(These are questions that have been asked of the author so far. If you have others, please email info@audienceofonemusical.com)

 

ABOUT THE REAL STORY THAT INSPIRED THE MUSICAL

• Were there really 14 youth that went on the trip, dwindled down from 40? There were actually 23 youth that went on the trip, dwindled down from 70. Numbers were adjusted for the show based on how many characters could feasibly be included in the cast. 

• Was the actress who played Kendra in the show really on the original trip? Yes. She was just a week shy of her 13th birthday when she returned from the trip. Read the amazing story of how she came to be in this role in this blog.

• What inspired Lashay's story in "Dream In a Box"? It was derived from something the author's African-American-Korean niece confided in her one time, of being enormously thankful for her adoptive family, but wishing more than anything in life to have a child who looked like her. 

• ​Did the shoplifting incident really happen? Yes. The real Jade gave the author legal permission to use her story.

• Did the choir really go to an African-American church on their trip? They attended church, yes, but not specifically an African-American one. To give needed energy in Act II, the author drew for this scene upon a previous youth choir tour where they did attend a primarily African-American church in Brooklyn.

• Did the real Jade actually come to the altar rail in the church service? She did.

• Did the forgiveness scene at the gift shop really happen like that with the store manager? Yes. She was very stern at the outset and didn't actually sing to Jade, of course. But she did tell her that Jesus loved and had forgiven her, so therefore it was her loving mandate as a child of God to offer the same to Jade. The real Kendra and Emily witnessed the woman open her arms to embrace Jade. Both were awash in tears. 

• What happened with the extra money collected for the offering on the mountain? It was returned to the church to help cover expenses. Twenty-four years later, that exact overage ($242.31) was donated again to the same church in a gesture of symbolic remembrance for the church's support in 2000 and in gratitude for giving us rehearsal space for our first Workshop in Feb. 2024.

• Did the real Darren pray like that on the field to stop the storm? Yes. He was VERY loud and determined in faith! Read more about him in this blog.

• Did the storm really stop that suddenly? It was probably more like 30 seconds, not 15. But it definitely felt immediate and miraculous.

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ABOUT LICENSING THE SHOW OR PURCHASING COPIES OF SOME OF THE SONGS TO USE IN CHURCH

• Is the show, or are individual songs from it, available for others to do? The author is working now on final revisions, copyright registration, and licensing logistics. If interested, please contact her at alisabair@gmail.com.

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