10 people are gonna show or if 100 or 1000. We have seats for less than 200. So, what do you think? Mob scene or crickets?

BroadwayWorld Article on LITB 2010

From BroadwayWorld:

The Theater at St. Clement's (423 West 46th Street) will host LIVING IN THE BONUS ROUND 2010, a "pay what you can" benefit concert featuring GLAAD and LA Ovation Award-winning composer/lyricist Steve Schalchlin and Friends, including playwright/actor Jim Brochu (currently starring in the Off-Broadway hit Zero Hour), plus original cast members of their acclaimed Off-Broadway musical The Last Session - Stephen Bienskie, Amy Coleman and Michele Mais (currently on Broadway in Rock of Ages), as well as singers Jennifer Wren and John Fitzgerald, plus many more to be announced.

The one-night-only event on Wednesday, January 13th at 7PM, will benefit St. Clement's weekly food pantry and monthly free veterinary clinic for low-income families in Hell's Kitchen. (Well-behaved pets are welcome at the concert.)

LIVING IN THE BONUS ROUND 2010 will feature Schalchlin at the piano, along with special guests performing songs from Schalchlin & Brochu's critically acclaimed musicals The Last Session; The Big Voice - God or Merman? and their upcoming Manhattan Clam Chowder, along with songs from Schalchlin's song cycle for peace, New World Waking.

Steve Schalchlin explains, "When Jim and I arrived at St. Clement's this past November with Zero Hour, I saw a line of people outside the building that stretched down the block. I thought, ‘Oh, great! We're a hit and we haven't even opened yet! Upon closer inspection, we saw they were waiting for bags of groceries being given out by a team of teenagers, volunteering community service for the day. And I thought, ‘How great is that? A theater that gives out food to the poor.'"

For Schalchlin, it's personal: "My father was a Baptist minister in southeast Texas. I watched his tiny congregations of paper mill workers and subsistence farmers always reaching out to people with barely enough to survive. Also, for several years, AIDS put me in that position of going from service to service, begging for help just to get through another month. When I attended the Sunday morning service at St. Clement's, I witnessed what I saw growing up, a small congregation devoted to providing basic services to people (and their pets!) in need. And I wanted to help. Plus, they let people bring their pets to church with them. So we decided to make the show open to people and pets. As admission, bring what you can, pay what you can afford."

Steve Schalchlin received an L.A. Theater Ovation Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in The Big Voice: God or Merman? but he primarily sees himself as a songwriter. He has been a performer all his life, first in his hometown Texas church, chorus and ensemble work in college, band gigs, and now the stage. He currently lives in Los Angeles and regularly appears on the nationally broadcast "Kulak's Woodshed" in North Hollywood, both as on air host and performer.

Jim Brochu is currently starring in the critically acclaimed Zero Hour as theatre legend Zero Mostel at Theater at St. Clement's, which won the Ovation Award for Best Play. He and Schalchlin wrote and performed The Big Voice: God or Merman? Off-Broadway.

Stephen Bienskie, who originated the role of Buddy in the original Off-Broadway production of The Last Session, has gone on to much acclaim, winning the Helen Hayes Award in Washington, DC for his leading role in The Fix. He also appeared Off-Broadway in Zombie Prom and on Broadway in Cats.

Michele Mais performed the role of Tryshia in the LA production of The Last Session and is currently featured in the Broadway smash Rock of Ages playing Justice and Mother. She also appeared in Roza and Zoot Suit.

Amy Coleman also appeared in the original The Last Session. She recently toured Italy with her Italian blues band Amy Coleman and Texaco Jive. With Valerie Smaldone, she wrote Spit It Out, a play with music (Midtown InterNational Theatre Festival). Coleman sang with Peter Frampton in the British Rock Symphony and portrayed Janis Joplin in the original production of Beehive.

Jennifer Wren is a New York singer discovered by Schalchlin and Brochu at Mark Janas' Salon, currently at Etcetera Etcetera. She performed "Nobody Leaves New York" from Manhattan Clam Chowder that night and they immediately invited her to join them for this benefit.

Jonathan Fitzgerald is also a popular singer in Manhattan nightclubs. Schalchlin first heard him singing at the Sunday morning service at St. Clement's.

Recently cited by The New York Times as creator of one of (if not THE first) AIDS diary, Steve Schalchlin's website, Living in the Bonus Round, was created in March of 1996, long before the word "blog" was even conceived. It was an experiment to help him and his doctor keep track of his disease, and to keep his family informed about the state of his health. Living in the Bonus Round inadvertently became the first "blog" of a musical in progress as The Last Session went through its workshop phase in Los Angeles. The blog exposure led to funding for the New York production, which led to features in People Magazine and Entertainment Weekly, among others.

The Last Session was created from songs written as healing therapy by Mr. Schalchlin (book by Jim Brochu) during his struggle with AIDS. The writing of the songs kept him alive just long enough for the new HIV drugs to come on the market.

This Off-Broadway production, which opened to near-unanimous raves in 1997 at the 47th Street Theatre, went on to win multiple theater awards around the country, including L.A. Critics Circle awards for Best Musical, Best Supporting Actress (Michele Mais) and Best Musical Score, an award Mr. Schalchlin also received for The Big Voice: God or Merman?, their subsequent autobiographical musical.

After playing New York for nine months, a Los Angeles production was put together using three of the five of the New York cast, Bob Stillman, Stephen Bienskie, and Amy Coleman, opening to rave reviews.

Says Mr. Schalchlin, "I'm excited about the music we're going to make on January 13. It will be a deeply emotional evening."

"Pay What You Can" Concert Scheduled for Jan. 13.

WHAT: "Living in the Bonus Round 2010," a "pay what you can at the door" concert featuring the music of composer Steve Schalchlin (Shack-lin). Admission: Pay what you can at the door. First come, first served. Also welcome: Well behaved pets that get along with
other animals.

WHY: To benefit St. Clement's food pantry and free veterinary clinic.

WHO: Steve Schalchlin at the piano, Zero Hour's Jim Brochu, a reunion of NY and LA cast members of The Last Session (Michele Mais, currently in Rock of Ages, Stephen Bienskie and Amy Coleman), plus popular NY singers Jennifer Wren and John Fitzgerald.
Plus special unnamed surprise guests.

WHEN: Jan. 13, Wed., at 7pm. House will open at 6:30. Approximate running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.

WHERE: Theatre at St. Clement's. 423 W. 46th St. New York. For info: 212-246-7277.

Jim and "Jim" On Both Coasts!

Today was a very cool day. We made the papers on both coasts.

The DC papers made the first announcement of Jim Brochu's Zero Hour at Theatre J, August 26. And the San Francisco Sentinel came out with the first announcement of Jim Schalchlin's "...And I Played John Lennon's Piano."

Yes, you read it right. Jim Schalchlin. Seán Martinfield, who wrote the blurb has always been a really big supporter of our work, so I know it was just a little typo, but I think it's kind of adorable.

The graphic for the concert is below the article, so readers will figure it out.

The main thing is that I want to help raise money for New Conservatory. It's a very tough time out there for theatres, and Ed Decker has always brought interesting and current gay-themed dramas and musicals. Right now, they have a chance to meet some matching grants, so every dollar donated gets multiplied.

Anyway, here is what's on the page today.

MONDAY- AUGUST 17th, 2009 - 7:30 pm
Jim Schalchlin’s“And I Played John Lennon’s Piano”
A Benefit Concert for the NCTC Challenge Campaign

Over the next 60 months, NCTC must match 2-to-1 a generous half-million dollar legacy gift from philanthropists James L. Coran and Walter Nelson-Rees. The Legacy Challenge Campaign goal is to raise one million dollars from individual donors and corporate matching gift programs by the end of August 2012. Steve Schalchlin is a “Best Musical” awards winner. His mantle includes the LA Ovation Award, GLAAD Media Award, and another from the NY Drama League. The evening will include his partner, phenomenal author and comedian Jim Brochu whose play about Zero Mostel, Zero Hour, is bound for New York. Click here for ticket information: And I Played John Lennon’s Piano

"Rescue" Live at Kulak's Woodshed

This is the new song I've been telling you about. It's called, for now, "Rescue."

(NEW: Download the sheet music!)

It's dedicated to The Pepper Foundation, which is run by my friend and fellow songwriter, Julie Chadwick. What I like about this song, apart from the song itself, I mean, is that it was a group project. Val, Avril, Bo and I were given a room and a piano.

Remembering that Animal Night at Kulak's was three days away, we decided to write a song to be played that night. Since The Pepper Foundation is a rescue group, we decided on the theme of "rescue." I think what we ended up with is very tender and real.

This performance below is actually my third time to sing it for an audience. It was my first time to sing it by heart -- and my first time to play it without any mistakes on the piano.

And here's to doggies everywhere.

A Review of My Olympia Concert.

Going into this concert, I wasn't really sure how to approach it. Since the last time I sang full-length concerts, I've written two pieces.

Back then, my concerts were, basically, AIDS education concerts. All of the songs were about living with AIDS and that was my primary identity as a writer and artist. So, in a way, I've grown and become a new person in that time. How to integrate The Big Voice and New World Waking -- and how much of each -- became my task. And there are more songs besides!

I actually tried to design a concert. I wrote up a set list and even went so far as to try writing a script for myself. That turned out HORRIBLY.

Finally, Jim said, "Just do what you always do. Put a list of songs in front of you and just sing whatever you feel like singing in whatever order feels right. You'll know what to say."

And that's exactly what I did. It was SO MUCH FUN to be out there, totally improvising between songs, and just enjoying feeling unleashed from the restrictions of a musical play (not that I don't enjoy doing theater, but I'm not a trained actor, and I don't feel completely at ease when I'm not just being myself, doing whatever comes into my head).

An online review of my Olympia concert, written by Alec Clayton (who is both a local critic and personal friend). It's possible that his opinion is colored by that, but Jeff Kingsbury, who runs the Capital Playhouse, says that Alec is a very honest reviewer. Here is what he wrote with a link to his blog where this is posted.

Steve Schalchlin’s benefit concert for PFLAG-Olympia was the most exhilarating night of musical entertainment I can remember — perhaps ever. And as a theater critic who sees plays 52 weeks a year at minimum, a good half of those musicals, that’s saying a lot.

The performance took place at Olympia’s Capital Playhouse. A grand piano, drum set and three stools fronted by music stands were set in front of the set for the currently running musical, “A Little Night Music” - scrims with birch trees and a gigantic golden moon.

Schalchlin stepped out into the spotlight, a striking figure, tall and rail thin with drawn cheeks and close-cropped gray hair, his classically handsome face now showing signs of his long battle with AIDS. He sat down at the piano and launched into a rousing, gospel-inspired anthem, “I Want to Make Music.” The audience burst into applause, and Schalchlin said, “That was the first song I ever wrote,” thus setting the mood for the night.

For the next two hours he told very personal stories in song and spoken word, effortlessly and without affectation, going back and forth between singing and talking to the audience, the music a balance between ballads and upbeat rock and jazz. He talked and sang about growing up as the son of a Missionary Baptist preacher in Arkansas and Texas, “The Preacher and the Nurse;” about the tender care of loved ones when he was hospitalized, “Connected” and “Going It Alone;” the horror and sadness of attending an AIDS support group. “The Group;” and his hilarious song about the side effects of the medications that keep him from dying, “Friendly Fire,” done as a parody of military march songs (“from the halls of pharmaceuticals to the shores of remedy” sung to the tune of “The Halls of Montezuma”).

All of those songs are from his award-winning musical “The Last Session.”

From there he went into more personal stories of a slightly different sort taken from the second musical co-written with his partner, Jim Brochu, “The Big Voice: God or Merman” (both plays with lyrics and music by Schalchlin and book by Brochu). These songs dealt mostly with growing up gay and religious.

The second act featured songs from his peace cantata, “New World Waking,” which premiered this past December at Davies Hall in San Francisco performed by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Choir. This suite of songs expressed hope for world peace, told personal stories of people who have been persecuted because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and included asking “Where is God?” in a song about a god who seems to have taken “a small vacation” while allowing a deadly virus to get in a baby’s blood.

Schalchlin’s songs are powerful, personal, uplifting, and often perhaps unexpectedly humorous. His church music background shows in the big chords and driving rhythms of his piano playing. He sings with passion and energy, and connects with the audience as if personally talking to each and every person.

Backing him on drums was Chuck Oldright and a chorus made up of Jeff Kingsbury, Josh Anderson and a special guest from the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, David Peterson. They had practically no time to rehearse or learn the songs so they were winging it throughout. Oldright, who had never played any of these songs, was able to anticipate complex rhythm changes. His drumming added immeasurably to the success of the performance. The three backup singers not only kept up with complicated lyrics and rhythms, but improvised around Schalchlin’s barbs and quips. When during the song, “The Closet,” Schalchlin sang a line about crossing his legs in a manly manner, Kingsbury and Anderson crossed their legs in unison at an exact timely moment that was improvised on the spot. And Kingsbury, the founder and artistic director of Capital Playhouse quipped in his best Paul Lyndish manner, “I don’t do backup,” reminding me of the comical scrap between two band members in “The Last Session.”

I’d like to finish with two personal notes. First, this was an almost completely impromptu performance organized by a small town PFLAG chapter. With proper promotion from national headquarters it could become a national tour, and I certainly encourage people in various chapters and at the national level to think about that. Secondly, I must include the disclaimer that I am not an impartial critic. My wife and I are longtime friends of Steve Schalchlin, and we helped organize the concert.

And I'm not impartial when it comes to PFLAG. I love what they do. I know they've saved scores of families and lives. I have more to say about Olympia, plus a little video. Not much, but something.

I WANNA DO IT AGAIN!