Here's an idea I've had banging around in my head for a few years ... a retelling of The Nutcracker, as originally written by E.T.A. Hoffman.  There are really three themes going on in the original Nutcracker: the battle against the mouse kingdom, the tale of Crackatook (the "hard nut"), and a child's imagination versus the rational real world.  I'm in the process of outlining the show.  I'd like to make it a "flexible" script so I'm asking for returning and new actors to pre-register so I can write this with specific actors in mind.

The Dogs Must Be Crazy is getting a rewrite for this 2016 production.  A lot of new dogs will be added, while the groups of cats and coyotes will be retained.  We're also adding "Pig", an entertaining new character.

New dogs include:

Emily, the troubadour
Brian, the brain
King, perfect in speech and manners
Fifi, the French Poodle
Cody, the pessimist
 

God's People Search (GPS) Vacation Bible School is being developed.  It involves a camping theme - a journey to the Grand Canyon.  We'll have both band songs and campfire songs, with some new ideas and surprises.

Our sixth original VBS, "The Continuing Adventures of the Fantastic Five and the Baddies of the Bible" is in development.  Band rehearsals are starting up soon.  Audio files will be posted soon!
 

Last year's Christmas musical, The Baby That Did, is being put together for Josquinmusic.com.  This innovative project will allow directors to change the script and shoot their own video within the live musical.

Just posted the music for School of Rock of Ages.  This thing's gonna ROCK!  Lots of involvement from great student musicians.  My fifth VBS collaboration with Esperanza Lutheran Church.

Listening now to the new Black Keys album on iTunes First Play.  It's a great way to give a good long listen to a single band, and may be the solution to the current problem of consumers buying just one song from particular bands.  I try to listen to all the First Play albums as soon as they come out.

This short article tells about an interesting study that shows older adults benefit from childhood music lessons, even if they haven't touched an instrument in years.

Long Term Benefits of Music Lessons

Here's a nice story about a high school football player and what he does with the guitar.  He's always improvising, saying, "there's only 12 notes on the guitar - you're only one note away from being right."  Not exactly sure what that means, but the attitude is right on.

Cameron Griffin

The YouTube video "Run Away" is now posted.  This is the third of four videos from the "Live In Studio" session in August 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObVThYb5nOQ&feature=youtu.be