The Creative Team-TOGETHER!

Premik, Maryann, Andrew & Toby

 Princess K.I.M. team had a productive working-weekend in December. It was the first time our Composer/Arranger, Premik,  came from NYC to meet the crew. We got to bond and strengthen our commitment to the play as well has form relationships, not only as the creative team, but as true creative spirits. Our three days consisted of fine-tuning the play and devising a plan to go forward to prepare the music. Our evenings included lots of great planning meetings around the dinner table where we feasted on delicious food. (We like to eat!)

We took a "field trip" to the MacDowell Artists Colony in Peterborough, NH, where Premik plans to  apply, and a visit to the Peterborough Players, as we research places for our play's production. The highlight of our weekend was a "Private" jamming session with the very talented Premik and Andrew. WOW!  We plan to release our first song on itunes in March.  This will be a big year for us. Stay tuned.

Happy New Year Everyone!- Maryann

Premik, Janine & Maryann

Andrew & Premik Jamming


Top Photo by Sherry Thompson

Welcome Premik- our NYC Arranger!

EXCITING NEWS!! Established NYC arranger/composer, Premik Russell Tubbs, has joined our creative  team!  Premik will work his musical magic on Princess K.I.M. The Musical, collaborating with our composer/lyricist, Andrew Cass, to arrange the songs, create the score, and compose instrumental pieces.  

MORE ABOUT PREMIK- In addition to composing, arranging and producing, Premik is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist who performs on various flutes, soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, wind synthesizer and lap steel guitar. He has worked with musical legends such as Carlos Santana, Whitney Houston, Billy Joel and Herbie Hancock, to name a few. Premik has performed all over the world including Carnegie Hall in NYC and Royal Albert Hall in London. He is skilled in many genres including, jazz, R&B, pop, world and experimental genres.  He has also composed original music for films and documentaries. 

Premik's brilliant talent will enrich our play and bring it to new heights.  We could not be more excited to have him as part of our creative team!  (To learn more about Premik and read his extensive biography, please visit;  www.premik.com )


As the play moves closer to completion we hope you will continue to follow our progress on the Princess K.I.M. The Musical blog....our play is going to surprise you!  
Help us spread the word- share our blog and links.

Welcome Premik! 

Maryann, Toby, Andrew & Janine

The View From Where I'm Sitting

I always find it silly when a person starts their blog post with the words, "I'm sitting at my computer." I'd like to think my readers are astute enough to deduce this fact. What's interesting to me is not whether a blogger is at the computer, but why he or she is at the computer. Sometimes the aim is just to put something out there. Other times, it is to share some creative work, to spread some important news, or to tell a story. I'm sitting at the computer this afternoon in order to do all of these things.

As I type, I have been stealing glances at a piece of paper on the table next to the computer. It's a to-do list entitled "For Andrew," and it's filled with tasks related to this wonderful musical I've been blessed to be a part of creating: Princess K.I.M. the Musical. Our creative team has another meeting on Wednesday, and I want to make sure I have most or all of the items on the list checked off.

1. Make a change to "Didn't You Know"

This was the first song that I wrote for the play, and it contains the inciting incident of the story where our protagonist, Kim, tells a lie about her name. All of the songs for the show have been written, but the creative process is a continuous one. As changes to the script and development of the characters are made, slight (and sometimes not-so-slight) adjustments to the songs must be made as well. Musicals are one of my favorite things to write, for the relationship between dialogue and lyrics is so tightly intertwined that the result of this connection is often a better script and better songs than could have been written independently. It's been months since I wrote the song, but the edit Maryann suggested I make is one that I think makes the song significantly more upbeat, exciting, and energized. Here's a clip of the song in its most recent stage:



2. Hand out a million business cards

This actually might be attainable in the next year, assuming Maryann is able to print me that many. I've handed out two so far today, with plans to hand out more this evening. In my mind, this show is too impotant to be missed by anyone. The caliber of people I'm working with and the hours of work we have collectively put into this project warrants the biggest buzz I can create with this blog, my little business cards, and whatever other methods I have at my disposal. Now, very often do very talented people spend a great deal of time and money to create media that is less than inspired. However, the script Maryann has written has a special spark one does not often see in a children's musical, and the vibancy and joy that it radiates have kept me interested thoughout the process.

My 6-year-old sister has no need for a business card. She is constantly asking to hear clips such as this demo recording from the song "Everyone Makes Mistakes:"



3. Post on the blog

Well, I can check that one off. Keep watching, because we'll be posting many more as the show continues to move along! I'll leave you with a clip from "Tell Me," a climactic number from the show.

-Andrew

Watch and Listen to Behind the Scenes- Part 1

Join the journey! A sneak peek at the behind the scenes making of Princess K.I.M. The Musical. Listen to parts of two new songs by Andrew Cass: A Princess In Our School and Missing Mom. Keep following for more video updates. Interviews with the creators to come!

-Kristin

Scriptwriting- from Book to Play. The beginning.

Welcome. This is the first of many entries we will post as we move towards Opening Night (October 2013!)  I hope you will follow the process as we bring my books to the stage.

Expanding my two 'Princess Kim' children's books into a full length play script is an exciting challenge. I started this process in the Fall of 2010, when we, (Toby, Andrew, Janine & I) started meeting. I knew I had to expand the storyline and develop the existing characters as well as create new ones. It seemed a bit overwhelming.  Toby posed the question- "What's the back story?"  That was it- I needed to start with a back story.  I began asking myself ... "Why was Kim entering a new school? Where is Kim's mom? What is Kim struggling with? What does her Dad do for work? What about Grandma? Who is she? Why is Grandma Betty so dramatic?" The answers were my back story.  I let my imagination drift back in time, and began by writing about Grandma's life as a little girl, moving forward in time. Most of the back story will not be in the play, but in order to write about my characters "in present day", I needed to know who they were in their past lives.

 

As I write and edit the script, the creative team is updated. At our monthly meeting we share ideas and get "recharged." Andrew has already written a few songs, incorporating some of the script into the lyrics. Fun stuff. (We'll share tibits along the way.) All my characters, main and minor, are developing their own personalities and traits, and I can see the play coming together. Soon we will me meeting several times a month as we get closer to our goal of having the first draft of the play, script and songs, completed by late summer.

I hope you follow along.
Maryann
(For the backgound of the play, please click THE PLAY tab above.)

COMING SOON!

Princess K.I.M- The Musical

Is a Musical based on my books "Princess K.I.M and the Lie that Grew"

and "Princess Kim and Too Much Truth"

The Team is in place- Script being written.

Soon this Blog will be following the process as we move toward a 2013 debut!

Keep Checking back.

Maryann Cocca-Leffler