New song order too

With the story being fleshed out there are also new songs and anew song order. Obviously, this is constantly changing. But for now, what's on the website (at least the Flash version) is correct...for now.

Story fleshed out a bit more

I have expanded the story now and I think (emphasize "think") it's done. Here's what I did. I didn't put the cop in. Couldn't make it work right in my mind...but I have an idea.....more in a bit on that. What I did was add a drug gangster type guy in named Manny who's the cousin's (T-Bag) supplier. In the end, T-Bag ends up stealing drugs from Manny and these drugs are the ones that Sam is tempted by in the end and that Stealthman thinks is "The Power" he's been seeking. I also put the old lady Susan back into the story. Susan is the name of Donald's late wife. So when he meets this old lady in the rest home named Susan, he thinks it's his wife come back to him. This is compared to the idea as of a week ago where he thought Danae was his wife.

As for the cop idea...well, the idea I had was that maybe the cop could be a female (I need more female characters in the show) and ends up being Sam's sister who got seperated from him in the Foster system, etc., after their parents died. But I'm not sure I like it. Partially it complicates things up...and I'm not sure if it's in a good way. I mean, Sam has Danae and Donald his anchor to goodness and his catalyst for change. I don't know if having a third character is useful. Of course, his sister could be a dirty cop or something and an influence for bad...but he's got T-Bag and Manny for that. On the other hand...but on the other hand...but on the blah blah blah.... I'm undecided. We'll see.

Check out the new synopsis as it stands:

STEALTHMAN SYNOPSIS

Expanding

So now that I've simplified things way down and have been able to complete the story basically, I now feel that I need to expand it back out. As it sits, there are 4 characters in the whole show. I don't feel like the show needs a ton of characters, but at least a few more would be nice I think. Beyond that, there are no chorus numbers at present. Everything's solos, duets or recitative. I need a chorus number, right?

I'm not going to force something in that doesn't fit, but I think the show can do with some expansion now. I'm not going to go the direction I was before (government conspiracy, drug cartels, etc...) but I do think it can be opened up a bit.

I need an idea for a new character. My initial thought was to put a cop back in...but, I dunno. I was stuck on the cop character for so long, I'm not really sure.

I also gave the drug dealer a song...which is a hard thing to do and keep it from being cheesy. But, for now, he's got a song. We'll see if it sticks.

More big changes

Okay, the new synopsis is up. The new libretto (what there is of it) is up. The new song order is on the web site. There are also new songs and more completed, orchestrations. (A World of Madness, Adventure, I Will Save The Day, etc...)

So, check out the website. Things are moving foward.

SYNOPSIS!

I'm very excited! I've finally moved past the block. I have a completed story now and can actually really move forward on getting this thing written. I can't tell you how good that feel.

Obviously there will still be changes and alterations to what I have here. But even if there weren't what I have is a completed story...and a story that I quite like.

So, check out the synopsis here:

SYNOPSIS

Or go to the stealthman webpage and under the WORDS link, where the synopsis and changes will be updated with...well...with updates.

STEALTHMAN WEBSITE

Writer's Block

So...anyone following knows I haven't updated forever. Why? I've been stuck. I could have moved forward on lyrics or music...but, really, if the story isn't together that all feels like placeholder work anyhow that's subject to change if the story does. I just didn't have the story together and couldn't figure out what my main conflict even was.

That being said, I think I'm moving past it. I've stepped back from the idea a bit and rethought, coming up with 2 major changes. Once I came upon those changes I was able to plug the story I had back in and it will generally work pretty well.

Ultimately, I needed to simplify. So here are the 2 major changes:

1. I was working toward the idea of the 'real' bad guys in the story being a drug cartel or the like. Some big, Miami-Vice type bad guy thing.

2. I had too many main characters.

My solutions:

1. The drug dealers will be small time crooks working out of the slums. No cartels. No government conspiracy. Just a couple of losers selling drugs on the street.

2. The characters of Nick (Stealthman's son and a cop) and Sam (the Sancho-esque character) will become one. This means a few things are different. There will be no son. There will be no cop character. The love interest (heretofore between Nick and Danae) will be Sam and Danae.

Also, in talking with my brother, I think the main story and character arch is actually going to be Sam's. Stealthman (Donald) will come across as the main character in a lot of ways, but ultimately will help Sam in his journey and that will be his role. Hmm...actually, that makes me think of another facade type main character by the name of Sam in a little fantasy series called The Lord of the Rings. (Samwise was the real hero, anyhow, right?)

Well, not all the detail is worked out yet, but I feel really good about the direction it feels like it's going in now. I feel like I have a handle on the flavor a bit more now. So, hopefully I'll really be able to get rolling again and get this thing put together.