What do you do with a 6-year old acting star, when you are a 13-year old writer?  Have him play George Washington or Captain Kirk.  I wrote a Star Trek episode when I was 12, in 1974.

     Our family had a long tradition in the arts, particularly musical theatre.  My Grandfather was a "spear carrier" at the Met.  My older brother became a muscial theatre piano accompanist, my mother did choreographies for our high school.  On our frequent car trips, we listened to the soundtracks from musicals on the 8-track.

 

     When I read Marvel comic books, I would often cue up different songs from musicals on the 8-track, cassette, and vinyl and play the songs on cue as I read. 

     I thought it was normal for a 17-year old to know the all the lyrics to: OKLAHOMA, Fiddler, Annie, etc.  In my freshman year of college, I learned differently and was quickly labeled and "outsider". (Times were different then.)  So, I tried to fit in by ignoring this aspect of my life. 

     In 1995, I had landed a job as Richmond County's Lead Technology specialist.  I knew what had to be done, but I didn't fit in.  One day, I was seated behind a desk, burried by stacks of files and papers.  Suddenly, in my mind, I saw and heard the sound of a hammer (like Thor's) crashing though a large window.  I realized - what am I doing here?  I want to write.

     Nine-months later, I was free and started to write.  I thought about goind to Hollywood.  However, I read Richard Walter's book on Screenwriting and took his advice.  Walter said if you are just starting to write, stay home.  LA cost too much to live.  A person would spend too much time working and not have enough time to write.

     Being a teacher, a created my own school.  I read and studied the books writing by the teachers at the LA film schools.  I studied the book "Story" by Robert McKee and attended his workshop. 

     I did a lot of writing.  I had a lot of failed scripts.  I never quit.

     In 2000, I began work on a full length musical, "Somewhere South of Freedom".  A work about the lives of slaves on a southern plantation around the year 1820.  The work was completed in 2015.  Had I gone to LA, I would never have written that musical.