OK it's a blog post, but....

[Ron]

there's still interest for Hunchback:

 

http://arnelpineda.ning.com/forum/topics/d...-deyoungs-stage

If you're a Journey fan, it's probably a pretty safe bet you're also a STYX fan as well. Both have given us music which will forever be part of the tapestry of our respective lives - in some way or another. The breakup of STYX and the bad blood which existed and in some respects still exists amongst the bands members and Dennis can and will never be resolved and the chance of the band ever reuniting with Dennis at the helm does not exist. And everything you've read so far has absolutely nothing to do with this post. One of the biggest factors associated with their breakup was DDY's desire to take his music (and the band) in a more theatrical direction.

 

Luckily for us,he stayed the course and pursued that interest even though he had to toe it alone.

 

As a pianist/keyboardist, DDY has always been one of my idols. He's the whole package: immeasurable talent as a pianist, unparalleled and impossible to duplicate voice and a presence that simply commands your attention and interest. He's articulate. He's been married to his high school sweetheart for a bazillion years. He writes songs about things that are relevant and he's a pretty handsome guy. Why all of the sudden do I have these feelings of inadequacy...?

 

In 1996 he wrote, produced and scored the stage play for The Hunchback of Notre Dame which has won numerous awards and left the audiences standing with tears rolling down their cheeks and applauding for sometimes as long as 30 minutes after the final curtain. Yeah, it's THAT good. And while the story closely follows the original with only a couple of slight liberties taken, the music and the voices DDY chose to deliver the songs are nothing short of perfection. The soundtrack is available for purchase at all the usual places and features DDY singing nearly every track from the play. And that's all fine and good because since he wrote them and can carry a tune fairly well, the album is very appealing and is a must-have for any STYX/DDY fan. The unfortunate thing is that there is no soundtrack featuring the voice of the actors who delivered the songs night after night and became the character each was portraying. THOSE versions of the songs are the ones which are moving and grab hold of your very soul. Dennis hand selected every actor with much scrutiny over those who would be soloing in the play. He knew how he wanted his music to be delivered and even more-so how it would be received. It's the delivery of HIS music by OTHER individuals which gives you a better understanding of not only just how incredibly talented he is but how much passion he felt when each song was written. Several of the songs from the play are available on YouTube to listen to and are performed by the cast members. There are a couple in particular which are insanely fantastic and one which although is sung by Dennis himself, can't IMHO possibly be better performed by anyone else on the planet. That one is called Esmerelda in which Quasi professes his undying love for her. Dennis's signature tenor voice and classical voice training are never more present in anything he's ever performed to date. Another is Paradise which you will probably recognize as it has an alternate version which was recorded by STYX and released on their Return To Paradise album. This version though, is sung by a lady named Dawn Marie who, to my absolute disbelief has done little else other than her work in the play. Listen to her voice and you'll see what I mean. And lastly but far, far from least is the song from the play which moves me to near tears every time I hear it - especially when I hear it performed by actor/singer Jeremy Rill who plays Frollo, the Priest who must remind everyone that though hideous and grotesque, Quasi Moto is one of God's creatures worthy and deserving of love. That message is delivered in the song titled Who Will Love This Child? And as a rare treat, I found some archived footage of Jeremy singing the song in-studio at a Chicago TV station when they were doing a story on the play. That video below includes some chit-chat time with Dennis and ends with the actor who plays Quasi singing Esmerelda. But, between those two parts of the clip is a delivery by Jeremy Rill of this most beautiful song and though he is not in costume, you can see he is clearly in character when he sings it. The song begins at 5:11 of the video.

 

I hope you enjoy these songs and who knows... maybe you'll have a new-found love and respect for Dennis DeYoung.

 

Steve

 

[Ron]

follow-up to the previous post:

http://arnelpineda.ning.com/forum/topics/t...me-song-for-aps

 

Yesterday, I posted a discussion regarding Dennis DeYoung's stage play of The Hunchback of Notre Dame in which I shared lots of info about the play and shared a few of the songs Dennis wrote specifically for the play. I also introduced the reader to a couple of the cast members whom Dennis hand-selected for their roles and their ridiculously incredible singing abilities.

 

After I posted, I checked it for any missing links, did a 3rd or 4th scan for typos and then played the embedded files to make sure they worked correctly.... you know, the stuff we all do after posting. While I was playing the final embedded video, I had an epiphany that literally moved me to tears and gave a brand new meaning and association to one particular song from the play titled "Who Will Love This Child" which is performed by a guy you've never heard of named Jeremy Rill. I'll come back to him in a minute.

 

The song is sung by Frollo, a priest who has the task of reminding the people of Notre Dame that the child who they viewed as grotesque and hideous was one of God's creatures and for that reason alone was deserving of love. I've listened to the soundtrack from the play a hundred times I'll bet and this song never had the effect on me like it did last night. The epiphany I had opened my eyes to the fact that it could have just as easily been written specifically for the AP Foundation. It's a song about an unwanted orphan who's only crime was being born. There has never been a single child in the history of the universe who had a choice in being born. That choice is always made by somebody else right or wrong. Sometimes those decisions are made poorly by people who for thousands of possible reasons are not ready or desirous of being parents. These innocent souls then become castoffs who start out life fighting for and in too many cases never finding love, peace and purpose.

 

Dennis hand-selected the cast members with much scrutiny especially over those who would be soloing. His criteria was extremely tough requiring those selected to be able to connect with each and every member sitting in the audience as if they were the only one there. One of those individuals is Jeremy Rill. He delivers the song with so much passion and emotion that you can almost see the child about whom he is singing.

 

You'll find the lyrics below but please, watch the video without following along with them the first time. Trust me, Jeremy will get the message across and every word he sings will be crystal clear.

 

Then listen to it a second time and think of AP and the work he is doing to help these poor kids. I can very easily envision a montage with stills and slow-rolls of video clips of the street children of the PI with Arnel singing the song with every bit as much passion and emotion.

 

That's just my opinion.... I'm anxious to hear yours.

 

Steve