If you follow me on Facebook (and I think all my readers do) you already know this, but this morning I got confirmation that Eldridge Plays and Musicals will be publishing my oft-blogged-about children's play, The Hero Squad vs. The Princess Snatchers. THSvTPS represents the longest artistic endeavor of my short career. It was the first play I wrote (unless you want to count Angel H's career-defining Big Liar, Little Liar), and I started it back in 2005. I've detailed the process on this blog before, so to sum up, it's been a long process of workshop readings with friends, rewrites, productions at schools, more revisions, mounting my own production, a few last tweaks, and lots of frustration in the "shopping" process. It all officially "payed off" yesterday when I received an email from Eldridge's editor asking if the play was still available. So I had to "sit" on it all night, because I didn't want to spread the cheer until I'd officially been given an offer. (By "sit on it" I mean I only tipped off about six people, most of whom were not from here so it couldn't accidentally slip out) Fortunately, the confirmation came before I got to work this morning. I say 'Fortunately' because I hate keeping secrets (as evidenced by the fact that keeping a lid on it meant not telling very many people).
The play will be available from Eldridge's web site this spring and offered in their annual catalog next fall. I can't tell you what a weight off my shoulders this is. I've felt all along this was a good play, and one that has the potential to absolutely delight (and possibly even inspire) thousands of kids, but the theatre world at large has been less than encouraging lately. Eldridge does a very good job of getting their shows into the hands of schools and community theaters as well as the occasional professional company, and while it's less likely that the "big" children's theaters in the country are going to give my script serious consideration, that's really okay. I'm more concerned with getting my stories out there in front of kids to be enjoyed than I am with getting prestige. And I think school kids will have a blast performing this particular show. And let's face it: the bottom line, for me, is that it's all about the kids.
So, praise the Lord for the opportunity to touch far more kids than I ever could on my own.
I've had a pretty good couple of days, aye? ;-)
