Living In The Bonus Round: Connected

Friday, May 05, 2006

Connected

I have now made a music video for "Connected" from The Last Session. The next in my ongoing project to create a video for every song from the show. This was the very first song I wrote for the show. Writing this song literally saved my life. When I wrote it, Jim noticed that I was sitting up stronger, breathing more easily and coming back to life. So, he began giving me "homework" -- writing assignments as a form of physical therapy.

Those writing assignments became a list of songs which became a musical. As I continue looking back 10 years, we will soon be reaching the time when the first workshop of The Last Session begins to come together just as I'm hitting rock bottom, physically. We both come t0 life together. The best part of the story is yet to come! Here's where it all started:

Click here to play the Quicktime version.

Here for the YouTube flash version.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...: Yes we should all be connected. I feel really blessed to be connected to you, your music, your story, my story and all our stories through this wonderful project. Oh yeah and those IV's are REALLY good to be connected to when you really need them. Thanks again Steve; 5:34 PM
Anonymous said...: Jesus Christ you're good. My God Steve.

I love you.; 6:33 PM
Anthony said...: Thanks Steve. I think the world would be a much better place if we could all realize just how we really should be and are connected to each other.; 8:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Steve!!!
I love it.
Connected...yeah, baby!
Do you have RSS feeds to wordpress??
and the other video appears not to be loading...Save me a Seat.

Miss you
love you
linda; 6:37 AM
Steve Schalchlin said...: Linda, I don't have an RSS feed to Wordpress directly that I know of, but the Feedburner feed should be able to handle that. Try clicking on it and see what happens.; 6:57 AM
Steve Schalchlin said...: >> other video appears not to be loading...Save me a Seat.

Linda, thanks for bringing that to my attention. It seems they changed the URL on me, so I've fixed and have also provided a link to the YouTube version. Both links should work now.; 7:09 AM
Christine Bakke said...: oh, Steve. How amazing. Your music moves me deeply. And you have a talent for video too. Is there nothing you can't do? ha. Jim, I'm sure, could tell me some things. ;)

Thank you.; 2:01 PM
Anonymous said...: Yes, the RSS feed works great!
Thanks!; 6:12 PM
Steve Schalchlin said...: Christine, thanks. I love doing video. I'm still in the learning phase, but I feel like I improve with each project. It's something I really and truly love. Linda, so glad the RSS feed worked.; 6:16 PM
Dogtags said...: I still love the "Potsie Story"... definately one of the best. :) OK, to do video, one would need a video camera... and software... Hmm...; 6:25 PM
Anonymous said...: Wow, I can truly feel your spirit come right through the screen as I raise my hand to touch your face. You are amazing. xo; 12:08 PM
Anonymous said...: Your music never gets old. Look forward to hearing your new ones. Also, your video skills are very impressive. Especially this time.; 2:10 PM
Anonymous said...: Thanks, Steve. That took me back to a wonderful time, a few years back, when I was your Dallas "Thermos Vicky." Such a moving, powerful, and beautiful piece.; 7:33 AM
Steve Schalchlin said...: Sara! How wonderful to hear from you. You were a terrific "Vicki."; 7:40 AM

Listen.

ORDER THE LONDON CAST ALBUM of THE LAST SESSION on JAY Records or at Amazon, produced by John Yap. Show was produced in London at the Tristan Bates Theatre by Rob Harris for CliMar Productions starring DARREN DAY, SIMONE CRADDOCK, AJ DEAN, RON EMSLIE and LUCY VANDI. Directed by Guy Retallack.

Purchase THE LAST SESSION, NEW YORK ORIGINAL CAST ALBUM at

Listen on Spotify.

Quick Links

WATCH Steve's amazing perfomance at the World Domination Summit.

Get Steve's most recent album, Tales from the Bonus Round iTunes, Spotify and IS NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon, Google Play and every other download and streaming service around the world.

DOWNLOAD sing-along materials -- lyrics and mp3s -- for TALES FROM THE BONUS ROUND.

NEWS: Steve has been honored with the first Broadway World 2015 Special Editor's Award for Excellence in Songwriting by BroadwayWorld,com. Here is their description:

In a field with many deserving candidates, this year's first ever BWW New York Cabaret Award for "Excellence in Songwriting" goes to Steve Schalchlin, a New York-based composer and lyricist who has been on quite a cabaret roll the past two years. Although his two biggest recent projects, the CD and subsequent show, Tales From the Bonus Round, and his song cycle, New World Waking, were years in development, Schalchlin performed both in New York over the past couple of seasons.

Bonus Round-which featured Schalchlin at the piano as lead singer--was performed as a cabaret show at the Metropolitan Room in October 2013 (and received a BWW Award nomination for "Best CD Release," and one of the songs garnered a nomination for "Best Original Song for a Cabaret Show"), while New World Waking received a standing ovation when performed at the Urban Stages Winter Rhythms Festival last month.

"What makes Steve stand out above the rest for his recent body of work is that he not only writes both music and lyrics, but also performs his songs," says BWW New York Cabaret Editor Stephen Hanks.

"But even more impressive is that his songs in Bonus Round compellingly chronicled his battle with the life-threatening AIDS disease, while New World Waking offered important messages about how our planet needs to finally overcome violence, war, racism, and prejudice-and how it might be possible through the power of music.

Schalchlin's lyrically powerful and pleasingly melodic songs couldn't be timelier."

Musical Awards and Honors

For the record and to impress our friends and relatives, a partial list of the honors for our musicals "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" and "The Last Session" which I wrote with life partner and playwright Jim Brochu of the recent hit play about Zero Mostel, "Zero Hour".

2013 The Autograph Best Original Music, The Last Session-London. What's On Stage.

Best Score, L.A. Drama Critics Circle 1997 & 2003.

Best Musical, L.A. Ovation Awards, 2005.

Best Musical, ADA Awards 2005.

Best Musical Director, ADA Awards 2005.

Best Lead Actor in a Musical nomination. L.A. Ovation Awards 2005.

PFLAG-LA Oscar Wilde Award, 1997 & 2003.

Best Concert of a Musical, Best Original Writing, Desert Theatre League Awards 2005.

Best Theatrical Production nomination, Off-Broadway & L.A. GLAAD Media Awards, 2004.

Best L.A. Theatre Production, GLAAD Media Awards, 1997.

(And thanks from me to all those groups. Prizes are fun. I like prizes.)