We returned from Chicago focused and invigorated.  The past six months had found us connecting with so many great people.  We spent a few days sending thank-you notes to our new Chicago friends, and started getting feedback from people who were reading the script.

We also kept getting messages from the Universe (call them what you will).  A friend of Kate's set us up with a woman who had helped get backing for a current Broadway hit.  The woman loved our book, and in turn, introduced us to her backer, and we hit it off like gangbusters.  We also met with an old friend of my husband’s, and now a freind of ours, who produces on both Broadway and in the West End of London.  He hadn’t read our book, but he loved our story (he also has an adopted son).  After listening to Karen and I yammer away about our project and goals of Broadway, he let us know he’d be happy to read the book and was certain he would want to take it to his money people.  It seemed that everywhere we turned, we were meeting people who were involved with Broadway musicals and they wanted to help us.  But we knew, from all our travels and research, that we were to just invite everyone who wanted to help to our Staged Reading and Workshops.  The right collaborator(s), after seeing "Part of the Plan" on its feet, would emerge.  Kate and I would know who to partner with at THAT point.  And so we treated every new person we met as a potential future collaborator on this project.

Also around that time, Kate and I had joined the Dramatists Guild and we began attending seminars and other DG events.  Not only were they informative, but we were able to meet and network with other theatre people.  Meeting Theresa Rebeck, the famous playwright and fascinating creator of the hit television show SMASH, was particularly inspiring to us.  And the lovely actress/writer/director Charlayne Woodard, was very generous and shared a lot of information about which theatre companies welcomed new playwrights.  She recommended we investigate entering our book into play festivals.  We are currently preparing to submit our work this fall, when 99% of the competitions are held, and we’ve connected by phone with many of these program directors encouraging us to submit "Part of the Plan.”  Kate and I immersed ourselves in the theatre world – going to staged readings and all the musical theatre we could absorb.  As much as we both love musicals, it was fun to watch as "research" for our own Broadway adventure.

Regarding our Chicago trip, the feedback about the script was extremely positive.  Several of our contacts felt that their theatre companies simply weren't set up to accommodate a show as ambitious as ours, so we realized that when we play in Chicago, it will simply have to be at the Goodman (just putting it out there ;-).  It wasn't news to us that "Part of the Plan" contained substantial production values -- a big cast as well as the company of singer/dancers is a daunting prospect.  Following three decades in the lives of two families requires changes in sets, costumes, make up, etc., unlike the relative simplicity of a show like "Memphis" or “Once.”  But we did take to heart the suggestion that we simplify our script, double up actors so they'd play more than one part, and keep the sets representational rather than literal.  For example, Grand Central Station was always meant to be the iconic clock being lowered from the fly space and the sounds of haste and bustle.  Central Park could simply be a tree and a bench.  The beauty of theatre is allowing the audience's imagination to join up with your own.  But ultimately, many of those reading our script recognized the power and emotion of the story shining through, and maybe the greatest compliment we received was how seamlessly Dan's music wove through, almost as though he'd written it especially for this show.

Then we got a call.  My brother, who has a successful career as a producer, studio executive, and entertainment entrepreneur, had taken the book for "Part of the Plan" with him on the plane trip home to Connecticut.  He called me when he landed, raving about it.  "It's a 12 hanky show," he said.  By the way, he also has an adopted son!  Then he asked for permission to pass it along to his partner, and another Broadway professional.  It turns out that my brother had met someone who was creatively involved with "Motown The Musical," which was getting ready to open on Broadway.  This delightful man read our script and immediately reached out to us.  He loved the story, the music, and the potential he saw in "Part of the Plan."  He made many of the same positive suggestions we'd heard from others.  Then he went one step further.  He thought it was time to talk to some New York directors who might guide us through the Staged Reading and Workshop phases.  He would introduce us to some trusted associates, but Kate and I would have to return to New York City.

He didn't have to ask us twice...

- Karen Harris

Heading back to Chicago, having spent two of my favorite years there thus far, was something I was really looking forward to.  Karen had never been there, and I couldn’t wait to show her “my town.”  But that’s not why we chose to come to Chicago in the middle of winter.  Remember in New York, one wise playwright advised us to see what kind of reception we would get in Dan’s home state – and The Windy City is home to some of the best theatre in the country.  We had done our research, and set up meetings before we left LA.  We were thrilled at the quality of people who were waiting to meet us.  The crème de la crème…the best theatre companies, artistic directors, and producers in Chicago.  Of course, the phrase “Dan Fogelberg’s music” is a door-opener, especially in Illinois. 

We landed in balmy 17 degree weather, and the first item on the agenda was a visit with my brilliant marketing professor at Kellogg (Northwestern’s MBA program).  I wanted to tell him about our passion project, and get his advice on the best way to market a musical.  Mohan Sawhney, also my favorite professor in graduate school, had invited Karen and me to his home in Evanston for tea the first morning we were in Chicago.  He was delighted to reconnect after all these years, he told me, but was especially pleased to meet with us about what he termed “a very exciting endeavor.”  He was impressed with the marketing package that we had put together, with our script, and with the people and theatres we were scheduled to meet over the next week.  We told him that the wonderful thing about this project is that there exists an incredibly large group of passionate individuals who are going to be just as excited as we are to see the evolution and incarnation of this Broadway musical, using the music & lyrics of one of the best musicians and lyricists to ever grace our lives.  Sahwney impressed upon us how important it was to build a web presence, to start blogging, and “crowd sourcing” – which essentially meant to embrace those individuals – Dan Fogelberg’s fans – on our journey.  I knew that when I returned home to LA from Chicago, I would teach myself “html” and build the best website I could in order to reach out to those who would truly understand what we wanted to accomplish…DanFans, musical theatre fans, and fans of Kate & Karen ;-).  I happened to get a rotten cold upon my return from Chicago, so it was a perfect excuse to stay in bed, drink hot soup, and build the Dan Fogelberg Musical website that is now the host to this very blog!  But I digress…

Back to our Chicago trip.  We next met with Michael Weber from the Porchlight Musical Theatre, BJ Jones from the Northlight, and Steve Scott at the Goodman.  In between, we would call other local venues and were often invited to “drop by and check out our space.”  People were extremely open and interested.  One night we went to see “Million Dollar Quartet” because the next day we were meeting with the woman who had developed and produced this International hit, Gigi Pritzker.  Gigi, like us, has her producer’s fingers in many pies… film and Broadway musicals among them.  Gigi told us that her very first concert experience as a young girl was when her brother took her to see Dan Fogelberg in Chicago!  It was certainly fate that brought us to her.

We knew we were in rarefied air, and we left each meeting walking on clouds.  We were told our project was very special and that it needed to be carefully nurtured because we had something very big.  Gigi offered to introduce us to her producing partner in Los Angeles.  BJ took out his cell phone and started reeling off the names of “must meets” and “have-to-calls,” including a Broadway director that we indeed connected with on our next trip to New York (but that’s the next blog posting)!  And everyone said that they wanted to come to our workshop, wherever we decided to mount it. 

Speaking of our workshop, we got turned on to a wonderful opportunity at Northwestern’s theatre department called the American Musical Theatre Project (AMTP).  Every year, the AMTP sponsors full workshops for four or five new musicals.  Heather Schmucker, who heads the program explained that they fund the three-week development process in full, including transportation and housing for the creators, hiring the director, choreographer, actors, musicians, etc., utilizing all the wonderful amenities at their disposal.  It’s a fantastic program.  As we wrapped up, Heather told us that our meeting with her was the highlight of her week!  (Really, were we getting puffed up, or what?!)  Heather felt this was exactly the kind of project, and at the right stage of development, for the AMTP to develop, but the slots for 2013 were already taken (they pick their projects well in advance).  Heather assured us that if a slot opened up for any reason, she’d be in touch.  She also let us know that 2014 was an option.  Since Karen and I are anxious to workshop our show this year (or right after the first of the year) we decided to move forward with our own plan, but keep AMTP in mind if we decide to do another workshop in Chicago.  The workshopping process is critical to making sure that every element of the show fits seamlessly, and it’s important to work in a supportive, highly professional atmosphere.  What we experienced in Chicago fits that bill. 

Of course, having gone to business school in Chicago, there were former classmates to reconnect with as well.  It was a heap of fun having the time to catch up with old friends, introduce Karen around, and again, hear from all of them that if they would be happy to help with Part of the Plan in any way they could.  We also looked up the son of a friend of mine, Jeff Parker, one of the busiest musical theatre actors in Chicago, and met him for drinks between performances in “Chicago.”  In the ‘small world’ department, his terrific wife, Lynn Baber, is BJ Jones’ associate, and Lynn was in our meeting with BJ.  It also turns out we have two different friends who are either on the Board of the Goodman Theatre or have close friends on the Board.  Karen and I left Chicago much wiser, more committed, and in agreement that when Part of the Plan is ready for a regional stage, the Goodman in Chicago would be an awesome place to land.  With our new connections, and Dan obviously clearing the path for us, anything is possible.

- Kate Atkinson

After Karen returned from New York City, I decided I needed to move there for a month.  If we were going to make our way to Broadway, I needed to immerse myself in NY theatre and (not as exciting but necessary) handle all the legal aspects of making sure we could get there.  So I rented out my house in LA, rented an apartment on the Upper West Side, and booked a flight out of Burbank.  And then all bets were off.  Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast and the airlines cancelled all their flights in and out of the region.  Of course, the well-being of New Yorkers was my primary concern, but with Dan watching over my shoulder as usual, my flight out of Burbank turned out to be the first flight into JFK after the hurricane.  When my sister picked me up from the airport, there was ZERO traffic -- unheard of coming out of Queens.  Witnessing the devastation made me appreciate Southern California’s earthquake country.  Especially when I arrived at my sister’s home to no hot water and no heat!  Brrrrrrr.  We ate a lot of candy that night (it was, after all, Halloween, and not even a hurricane was going to stop the kids from trick-or-treating)!  A few nights later, life was starting to return to normal for many New Yorkers.  I moved into my undamaged apartment right along the Hudson River, and got invited to a preview of “Dead Accounts” on Broadway. There I was, in the third row, watching Norbert Leo Butz and Katie Holmes hilariously bickering as only brothers and sisters do… I could VERY easily move here, I optimistically told myself. 

Most of the work I accomplished in the following weeks had to do with the business aspects of mounting a musical. In between, I got to see The Book of Mormon and Once.  It struck me that every great show breaks new ground, whether it be by pushing the limits of outrageousness (Mormon Elders in Uganda?  You bet!  And yes, it was hilarious), or the way Once transformed the standard pit orchestra into the Irish musicians on stage through subliminal choreography.   By the end of November, I decided I just HAD to stay an extra month.  There was still so much to accomplish.  I was able to arrange meetings with several investor types (bankers, successful entrepreneurs, fund managers, etc.)  And as long as I was on the right coast, a visit to Boston, for similar meetings, was definitely in the cards.  And it would give me time to see more Broadway shows ;-)

The holidays in New York are a dream come true, and I enjoyed every minute of them!  I drove through the middle of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with gigantic balloons overhead, I watched the Christmas Tree go up in Rockefeller Center, the skaters in Central Park, and the best part of all was spending time with my friends and family.  Living 3000 miles away, I’m lucky if I get a short visit once or twice a year.  Being in NYC for two whole months, I got to hang out with my best friend from high school (and her husband and kids), my best friend from graduate school (and her husband and kids), my darling cousins, my dear Aunt Shirley in Bellport, my sweet Libby in Harlem, and my sister and brother-in-law and my two gorgeous nephews (3 and 5 ;-) in Armonk!  And then to set up more meetings in my old stomping grounds – Boston – meant I’d get to hang out with my old pals and all their kids… It was such a treat!  And as if I needed anything more, every single person I spoke to about Part of the Plan reinforced what we had told ourselves – that we were onto something really special.  Before leaving NY, I had a call from a friend in Los Angeles who wanted me to meet with a friend of his who was involved with Nice Work If You Can Get It on Broadway.  Would I have time to go see this fabulous revival starring Matthew Broderick before I came home in preparation for a meeting in LA?  Why, of course!  The show was fantastic, and the perfect cap to my time in The Big Apple.

I made it back to LA in time to happily ring in the New Year with Richard.  Karen and I reviewed all we’d learned and accomplished in 2012, and I have to admit, we felt pretty good about it.   Then we set our sights on 2013 and all the challenges ahead of us.  We now knew that our next steps involved staged reading(s) and workshop(s) with rewrites in between.  We needed to investigate where we might do this next level of development.  Given Dan’s connection to Illinois (born and raised in Peoria, and an alum of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and my having attended Northwestern University in Evanston, one thing seemed obvious. It was time to get ourselves to the Windy City.   

- Kate Atkinson

As you know by now, I have spent several decades as a writer in television, and Kate has forged a career for herself in films.  But all our knowledge combined never prepared us for what we DIDN’T know (and we are STILL learning) about mounting a musical.  There is a tremendous learning curve, and we have been fortunate to connect with some of the most generous, helpful, and wise people who have shared the benefit of their wisdom as we’ve developed our own plan.

Working with Kate on our show had made me start to miss the buzz of New York, and the theater scene there.  Suddenly, no doubt a part of the plan, my BFF, Molly, called and asked if I wanted to go with her to see an old friend of ours get married in New York on October 20th.  I said “yes,” of course.  Not only would this be a great opportunity to travel with Molly and attend Sri’s wedding, as well as see some Broadway shows… but I could also meet with people about Part of the Plan.  Kate and I both felt we were at the point of introducing ourselves around, as well as getting whatever advice we could.  In preparation, we had created a marketing “packet.”  It consisted of hard copies of the faux-Playbill (which you can access here on the website), a script with a special cover incorporating the Phoenix design, and a CD with clips of the songs used in the show (also on the website).  We later added extra materials, including a synopsis and an executive summary for business purposes.  We also had both joined the Dramatists Guild, which was almost as important to me as my Writers Guild membership, and Kate’s in Screen Actors Guild (didn’t know she was an actress, too?  The girl’s full of surprises!)

We started calling around to LA friends and associates to see if they knew people I could meet in New York.  Our good friend, Laurie, connected me, via e-mail, to one of her besties who has had his musicals produced, both on and off Broadway.  My West Coast agent let me know who to call in their New York Office.  My years as a writer in Daytime Drama had allowed me the opportunity to become friendly with a number of East Coast writers, some of whom I’d never even met in person, but with whom I’d developed long distance relationships.  I let them know I was coming to town and why.  One thing I had learned as a television writer was that many of my colleagues were also novelists and playwrights.  And few people are more generous to someone in my position than other writers who have been in the same trenches.

Case in point, Sri – who is also a playwright and television writer – agreed to read the book for Part of the Plan, and give us feedback.  This despite the chaos of his wedding and honeymoon, and the deadline he was up against to complete a pilot for NBC.

Molly and I saw some really good plays.  Forbidden Broadway, The Heiress, with Jessica Chastain and Dan Stevens (from Downton Abbey), and another off-Broadway drama, If There Is, I Haven’t Found It Yet starring Jake Gyllenhaal.  I really hoped to see a musical, but it wasn’t to be this trip.  Still, I walked down Broadway and saw the signs for Chicago and Book of Mormon, Once, Ghost, and Nice Work if You Can Get It and wondered how long it would be before we’d get to see Part of the Plan in lights.

But what was most exhilarating about this trip was meeting new people and telling them about Part of the Plan.  Laurie’s friend, Michael (mentioned above), was a doll.  He did his research before we met and had a terrific idea.  Michael develops some of his shows at his alma mater, a Midwestern university with a highly respected theatre department.  Aware that Chicago is a vibrant theatre town, and with Dan being a native son of Illinois, he suggested we explore the Chicago theatre scene, starting with Northwestern University.  I nearly choked – Northwestern is Kate’s alma mater.  She got her MBA from Kellogg, the business school there.  And they also have a fabulous theatre program.  It was a head-slapper, as in “why didn’t we think of that!!??”  I called Kate that night, very excited, tucked the Chicago notion into the back of my brain, and then tucked myself into bed.

The next morning, I had a meeting with one of the heads of a boutique television-production company – that also happens to own a theatre in the West End of London.  I can’t tell you what a kick it was to walk into their beautiful, Upper East Side brownstone lobby and see one of those signs with removable letters that said “Welcome Karen Harris.”  Holy smokes, I felt like the Queen!!!  John and I spoke about development in the West End (a dream of mine), and he was very impressed with our packet, which he promised to send to the London Theatre Director.  I also met with a NY theatre agent, and with Kate’s Broadway lawyer as well as my own (always a good idea when you’re creating a partnership).  I caught up with some of my writer friends who all seemed to know someone I should meet.  I can’t keep up with all the kindness that was shown me.  But I do know I left each meeting a little wiser.  Whenever I brought up Michael’s suggestion about Chicago, the response was always “what a terrific idea!”  I talked to Kate every day to bring her up to speed, and we agreed that we were getting valuable information about our journey, and we must stay flexible in the way we get there.  I’d also left our packets with certain select people in the hopes that they would give us creative feedback. 

We flew home on October 22nd.  I can’t believe I was only there for 6 days.  I felt as if I’d accomplished a month’s worth of work.  And meanwhile, Kate was working just as hard out of LA.  Within a week, fired up by my inspiring experience, Kate was going to return to New York and finish what I’d started.

- Karen Harris

I made my way up 7th Avenue in New York City to the law offices of Lazarus & Harris, in the heat and the heart of Times Square, to meet with our “production counsel,” Mr. Robert C. Harris, Esq.  As I climbed up to the 11th floor, I was struck by how lucky we were to have Bob on our team.  Bob Harris has been one of the top attorneys to represent Broadway productions for over three decades.  In that time, he’s represented shows including Beauty and the Beast, Crazy for You, Chicago, Cabaret, Monty Python's Spamalot, Spring Awakening, The History Boys, Frost/Nixon, August: Osage County, Hair, American Idiot, The Book of Mormon, War Horse, and most recently Gore Vidal's The Best Man, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess, One Man, Two Guvnors, and Nice Work If You Can Get It!  I have to admit, I felt an almost surreal sense of confidence to have the man who represented the heirs of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald representing us as well.  So I walked into Bob’s office with a smile on my face knowing we were in expert hands.  

Bob and I had a great and enlightening meeting about the next steps for  our musical.  The path to Broadway is pretty straightforward, although not necessarily easy.  There are specific stepping-stones that are wise to take on the journey.  Getting to the next step depends on the success of each benchmark.  One of the first things we learned is that we don’t want to expose our show to Broadway too soon.  We need to make sure we have the best possible script, because you only get one shot with Broadway producers.  That means our next phase will include a “Staged Reading” followed by a more extensive “Workshop” or two, with time in between between to continue to hone the book.  For those who are curious, a Staged Reading consists of actors (on stage behind music stands) reading our book and singing Victor Vanacore’s arrangements of Dan’s songs.  This is the first time we will hear our characters’ words and songs together, guided by a director.  The Workshop takes place over several weeks, and involves choreography, blocking, and daily re-writes, allowing the creative team to see the whole production on its feet.  If anyone has seen Smash, you know what this entails!  By the end of the Workshop, the show should be ready to mount in a regional theatre – the modern-day equivalent of what used to be called an “out-of-town tryout.” 

Naturally I asked Bob, “Where do you see us?  What regions of the country do you think would be good for Part of the Plan?  He generously provided the names of several theatres that are known to the Broadway theatre community as springboards to develop shows for the Great White Way, and then came another twist of fate.  Bob said, “You know I have a client who runs a terrific regional theatre in Pennsylvania.  I enthusiastically responded, “Well, I’m from Pennsylvania… Any chance it’s in Philadelphia?”  And he said, “As a matter of fact, I think it’s outside Philadelphia.”  I told him that I was raised in Bucks County and about the historical theatre there, built in 1790, that I went to as a kid, the one that’s been closed down for years.  Bob then excused himself, and a few minutes later, returned with a purpose, “It is the Bucks County Playhouse, it’s been totally refurbished and it’s just reopened...” I almost fell out of my chair;  and of course, I didn't hesitate to fantasize about the possibility of bringing our show to my old stomping grounds.  Not to mention it’s an hour and change out of New York City, an easy trip for the Broadway folks to come see the musical when the time comes.  So Bob put us in touch with the Artistic Producer of the Bucks County Playhouse, who also happens to be a Broadway producer.  He’s been tremendously helpful in giving us advice, insightful notes on our script, and the encouragement to stay in touch.  When the time comes, wouldn’t it be perfect if we found ourselves in the very place where my love of theatre was born?

Between the meeting with Bob, and the calls I had with colleagues in the financial/investment banking world, we were traveling up the learning curve and making the connections that would inform our next move.

After three weeks in NYC, I flew back to Los Angeles. Shortly after arriving home, Jean Fogelberg told us she was showing her new works at an art gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico – less than a day away by car.  Always game for a road trip, Karen and I jumped into her Prius and headed to Santa Fe to support Jean in her latest venture and bring her up to speed on ours!

-Kate Atkinson

Kate and I took off by 11am on Friday.  It’s a long drive to Santa Fe, where Jean’s art show was opening on Saturday night.  We decided to enjoy the ride, not try to bite off too much in one day.  We set our sights on Flagstaff, Arizona, about a seven-hour drive.  Of course we had a bagful of Dan Fogelberg CDs in the car with us, but truth be told, we spent most of the trip yakking our heads off.  We’d never spent that kind of concentrated time together.  Kate loves to ask questions…sometimes you ask yourself, who took Kate and replaced her with Barbara Walters ;-0.  I, on the other hand, love to talk (ok, I’m not nearly as bad as Snookie or the Kardashians, but still…) So, we were well-matched!

There was one thing we did do while we were driving that didn’t involve digging into our past lives and loves.  Kate had her laptop,  so we did more work on the book (you’ll be hearing that a lot!)  Jean had given us feedback on an earlier draft.  She is so creative on so many levels, and came up with terrific suggestions, some of which we were able to include in our rewrite after the table reading.  Now, on the way to New Mexico, we had several new ideas, and we were figuring out how to work them into the current draft.  Of course, Dan’s music filtered through the car’s speakers as inspiration while we worked.

We arrived in Flagstaff and checked into our digs for the night – it was a room the adventurous Kate had found in a sweet house on the edge of the Coconino Forest!  The couple who owned the home were delightful – an architect, a designer, and their very friendly dog – and made us feel very much at home.  That evening, we hopped in our car and drove into downtown Flagstaff.  Kate was there a couple of years ago for a film festival in Sedona and was thrilled to be back.  I hadn’t been there in probably ten years, and my memory of it was kind of funky.  But the historic center has been charmingly gentrified.  We found a great place to eat, Brix Wine Bar & Restaurant, and were able to dine al fresco in the beautiful enclosed patio.  It felt great, after the lengthy drive, to have a glass of wine and relax.

In the morning, before we left (wishing, of course, that we could stay longer), we took a long hike through the forest.  It felt great, knowing we had another six or seven hours before we reached our destination.   We thought that we might end up staying here on the way back from Santa Fe on Monday night.

Somehow (not surprising if you know us) we ended up getting a late start.  But we weren’t worried – after all, I said, “The reception doesn’t start until…8pm?”  Kate answered “Sure, something like that.”  So we spent  another day in the car, with Kate grilling me about my deepest, darkest secrets, and me providing all the answers.  We may have stopped somewhere for lunch, or we may have simply snacked  and yakked our way across another State Line.  Just after 5pm, we pulled in to Love’s Truck Stop, outside of Albuquerque, to fill up the tank – a rare event in a Prius.  One of us decided it would be a good idea to actually look at the information about Jean’s show so we’d have the address, etc (probably me ;-).  We had both brought cute outfits, and wanted to get to the condo in time to take a shower and freshen up.  Kate looked at the info and turned pale – the reception was starting at 6pm!!!   So all our plans were out the window – we ended up digging our clothes and shoes out of our bags in the trunk, brushing our teeth, and changing into a version of our party duds in the public stalls of the restroom at the station’s mini-mart.  We were horrified at the idea of taking this long journey and possibly missing the main event!

We made it to the McClarry Modern Gallery in Santa Fe, only half an hour late, relatively cool, calm and collected.  It was a terrific show and Jean looked beautiful, as always.  The show primarily featured her newer modern works, and her use of light and shade and color and form are singularly her vision.  A couple of Jean’s BFF’s were there to support her as well, and it was so nice to meet her friends and see Jean in her element.  We didn’t discuss “Part of the Plan” that night – it was Jean’s evening and we respected that.  We knew we were getting together with her the next day before she headed back to the Ranch in Colorado.  So Kate and I finally made it to our condo, which was spacious and very South Western, unpacked, and stayed in for the evening.  It finally hit us that we were exhausted!

Sunday morning we found our way to the Santa Fe Historic Plaza.  We shopped, of course, and did some sightseeing.  Kate bought some beautiful Talavera tile pieces for her home. My husband, Bruce, an excellent chef, had asked me to pick him up some spices that were specific to the region, which we managed to find.  Then we met Jean at the historic La Fonda Hotel On the Plaza for lunch.  Jean told us the whole story of how she and Dan met, right there in Santa Fe!  She was singing in a club and performed “Leader of the Band,” without realizing Dan was in the café, watching her.  He approached her afterwards and said something like, “Nice song.”  Jean responded, “It’s a GREAT song.”  Dan then introduced himself, and the rest is history.  As many of you know, theirs is a very special love story.

We were able to bring Jean up to date on “Part of the Plan” and the changes we made, as well as our plans moving forward.  Jean has always been very respectful of our work, and while we love her comments and ideas, she’s very clear that they are not “notes” in the traditional sense.  Whatever we found useful, we should incorporate, she told us.  But also, Jean wasn’t the least sensitive if an idea didn’t work for us. It was an indication of her trust in us.  One interesting development:  Kate and I had made our female lead, Rebecca,  an artist – before we even realized the extent of Jean’s talents.  Part of our discussion at lunch turned Jean’s offer to use her artwork in the production as Rebecca’s.  It’s obviously too soon to put anything in stone, but we all sure fell in love with the idea.  We even changed a line in the dialogue to reference Lee Krasner (it had been Isabel Bishop) to align with Jean’s sensibilities as an artist.

The hours flew by and  it was time to say goodbye.  Jean had a three-hour drive ahead of her, so we wished her a safe journey, and looked forward to our next meeting.  It’s hard to believe this was only the second time we’d been face-to-face with this remarkable woman.

Kate and I walked around Santa Fe for the rest of the afternoon, and had a fabulous dinner, and a margarita or two, at El Farol (highly recommended to anyone visiting Santa Fe).  We were sitting VERY close to a couple on a first date who felt compelled to reveal tell-alls to one another about every relationship they’d had before tonight.  Besides, we weren’t eavesdropping.  This couple chose not to keep their voices low ;-)   A reminder to all of us – watch what you say in public.  There could be a writer or two listening in!  

Arriving back at the condo, Kate checked her calendar, and realized she needed to be home for a meeting first thing Tuesday, not Wednesday!    Change of plans!!  We got up early on Monday and drove the full 12 hours home – 847 miles.  We arrived home exhausted, but very satisfied, and glad we’d made the trip.  One thing we knew for sure – we were building our own relationship with Jean Fogelberg.  It was no longer only about Dan and the musical.  We were becoming friends, which would make doing “Part of the Plan” with Jean as our partner, an even greater joy.

*  Note, we realized when attaching our photos, that our trip to Santa Fe actually took place a month before Kate’s trip to NY, not after… oops!

- Karen Harris

When we felt we had a pretty good draft of our book, our next step was to organize a TABLE READING.  This is a common first step in theatre; it lets the writers know how their book sounds out loud.  We gathered in Kate’s living room and brought in some  terrific actors – some were friends and some were strangers, known to us through their work.  

The good thing about a Table Reading is that you can have actors take on more than one role.  For example, the gal who played Rebecca’s mother (a snobby character in Act I) also read the part of Sean’s sexy, Mexican lover in Act II.  Kate and I are toying with this kind of idea for the actual production.  Perhaps the actors who play Rebecca’s wealthy parents in the beginning, will double up as the working-class, Irish adoptive parents of Sean later on.  It’s a move that would surely appeal to actors, as well as giving a break to the budget.

We invited a couple of people whose opinions we value to be our “audience.”  Among them were Kate’s partner, Richard Allegro, who has been there since the idea was born; my husband, Bruce Cervi, a talented writer/producer in his own right; and our friend Stephan Wolfert.  Stephan was hired by the brilliant choreographer/director Twyla Tharp to choreograph all the military sequences for the original Broadway production of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out.”  We’re fortunate to have Stephan consulting on the military aspects of “Part of the Plan,” which include choreographing our Act I closer, "A Voice for Peace", as well as our Vietnam army camp and jungle scenes in Act II.  Of course our arranger, Victor Vanacore, was also at the reading.  It’s crucial that Victor has a strong feel for the story and script so that he can create arrangements that give deeper meaning to the story.

We all listened as these wonderful actors spoke our words, which gave us a sense of what worked, and more importantly, what didn’t.  We cringed on occasion – oh, that line has to go,  that scene is waaaay too long, that joke doesn’t work, and this one works better than we imagined!  Because of the nature of a table reading, it’s not possible to hear characters sing the songs.  But we played sections of the music where it would appear in the story, and of course, everyone agreed the music was magical.  In addition, we got some very constructive feedback when the reading was over.  My husband, who, as a rule, prefers hard-hitting action or sci-fi to Broadway musicals, had tears in his eyes as he commented, “If you can make me feel like this, you’ve got a winner on your hands.”  We sure hope he’s right.  The actors chose to spend the next couple of hours with us, discussing characters, structure, and the other essential elements of a show like ours.  And for that we are ever grateful.  We provided the wine, they provided their wisdom.

Inspired by the reading, Kate and I went back to work on the script with excitement.  We enhanced some characters, and pulled back on others.  We decided to move certain plot points around, including shifting the big wedding scene from Act I to Act II, which helped balance the whole play.  “Magic Every Moment” now opens Act II – a joyous, upbeat, full-blown production number to bring the audience back from Intermission.  We polished the dialogue, and polished it again, until we had a second draft of which we could be proud.   So now what?

Having a script in hand was fantastic, but it was just the start.  We knew we were ready for the guidance and direction of professional theatre people who have traveled this road before us, i.e., producers, investors, and other playwrights.   Which brings us to July of 2012 and Kate’s first trip to New York City to introduce two new West Coast playwrights to the Broadway theatre community.  We had no idea how they would respond to a couple of refugees from Television and Independent Films.

- Karen Harris

We arrived back in LA on February 20th.  We could have flown all the way home from Nashville without an airplane, that’s how high off the ground we were!

The following day, Kate and I went right to work on the Book for Part of the Plan.  We knew we had a story (the one we pitched to Jean, Norbert and Sheryl), but we needed to make certain it would translate into a script for a stage musical.  The characters needed to be fully realized, the plot points had to make sense, and we wanted to create a solid balance between drama and humor, action and romance.  We began to write our script, and rewrite, and rewrite.  

While this is the first project Kate and I have collaborated on, we discovered we had very similar sensibilities.  One would start to explain an idea, and the other would jump in to finish the thought.  When we’d get simultaneous goose bumps, it was time to put pen to paper.  We knew that Part of the Plan would follow parallel stories – that of the privileged but rebellious Rebecca, who gets pregnant at 16, and Sean, the boy she’s forced to give up for adoption.  And we discovered that the best musicals start out with a bang, so we decided to bring up the curtain on a
country club dance in 1950, a la Mad Men, with the entire chorus as wealthy elitists performing “Power of Gold.”  When we needed a big Act I finish, “A Voice for Peace” transformed into a Vietnam-era anthem (a troop carrier may
just be the icing on the cake for this scene, if the budget allows ;-).

Those times when Kate and I would disagree, we were always respectful, even while our voices would get louder and we passionately swore that my way (or hers) was PERFECT!  In fact, we’re still arguing over whether Sean should accompany himself on guitar when he sings “Leader of the Band” at a critical, dramatic turning point, or whether he should simply sing it standing in a spotlight.  Anyone wanna break a stalemate?

It had been a long time since I’d written with a partner in the same room, but Kate and I came up with a system that worked beautifully.  On any given day, I would take the scenes from one storyline, and Kate would write scenes from the other.  When we’d paste them together at the end of the day, we were always surprised how seamlessly they blended, as if we’d written them together. 

We continued to immerse ourselves in Dan’s music, gaining a greater and deeper respect for the man’s talent. 
While it’s impossible to do justice to his entire catalog, we selected (and reselected) the songs that helped us envision the story we wanted to tell, a process that’s still ongoing.  Just the other day, we added “Ever On,” partly inspired by the feedback we’ve been getting from all of you.  I’m certain any Dan Fan will have opinions about where we get it right, and where we miss the boat, but ultimately, we have to follow our instincts.  The echo of Jean’s words – to always protect the integrity of Dan’s work – is our guiding force.  So we continue to remain true to our vision, our story, and our passion to bring Dan’s music to a generation who may not know his work, to those who may have forgotten his artistry, and to the die-hard fans who yearn to hear his music in all forms.

It was going to take time for all the legal and contractual details to be worked out, which gave us the time we needed to think, create, and write!  Throwing ourselves into our work was heaven.  We could have kept rewriting the book, but the day of reckoning was coming.  We had to get out from our safe little cave of an office and actually hear the words spoken.  By real actors!  Sitting around a table in Kate’s living room.  That, my friends, was terrifying.

- Karen Harris
 

It was such a pleasure to meet Jean when I had only communicated with her by e-mail for over three months.  Norbert commented on the fact that we had never actually even spoken on the phone.  “Dan’s watching over this,” he said.  We thought so too.

We all settled into the conference room with the three of us from LA on one side of the table, and Jean, Norbert and Sheryl on the other.  Karen and I narrated our story and Richard worked the music.  Whenever there was a video to go along with the music from Victor, we’d play it.  Everyone loved Victor’s energy, talent, and especially his take on Dan’s music.  As we anticipated, Jean’s biggest concern in signing on to a project like ours was that the INTEGRITY of Dan’s music be maintained.  Luckily for us, they all agreed that we had found just the right musician for the job.  At one point in the presentation, as we ended the telling of Act I, Jean gasped out loud… in a good way.  We knew she liked where we were going. 

By the end of our presentation, Jean and Sheryl were open about how they felt.  They both expressed how impressed they were with what we had put together.  Norbert seemed somewhat more reserved which made us a little nervous.  He was, after all, the man who knew Dan’s musical artistry longer and better than anyone.  We looked at him, waiting for a response.  Any response.  He took a deep breath as we held ours.  And then, he spoke:  “You’ve got it all here.  There’s nothing for us to do.”  As we exhaled, he talked about the emotional aspects of the story, as well as how taken he was with the ordering and selection of songs we’d chosen.  “It hasn’t been done before.  It’s great.” 

We knew we’d done really well, but no one was saying the magic words we came to Nashville to hear.  The next thing we knew, Norbert had invited us all to the hotel bar to celebrate.  Celebrate what?  A good pitch?  A long flight?  We were dying for more, but apparently, we weren’t reading the signals.

In the bar, we all got on like gangbusters.  Norbert and Sheryl regaled Richard and I with the story of when Clive Davis came to Norbert with a cassette tape of a young budding musician and his very first songs… Norbert knew and respected Dan’s talent from the very beginning.  Jean and Karen spoke of dealing with loss – Karen had come right to the airport from the memorial of a dear friend who had passed away from cancer.  Jean told her about the Don’t Lose Heart website, created by Jean to provide support for caretakers of the terminally ill. 

While our side of the table was yucking it up about Norbert playing bass for Elvis and how his band blew off the chance to meet the Beatles in their hotel room, I heard Karen blurt out to Jean, “So, what now?”  All conversation stopped cold and we all looked to Jean.  It was a total E.F. Hutton moment.  Jean told us she wanted to work with us, that Dan would have loved this project, and she promised she would call the right people to get the deal rolling.  Part of the Plan was officially born in that moment, the moment we all had waited for... Now we were ready for the Grand Ol’ Opry!

-Kate Atkinson

The day after I sent my e-mail, Jean wrote back.  I couldn’t fathom that she had responded herself.  I felt sure that one of the gatekeepers of all things Fogelberg would be reading my e-mail and that perhaps it would never reach her.  When I saw that the return e-mail was signed by Jean, I called Richard at work and then drove to Karen.  We jumped around like kids, barely able to contain our excitement.
 
Jean’s response was short and sweet:
 
Dear Kate,
 
I have received so many letters over the last three years, from people who have ideas for all kinds of projects. Sometimes I just don't answer because the time it would take to write a letter that would politely decline the offer while not discouraging their creative energy is just more than I can spare. But I do try. However, in reading your letter, I felt something. I've had people ask about doing an ABBA-type show before, and I love the idea, but have always passed. Perhaps it was the way you express yourself, maybe it's because today is the 3rd anniversary of Dan's passing, but I feel like I would like to hear more. I warn you, I'm a tough sell - it has to be classy and something I feel Dan would approve of - but I'd like to at least hear more about the storyline. How would you be most comfortable doing this?
Sincerely,
 
Jean Fogelberg
 
Not only were we thrilled, but the idea that I had sent the e-mail the day that I did, without realizing the import, was unbelievable.  Our gut instincts told us that we had one shot only to present our idea to Jean.  So when she suggested we meet over Skype, we resisted.  We knew we had to present in person, so Jean could see and feel  the full impact of what we wanted to accomplish.  We would fly ANYWHERE, we told her.   

After several e-mails back and forth, Jean said, “I’ll be in Nashville in February, do you want to meet me there?”  You bet we would!  Richard, Karen and I booked our tickets and began to gather what we needed for a full-on presentation!
 
We went to Victor Vanacore’s studio, where we took video of him arranging six of Dan’s songs on the fly.  We played Victor Dan’s version of BELIEVE IN ME, and explained to him that our 16 year-old ingenue would first sing this song to her newborn baby boy before she had to turn him over to be adopted.  Victor turned BELIEVE IN ME into a lullaby before our eyes.  
 
Karen had the brilliant idea of putting together a mock PLAYBILL to show the WHO’s WHO on the team, as well as the MUSICAL NUMBERS, CHARACTERS & SETTINGS, and all the usual  items one finds in a Playbill at the theatre.  We had a great time working on the design...
 
A week  before we were scheduled to arrive in Nashville, Jean e-mailed to ask if we’d mind if she brought Norbert Putnam (Dan’s longtime record producer) and his wife Sheryl along to hear our pitch.  Of course she could!

With our materials, my laptop, and Victor’s videos in hand, we got on a plane and flew from LA to Nashville, Tennessee.  It would be the six of us in a conference room in the Vanderbilt Hotel on Feb 19, 2011.

- Kate Atkinson