What it's been like working on the Abney Park Musical.

As many of you have heard, I’m writing a musical. And wow, it’s coming out amazing! It’s both steampunk, and historically accurate, and of course it features the music of Abney Park, so you know it’ll be fantastic.

Casting was a very unusual experience for me. I posted about an opening casting, but I also went straight to the big time talent agencies, and wow, the talent I got was amazing!

It was a little scary at first, to be honest. The agency had me deliver the script, and a song, for potential cast to audition with. The cast was supposed record their parts, and send back to me.

For weeks I heard nothing, and I thought, “Ack! Nobody wants to be in my musical! I’m screwed!”

After two weeks I wrote to the agency, and said, “hey, did nobody want to audition?” To which the agent working with me replied, “Oh, crap, I forgot to send the auditions!”

There were at LEAST 30 candidates for each roll! And of those, at least 20 people were REALLY good…for each roll! So I now had 40 Hollywood quality actors to pick from!

It took me days to listen to it all. I made little charts, that read like this:

Jane, Acting 8.4, Singing 10
Morgan, Acting 10, Singing 10

Kevin, Acting 9?, Singing 7.

etc.

Sometimes some ones acting and personality where PERFECT, but their singing wasn’t as good as the next person. Sometimes someones singing was wonderful, but the their acting wasn’t as good. Sometimes an actor was great at both singing and acting, but their voice was too young, or old for the roll.

It was murder picking the final cast, so many people were so great!

Then, for weeks I had the cast down to the studio to record. People would walk into the (now famous) Abney Park studio, and just walk in circles taking it all in. Casey, one of our leads, said on arriving, “I should have known Robert from Abney Park would have an over-the-top steampunk studio! All my friends are huge fans.” (and no, that’s NOT why he got the roll. :P)

Morgan, the female lead, took selfies in the studio to show her friends.

Recording was an amazing sensation. To hear your writing come to life, in the voices of the characters you imagined, was just a delight I can’t describe. I might have teared up…several times.

You know, it seems weird to say this, but I think actors might be under appreciated. I mean, sure, A list celebrities get their due credit, and more, but honestly, the amount of work ethic and talent all these actors show put most musicians to same.

As of this moment, I’m now sitting on the first half hour, completed as an audiobook/album. I listen to it over and over, just for my person pleasure. I can’t wait to share it all with you…which is still several months out, as there is a TON of work left to do before this is complete.

Anyway, I apologize for being radio silent about all this. I can’t really reveal anything about the story or music, or even the name, until I meet with the investors next week. (After our Saturday concert, I fly to California to present this musical to the company who is commissioning it.) I figured I could update you guys on what it’s been like working on it, and where I’m at in development.