Book trouble...

AAARRGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have spent the weekend trying yet again to make Sylvia So Far work.

That’s the musical that I’ve based on the life of one of my best friends and favorite people, Sylvia Rivera. Syl was the transgender gal who, long before that verbiage existed, threw the shoe at the Stonewall Bar that began the riot on June 29, 1969 and launched a revolution. Or that’s the legend.

Last year we did a developmental production of SSF at La Mama. First of all, it was a nightmare of an experience. But, that aside, the show was mess. One of my dearest friends said, “Tim, you have written a fantastic score and married it to the worst book in musical theatre history".

I wrote the book.

Or I tried. I want to be faithful to Syl’s life but find a workable dramatic structure as well. And I couldn’t write a single funny line for Sylvia, who was simply one of the funniest people I ever knew. One of the critics suggested I was possibly more interested in canonizing Sylvia than writing a musical.

David Johnston, the wildly popular downtown idie playwright (and my ex-luvuh) suggested, when my musical The Conjuring hit stall, that I tackle the Sylvia story. She had died six weeks before David and I met and he had always regretted that. David is one of those people who is effortlessly funny --- very much so in life, more so on the page. He would know what to do. But I’m stuck with a mess of a show and a reading I two weeks.

Did I say AAARRGH?

But the songs are great. Ah well…

Anyone know a good book doctor?