Begin with something true…then go where the story demands

During our last semester at NYU, William Finn (Bill) offered Danny and me two nights in Mr. Finn’s Cabaret at Barrington Stage in Pittsfield, MA that coming August. He advised that we write what only I could write — a musical comedy about a long marriage. Or to be more precise, songs that could be developed into a theatrical musical comedy about a long marriage.

Since Danny was working as Bill’s assistant at Barrington Stage that summer, I spent most of my summer in Pittsfield as well.  

When I got there, I remember telling Bill I didn’t think my marriage made for much of a story. It wasn’t particularly dramatic, and I was still married.

Regretting is not the story of my marriage. Even the songs in Regretting that are inspired by my life are not literally true. When I write, I often begin from a place of truth, but sticking to the facts is not my goal.  I go where the song needs me to go in service of rhythm, rhyme, narrative drive, humor, and surprise. In other words: storytelling.