Our secrets sleep in winter clothes

In honor of the first day of spring, here are some of my favorite winter memories, in random order.

Discovering 17 Frost.   There is a big difference between Manhattan open mics and Brooklyn open mics.  And an even bigger difference between regular Brooklyn open mics and awesome warehouses that you stumble across that no one really knows about with amazing sound equipment, projectors, screens, couches, and an art gallery.  Not only do the people actually care about sound there, they are supportive of a lot of different types of music and I feel so lucky that I have gotten to showcase my sound there without having to wait over 4 hours to play just two songs. 
Snowball fight 2010.  This was the first time I'd been involved in three consecutive snowball fights with perfect strangers.  The night of the big blizzard, Chad, Dustin, Garrison, Angie, and I ventured out to McCarren Park where there were giant snowmen, an igloo, and a lot of Brooklynites just waiting to throw snow around at random people. 
Cinderella.  My first lead in a musical since 2001.  I did come out here for a reason!  I love moments that prove that. 
Mark's Dinner Party.  (picture on right)  Delicious five course tasting menu provided by Cristina and Mark.  I didn't even hear one fight --I think they need to open a restaurant together!  And thanks to Mark's eclectic music taste, we had a dance party that involved Ace of Base and plenty of Disney. 
Christmas in Williamsburg.  This was our first Christmas in New York.  My parents (being the supportive, good sports that they are) flew out to see my holiday show and spend Christmas with Chad, Garrison and me.  Supportive, because it was the Tortoise and the Hare's Holiday Hoop-la (not the most riveting show I've ever done) and good sports because they ran 1 avenue block and 5 street blocks in record time to see Mary Poppins when the cab driver dropped us at the wrong intersection.  I loved having everyone at the apartment and just being together.  It was a much different feeling than spending Christmas in a big house where everyone is sort of spread out.  We opened our presents at night with all of the candles lit and I'll never forget that feeling of peacefulness that I had.   
New Years Party.  We all wrote down one thing we would leave behind and one thing we would take with us into the new year on slips of paper.  Then at midnight we burned them in Cristina's makeshift "fire bowl" on the roof of our apartment.  It started out with just the people from our party (which was an unexpected amount anyway) and ended up getting the attention of all of the parties on the roof.  We knew it was time to hide the fire bowl when someone asked if she could throw fireworks into it.  Mark, being the protective fire marshall he is, persuaded the girl into thinking that was not the best idea...haha.  Even though I wasn't able to fully play Auld Lang Syne on my guitar for everyone by the time it reached midnight, it was a grand Brooklyn New Years. 

The wind is so wild to the heavenly child

Themes of Hansel and Gretel. Been thinking a lot about them. Have not been writing in complete sentences today. When you are writing a song, everything seems to be in phrases.

Today, the whole show took sort of a turn in my head. The story is still in it's infancy, but it's definitely growing up.

Witches Have Red Eyes. And they can't see very far. That's the song I almost finished today. As of right now, it will be sung when Hansel and Gretel are planning their escape from the witch's house. The wind is so wild to the heavenly child. Little by little, we'll grow tired of this place. Only a moment we wanted to stay anyway. I want this song to convey a loss of childhood innocence while gaining strength through temptations and challenges. Hansel and Gretel left their home, as all of us are taught to do, to grow up and find their own way.

It's funny how some songs can be written in minutes and others written through the span of weeks. People ask me a lot what I write first, the lyrics or the music. It's always different. But for this musical, the lyrics have been coming out first. In a way, it's so easy to pull lyrics right out from the Grimms' story. The sentences are so dark and descriptive but very short and simple at the same time. There is so much imagery and symbolism that is exciting to play with in the original tale. Witches Have Red Eyes is based entirely on three sentences from the story.

The SparrowTree website (our theatre company) will be up very soon. In the near future, be on the look out for some music samples, pictures, and trailers for Hansel and Gretel, our first show!
Drawing of Hansel and Gretel by Angie Trygg