3/3/2006
Ballet Austin
& Shadow Play Records and Video
present
“Not Afraid of the Dark”
in Houston, Texas
& Shadow Play Records and Video
present
“Not Afraid of the Dark”
in Houston, Texas
Choreography by Stephen Mills
Music Arranged & Produced by Gary Powell
Most people remember seminal events in their lives. For me, the phone call from Wink Tyler at Austin Recording Studio to produce a new children’s singer-songwriter Joe Scruggs was it! In fact, Joe Scruggs, his partner Pete Markham and I were all the same age in 1982. Joe and Pete are quite a bit older now however.
Fast forward 24 years, nine albums and God only knows how many performances and you arrive at a very cool and beautifully designed live event entitled, “Not Afraid of the Dark”. The Show That Glows was conceived by Joe Scruggs with all his über-clever children’s musical fare and choreograhed by Stephen Mills, artistic director for Ballet Austin. I served, as always, as Joe’s musical arranger and producer. Pete Markham is the president of Shadow Play Records.
This show is SO much fun. The photos at the left are actual shots from a performance. It’s a visual creative fantasy that is a joy to just SEE. Add Joe’s wonderful feel for parlaying entertaining family-isms with the very talented dancers of the junior company of Ballet Austin and you’ll have one GREAT family night out.
“Everything that lights up, radiates and sends beams will seem even brighter on the darkened stage. “Stick Man,” a new creation by Scruggs, uses a technique called “live wires” to generate glowing, life-size stick figures that dance with neon-like light. Black lights, chemical lights, luminescent materials and fiber optics show children how many different ways there are to create shimmering visual displays.”
Joe Scruggs, Pete Markam and I have a rich record-producing history. I’m looking forward to including some of our experiences with this blogging technology… which wasn’t quite happening in 1982!
I hope my Houston subscribers and everyone at the Rice Building Institute will forward this post to all their friends with kids. It’s truly a special family event.
Friday, April 7, 2006 - 7 pm
Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater
(713) 277-4772
Filed by Gary Powell at 12:03 am under Event Productions
Hi there long lost friend! This sounds great…Joe Scruggs was always a hit with me and my kids, and you’re my favorite arranger/producer in the whole universe
Wish I could see/hear/enjoy this one. So what’s up with your show? I see no dates posted for it. I DO NOT want to miss it again.