It's the burning question at times, isn't it? Young people, especially, are itching for their parents, guardians and leaders to tell them what's next, what the destination will be, and how long it will take to get there. The characters in Audience of One are no different regarding their upcoming youth choir tour when they sing, Where will she say we're gonna go, gonna go, gonna go? I, too, am asking the question in prayer regarding next steps for this show, ever-cognizant of what my father often said about faith and works: "Pray, but row your boat toward shore."

Saturday's workshop was a resounding success! I am so, so grateful for each and every one of the 30+ people who came together to offer themselves, their gifts, their space, their hearts, their generosity, joy, and love. In the photo above are the actors and instrumentalists. But not in the photo are nearly 10 others who gave up all or divided portions of their day to help make this day possible.
And they are not all who helped to bring us to this moment. Most of you know this musical was inspired by a true story. An email I opened up later that night from one of the mentors on the original Audience of One trip underscored that reality:
During one of my prayers, God gave me an image of all of you today [at your workshop], standing in prayer as you started the day. But there were so many more there—those of us who attended the trip, those who prayed for the trip, those who worked so hard to make it happen but didn't go, those who supported the trip financially, prayerfully and practically, those who have supported your creative process over the last several years....so many—it has to be literally hundreds of people who were standing there with you all today, praying with you. The vision was so clear. It is impressed in my memory and will be the image as I continue to pray for this process. Now, God's vision and my Photoshop skills are LIGHT-YEARS apart. But here is my feeble attempt at recreating that vision. I will probably continue to work on this [photo], refine it, improve it, maybe totally change it. But hopefully, this beginning can represent all of us not physically present with you.

After I read it, I dropped into bed in tears. Truly, we do nothing alone. Nothing. And that's the great joy and enormous relief. There is much ahead—another round of libretto revisions after hearing the whole show read and sung through (the point of the workshop, after all), organizing a recording session in the next month for a few key songs, continuing to fundraise (we are 12% there toward a goal of $40,000), and beginning to plan more concretely toward a summer production.
Would you like a 30-sec. teaser from our workshop? Of course you would! =) —ab
Enormous thanks to Hempfield United Methodist Church for letting us use their space for the workshop. And, as always, if you'd like to help fund this project, learn how at www.audienceofonemusical.com
Video and workshop photo credit by Lori Baldwin
Photoshop image by Laura Nealley
Beautifully explained and said. Prayers continue for AoO, for you, for the cast and crew, and for all the edits and decisions going forward. It's happening!