Last night i felt i was just in the right place at the right time, sitting on my sofa at home. Everything came together.
Kathryn Denny, a musical theatre writer and director from the US, unexpectedly sent me the filmed version of her musical Connected The Musical to watch. It was recorded on the closing night, 8 October, my birthday - more connections. She sent it to me because I wrote the lyrics to one of the songs Bursting with Pride and had given feedback on the script. I had originally been inspired to write these lyrics after being humbled by the bravery of a young friend coming out to her family, friends and to me. I was waiting to find the right composer for this song, but the composer, Kathryn Denny, found me.
There was also a band rehearsal at my place last night. My home welcomes these friends. More than friends. Friends with good energy. I made myself a pot of tea and sat down to watch the musical. Of course I don't live in a mansion so I could hear the singing and music from the rehearsal in the background as i was listening to the singing and music from Connected. I didn't feel frustrated or annoyed but an intense pleasure of being surrounded by music, voices, laughter and loved ones - in person and on screen.
Connected the Musical was performed by a community theatre group, something rare where I live in Mauritius, which is a small island in the Indian Ocean off the East coast of Africa. (I'm being very specific about the geography here as I'm often asked, "is that in the Caribbean?") Coming from the UK, where every town and almost every village has a community theatre run by volunteers I miss these shows. Pantomime season will be coming soon but that's not known here. Thinking aloud, I'd love to get involved in bringing panto to Mauritius.
Of course i was happy to see the composition and performance of Bursting with Pride in the context of the whole story. It always feels nice to see your own work come to fruition. But i also enjoyed the story which is about the struggles of a transgender kid, Gabrielle/Gabriel, and how the family and friends around him accepted or struggled to accept his coming out whilst dealing with their own interconnected lives. The theme also refers to the way we are connected via technology, from friends supporting each other via text messages to the potentially life saving help of an online support group.
The opening and title song Connected is catchy and makes the audience sit up and pay attention. One song, a duet, debates the pros and cons of a smart phone touching on the dangerous side of being constantly connected. The song My Pride and Joy, sung by the mother of the protagonist, is particularly touching. " You've always been my pride and joy, does that change now that you're a boy?" and of course I was interested to see that Bursting with Pride was used in the scene where the online community is supporting Gabriel. Kathryn added the lyrics "You are worthy and you are enough..." and they go on to sing the song while waving rainbow flags. The song ends in a crescendo, with "You can't think straight but I'm bursting with pride, for so many years you had to hide, you had to hide and you had to lie, but we're marching with you by your side, we're marching with you by your side, we are bursting, with pride!"
All this with a cup of tea in my hand while my friends are singing their original songs in the background and spreading their energy throughout my home.
Feeling connected, and proud.
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