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SATB: THE MUSICAL DEBUT PERFORMANCE AT THE ATLANTA MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL

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Honestly, this was the musical that almost wasn't.

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SATB: The Musical was originally chosen for the Atlanta Musical Theatre Festival in 2020. However, due to COVID, the show was postponed for two years. Due to the delay, the show also had to be recast from the original cast. The original cast featured Brandon Tharp (Pastor Trent), Christie Lamb (Claire), Shunrodney Rosser (Malik), Kathryn Flynt (Shea),Andrew Mozingo (Ben), Allie Jewell (Cat), Turner Hasty (Charles), Lily Ann Gable (Dorian), and Pete Leyer (Harold).

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The wonderful advantage about debuting a show at a musical theatre festival is the ability to talk with the audience, actors, tech/crew, and potential directors about their opinion of the show, the highlights, the strengths, and the potential weaknesses. Thankfully, this show was extremely well-received by all and offers theaters of all sizes the potential to bring a well-crafted ensemble piece to their stage.

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SATB: The Musical came from the musings of the writer who has worked as a church musician for 35 years. She noticed that whether she was working in the northeast near New York City or here in the Atlanta suburbs, whether serving small or large churches, there was an undeniable cast of characters in every house of worship that she played weekly church music. What originally began as a way to combat anxiety and panic disorder that got worse during the COVID-19 shutdown resulted in the polished, heartwarming, and authentic interwoven stories in SATB: The Musical. The additional two years allowed her to continue to edit and even spurred one of the audience-favorite songs "No Robes" which would not have been in the original. 

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Reactions to SATB: The Musical were overwhelming. The audience loved the fact that it told the honest stories of church life instead of the church just being a setting for a show. Audience members felt that each of the characters is easily relatable to people that they knew and that the show reminded them of how their flaws contribute to how endearing those people could be. The audience members commented on the entire soundtrack, stating that each song was appropriate for the character(s). They were moved to tears on Prayer of the Pastor and wildly applauded for No Robes. Over and over again, the comments about No Robes were that it "slaps hard." Members of the LGBTQ community commented on how John 3:16 put into words what they wish they could say and the questions that they would ask if they were engaging in conversations with other Christians, or even God. In the end, tears of joy and resolution flowed with the powerhouse This Is My Bethlehem.

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From the actors' and potential directors' perspectives, they appreciated the fact that a show didn't require them to be a triple threat. Two actors commented that this show allows artists of many ages to participate in the creative process of bringing this show to life because there are no demands for dance and that some characters are written for women in middle adulthood. They commented on how this show is so well interwoven that there are no perceived leads and how the writing supports the overall theme of SATB, which is that the sum is greater than the individual parts. The actors appreciated the fact that they could focus on the words, whether spoken or sung. In general, each of the actors adored the character they portrayed as well as the interpersonal relationships and stories between the characters. The actors also commented on how well-written the score was and how the show makes no apologies for tackling serious issues, such as racism and orientation, by specifically writing to cause introspection and the ability to appreciate differing perspectives through the connection to the characters. Directors appreciated how the show was designed because it could be as well delivered on a smaller black box as it could on a larger stage with a 500+ seat audience. They felt that the storyline and writing was gripping enough to keep true theater-goers engaged from beginning to end without having to provide over-the-top bells and whistles with expensive lighting and unattainable choreography to move the story forward. Two pastors of different denominations commented that the writing was completely non-offensive to mainline Christianity and they were thankful that this show did not portray church culture or its members in an unfavorable or judgmental/narrow-minded light. 

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SATB: The Musical takes place from the fall through Christmas, but like a show about a famous red-headed orphan, it is a show for all seasons. The original SATB: The Musical team is so compelled by the experience of bringing quality storytelling and songwriting to the stage, that we are making this show available for only $599 for a domestic community theater license. This license permits any U.S.-based community theater to license the show for an unlimited number of performances and unlimited seating through March 1, 2025. The license includes the right to perform the copyrighted work, digital scripts, tracks (including free transpositions if requested), and production resources. This $599 price is because the writer of SATB: The Musical owned a theater before and during COVID-19. She recognizes the financial hardships that many theaters are still facing in the wake of the shutdown. If a theater chooses to produce her show, she wants to make sure that the theater maximizes the opportunity to recoup resources/financial losses and continue to upbuild goodwill in the community by offering such a heartwarming, inclusive, and compelling ensemble show to its talent pool and stakeholders.