More about miserable Church (see yesterday's blog)

My grumpy blog entry of yesterday partly reflected what I did in the afternoon after Church.

I hoved over to the New American Theater in St. Petersburg FL, and attended their final performance of “Songs for a New World”.

“Songs for a New World” has lyrics and music by Jason Robert Brown. It was originally produced by the WPA Theatre in New York City back in 1995.  It is an all musical production which contains some 19 songs, each with the theme of a “New World” – understood both literally as the “New World” of the Americas, and symbolically as the “New Worlds” which we each face from day to day.

It’s a show about our hopes, dreams and ambitions.  It’s also a show about our frustrations, limitations and disappointments.

The music has its roots in gospel, jazz, and spirituals.

The lyrics speak very deeply to the human condition of hope and despair.

I found myself to be strangely moved – with joy and tears – as I allowed the production to enter my soul.  It all was delightful, challenging and powerful. 

As I relaxed I was energised.

This new energy contrasted most severely with the entropy of Church earlier in the day.

I was at the show simply because Kevin R Rose www.kevinrusselrose.com has been a lead singer in the St. Boniface Church Choir. He was a star singer and co-Director of “Songs for a New World”.

 Kevin is a fine singer. He is also an uncomplicated human being.  I admire him.

Kevin is leaving St. Boniface Church and the Sarasota area to pursue his musical theatre career “up north”. 
I wanted to honour him by attending his final gig in this area.   I did so, and it was more than worth the drive over to St. Pete.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more