Just We Two – A New Musical

The following should have been in the Playbill for The World Premiere of “Just We Two – A New Musical”

Dennis Chandler’s Dedication

As the composer of this musical, Dennis dedicates its World Premiere to the wonderfully generous teachers he has had.

This musician has had a crazy quilt of life experiences. But, that’s why he’s blessed to be able to make ALL the music he loves and in the various styles that he loves. That’s due in no small part to the following folks he met along his way in the world.

As a very young guitarist Dennis was invited by bluesmen Bo Diddley, Lonnie Mack, Chuck Berry and BB King to sit at their knee, and learn the blues in the Oral Tradition they were taught. That’s why he knows how to play the blues.

As a young trained pianist Dennis was coached by piano legends Roger Williams, Ferrante & Teicher and Andre Previn and on the B3… master organist Bill “Honky Tonk” Doggett. Imagine learning all that music from America’s Golden Age firsthand from such great musicians.

Now as his musicals are being mounted, composer Dennis also dedicates them to another special group of talent. These folks coached him, but in a different way. To explain, it was in 1990, at the National Leukemia Telethon, that he first met the following stars of stage, screen, television and the written word … the late, great Steve Allen, his wife Jayne Meadows, Florence Henderson, Shirley Jones and her husband Marty Ingels. They were there as hosts, helping to raise funds for cancer research.

Dennis, who had battled and beat acute myeloid leukemia, was the only featured adult survivor and was being interviewed about his near death experience. They all told him he must do more with what he was given back by God. But, it was after playing piano that Steve Allen told Dennis, “God brought you back for a reason. I would love to hear what you are going to write now!” Thank you, God. Here, You are… and Steve Allen, hear you go.
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October 15, 2011 WORLD PREMIERE

“Just We Two – A New Musical” had its World Premier at the new beautiful “Theatre at Tallmadge High” here in Ohio. Both nights of this “Two day out-of-town tryout in Tallmadge” drew standing ovations and soaring hopes to take the show all the way to Broadway. Thank you to director Frank Chaff, the talented cast of grade schoolers, high schoolers, young college and community actors who helped to present this new musical. Special kudos to the professional musicians who did spot-on accompaniment.

Now what’s needed next are angels of the New York theatre-type (can you say Tom Hanks, Oprah, Whoopie or Harvey as in Fierstein?) .. OR.. grants as in the Genuis-type grants (can you say MacArthur Grant?)
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1-12-2012 Update… No News Is Good News?

Meaning… Haven’t heard from director FRANK CHAFF IV; sure he’s moved on. Nor a peep from playwright-turned-producer Larry Brenner. Perhaps, they’ve embarked on their own YELLOW BRICK ROAD. So, we find Dennis waiting in the wings, not. He’s moving on. To what the next big project to write music for? Only the lord knows. (Read page titled “Prophesy for Dennis”)

Take away lessons from this? Can’t tell yet. Waiting for the movie to come out. Literally, for there was a two-camera setup (but maybe editing takes longer these days). Film doesn’t lie. Put another way, “the proof is in the pudding”. Dennis says he’d like his dose.. he can take it. (THAT, we know.) ‘Tis said, “We die daily” (that’s how we grow).

Going back in time… A CRITIC’S PREVIEW: “The music of “JUST WE TWO” is MAGNIFICENT!”…”Its MUSIC IS GREAT ON ITS OWN, SO IT IS INEVITABLE THAT SOMEONE WILL RISE UP TO THE TOP OF THIS SHOW! BRAVO, composer Chandler and playwright Brenner!”
George Foster, NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

Going back in time… HOW GOOD ARE THE SONGS? We were told by the playwright that the critic who started all this, the one who after hearing JUST A FEW of the songs, said that if they couldn’t get any actors… to still do it. Even as A MUSICAL REVUE (with all 22 songs). The critic and the director both feel this FAMILY piece with its message is SORELY NEEDED today.

Going back in time… ABOUT AUDITION REACTIONS: When the show was being finally cast, THE SONGS ELICITED TEARS and THEN SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE from those auditioning and from THOSE ATTENDING THE AUDITIONS. That boded well for the music. For example, Composer Chandler was beside himself with JOY when a six year old IMMEDIATELY PICKED UP the melody of one particularly (he thought) difficult song. She got the melody IN SECONDS. Sang it straightaway; full out. It wasn’t even her song. It was always his intention to make this play’s music MEMORABLE. He thought, “Out of the mouths of babes”?

Currently… STILL A GOOD PREMISE: THIS PLAY is based on a situation EVERYONE CAN RELATE TO. A loved one lying in a bed in a hospital room. The play begins with family members coming into the room to visit. They are then seen one by one, pondering and reflecting upon their life together with the patient. Emotions come back in flashbacks, emotions come in the moment. They lament. They cajole. They sing their hearts out with their respective “SHOUDA-WOULDA-COUDAS”. Again, everyone will relate to this play.

FYI & Bears Repeating… Book & Lyrics were written with humor and pathos by former syndicated cartoonist-turned playwright, Larry Brenner. The music was written by Composer Dennis Chandler who wanted all 22 songs to be MELODIC. Even the few rock ‘n’ roll songs are in an older more traditional “MELODIC BROADWAY STYLE”.

For all time… OUT OF TRAGEDY COMES ART (Again) (?) FIRST, for Dennis came DEBORAH OSMENT’S script titled “RULING PASSION – A MUSICAL COMEDY ABOUT RICHARD III”. The music was first written in his head, while he was bed-bound. Then at home in the studio during his reverse-isolation days. After winning his battle with leukemia, he wanted to return to life before cancer (how could one ever do that, one could ask). But, Dennis did go on to do business but not as usual. (The prejuice was so great back then for people with “the C word”.) For the financial devastation alone, he had to put the day job first; music second. Dennis got a chance to earn his keep when angel like K. MICHAEL BENZ referred him to COSE. He was hired in membership development (a desk job making telephone calls for he was still in a wheelchair).

It was a long time before he could pull this other pot of music bubbling on the-backburner-of-his-brain, so to speak, let alone stir it anew. BUT, THEN BRENNER CAME BACK INTO HIS LIFE (after overcoming his own health hurdles which included testicular cancer). He told Dennis he had finished what they both started so long ago. Dennis said, he thinks he just really beginning to understand the DEEP MEANING OF THIS PLAY FOR HIM. Talk about mental blocks.

Well, they made it. Out of tragedy comes art. These two survivors, “Know from whence they speak!”
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That’s why it appears the “Prophecy for Dennis” that Lou Kassouf was given and wrote down so long ago has already begun. But, you knew that when you started to read this, didn’t you?

Liz Chandler, Author of Website