News • The Story • The Musical • The CD • Audio Clips • The DVD • Reviews • Autism

News

News 4/8/07 Come And See Andrew Michael!!!! The musical, Andrew Michael, is coming back to Damascus United Methodist Church on Movie Night, Saturday, April 14, sponsored by Church and Society. First presented on stage in the Great Hall in 2002 by the Thurmont Thespians, Andrew Michael is now on DVD. Written by composer-teacher, Doug Benson, Andrew Michael tells the story of the fictional Hart family, and the challenging experiences of raising a child with autism in today’s society. The story is drawn from the experiences of many families with autistic children, as well as from Mr. Benson’s experience with his own autistic son. Andrew Michael brings “an enlightening and powerful message of hope and truth…a darkly humorous story of family and fate, at times both comic and biting…the bittersweet triumphs of both human and divine love.” Andrew Michael educates us generally about issues relevant for all special-needs families. The Thurmont Thespians received a 2002 grant from the Frederick Arts Council to produce Andrew Michael. The cast toured the Washington area in spring of 2002 with sixteen performances. Comments: “It’s entertaining, spiritually uplifting”… ”We were riveted…captivated and enlightened by it”… “It touches all issues, confronts the establishment, bites”…”Thanks for sharing what it means to raise/live with someone who is ‘different’”….. Please join us in the Great Hall at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 14. Free tickets! Popcorn! For more information and audio clips, visit www.sultasto.com Helen Deering for Church and Society (The DUMC Beaconette)

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The Story

ACT ONE begins with a short overture (Andrew's Theme) as we first meet the “Spirit” of Andrew Michael Hart, a 7-year old autistic boy. Spirit, who is usually invisible to the rest of the cast, quickly fills us in on the background of the Hart family (Life Goes On). When Andrew exhibits severe developmental delays, his parents, Melinda and Russell, attempt to get accurate medical diagnoses and appropriate help from the school system, all without success (We Are Professionals). As the Harts realize the uncertainty of Andrew's future, Russell expresses his own feelings and concerns (Questions For My Son). The Harts try to make their life with Andrew and his 9-year old sister, BethLynn, as normal as possible, but tensions grow as Andrew's odd behaviors intensify. Spirit voices Andrew's unspoken questions about how his family views him (When You Look At Me). An awkward scene at a local ice cream parlor turns into a chance meeting with a stranger and his adult autistic brother. With new insights from this possible glimpse into the Harts' future, Melinda tucks Andrew into bed that night (Good Night My Little Love). In her desperation for aid and spiritual comfort, Melinda approaches the family pastor, Reverend Peters, who quickly shuts down her attempts to create a ministry for the special needs community. Spirit offers up a stinging commentary on this hypocrisy (Lullaby For The Sleeping Church). When Melinda asks Russell to consider changing churches, a tense moment follows which reveals hidden disappointtnents on both sides (Once I Had A Life). The first act closes on a Thanksgiving Day family dinner with the three grandparents present. While Russell's overbearing mother, Elizabeth, creates a generally uncomfortable atmosphere, BethLynn feels neglected and desires some of the attention given to her brother (Is There A Star For Me?). ACT TWO begins with an instrumental (Entr'acte) which transforms into a Spring outing to a local baseball field. Russell attempts to teach Andrew the national pastime (Baseball!), but his dream is thwarted by Andrew's total disinterest. Meanwhile, Melinda attends a meeting of a local autism support group, and discovers she is not alone in her experiences (I'd Better Knock On Wood). As Russell brings a visibly upset Andrew back home, Spirit reveals to us that the base¬ball field was previously used as a Christmas tree lot where Andrew saw Santa Claus, his idol, and that they had wanted to stay there until dark, hoping for Santa's return. After a small altercation between Andrew and BethLynn, Spirit pours out Andrew's many frustrations (My World Is A Pie). Melinda, after a tiring day, falls asleep and has a strange and nightmarish dream (The Dream Sequence), which is broken by a phone call from the Police. Andrew has just been fatally injured by a car, apparently attempting to get back to the baseball field. At Andrew's funeral, it is revealed that Elizabeth, behind Melinda's back, has arranged for Reverend Peters to officiate. When Russell seems to take his mother's side, there is a painful moment when Melinda confronts him with a choice between his mother and her, then silences the verbally stumbling Reverend Peters to speak Andrew's eulogy in her own words. Afterward, Melinda offers her last farewell to her child alone in an outdoor setting (Melinda's Soliloquy). As the scene continues, Spirit becomes visible to Melinda, and a brief but life-changing conversation ensues (How Much). Russell arrives as Spirit departs, and sincerely attempts to apologize to his wife, as they both struggle with uncertainties about their future as a couple (Suppose). Spirit then takes us 25 years into the future, where we see Russell and the grown-up BethLynn at Melinda's interment. We find that the positive lessons learned from Andrew's life and death have reunified the Hart family. We also get a brief and surprising glimpse of BethLynn's children, Andrew and Hope. Spirit, though unrecognized, speaks with those at the graveside. She hints at a hopeful future, even if it may not be in this lifetime (Finale/Bows). Lastly, we hear musical themes from each family member harmoniously interwoven at the act's close (Hart Family Reprise), including, for the first time, the singing of Andrew himself! ---synopsis by Spencer Watson, director of the original Thurmont Thespians production of Andrew Michael.

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The Musical

Notes on the musical In the summer of 2000, I was asked by Spence and Beth Watson to act as the musical director for a Thurmont Thespians teen production of "Godspell". I had not been involved in theater for a number of years, and the experience was a refreshing and inspiring one. It was during this time that the first seeds began to germinate for an original and somewhat abstract play involving a child with autism, a topic I knew well. The specifics were not clear, and the earliest concepts did not include music. As the idea evolved and I finally began work on "Andrew Michael" in December of 2000, many people assumed it would be a story about the many issues involved in raising an autistic child. Although certain autism issues are addressed, they are really not central to the story. "Andrew Michael" is not a play 'about' autism any more than "The Miracle Worker" is a play 'about' blindness or deafuess. Similarly, despite the occasional references to God, church and heaven, it is not a 'religious' story. Rather, it is a story about love, commitment and courage, and the unconditional acceptance of humanity at all levels. Perhaps the greatest underlying message of "Andrew Michael" is that we should not let "the world" become so much of a distraction that we lose touch with our inner spirit. Many of the events reflected in the story are based on the experiences of my own family and our little autistic guy, who (coinciden¬tally?) happens to be named Andrew Michael. Other scenarios which are not specifically autobiograph¬ical are still drawn from the real life experiences of other parents I know with autistic children. Some issues seem to be universal, such as the never ending battles with school systems and the conflicting opinions of medical professionals. Even more surprising is the exclusive nature of so many churches that preach inclusion, while sweeping our families under their rug. When the script and music were completed in July of 2001, I had expected a long delay in production, as most local theater companies were scheduled at least a year ahead, and would likely show little interest in an unknown musical anyway. I was pleasantly surprised when the Thurmont Thespians (my old "Godspell" buddies) showed an immediate interest in producing the play. Equally encouraging was a monetary grant awarded by the Frederick Arts Council to help us get "Andrew Michael" up and run¬ning. --Doug Benson

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The CD

Notes on the recording In the beginning, this recording was not intended for release as a commercially available CD. Rather, it was to be a demo distributed to the original cast simply to help teach the songs. The earliest recordings were, in fact, demos for the demo singers, with my voice (sometimes falsetto) singing every part. Hopefully, none of those CDs exist anymore! Through a crudely constructed barter system (meaning that now I owe a lot of favors) I managed to assemble a hand-picked group of singers to record all of the musical numbers. Most of them have had personal experience with autism. Two of them, Jenny Soto (Spirit) and my daughter Jamie Benson (BethLynn), also appeared in the Thurmont production. One at a time, the "real" demo voices were added in place of mine, and the final version began to take shape. As the recording process progressed, it became evident that the result was going to be much more than just a demo. These vocal performances capture my intent for each song much more closely than I could have imagined, right down to my son's "real live autistic behaviors and singing" caught on tape. Rather than a demo, I consider this effort to be a benchmark for subsequent productions, and therefore perfect for release as a 'cast album'. Consequently, I took extra care in the mixdown and mastering of the final product, using my favorite Broadway and Classical CDs as sonic models. In response to the people who have asked, I performed the instrumental music for" Andrew Michael" entirely on keyboards, generally striving to emulate a live orchestra. These recorded tracks were also used in the original Thurmont Thespians production, which premiered in February of 2002. In deference to certain theatrical conventions which usually prescribe live musicians for live performances, I am also in the process of creating a complete orchestral score which will be made available when and if this work is ever published. --Doug Benson

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Audio Clips

CD Track	236KB MP3	470KB MP3
1. Andrew's Theme	30 seconds	60 seconds
2. Life Goes On	30 seconds	60 seconds
3. We Are Professionals	30 seconds	60 seconds
4. Questions For My Son	30 seconds	60 seconds
5. When You Look At Me	30 seconds	60 seconds
6. Goodnight My Little Love	30 seconds	60 seconds
7. Lullaby For The Sleeping Church	30 seconds	60 seconds
8. Once I Had A Life	30 seconds	60 seconds
9. Is There A Star For Me?	30 seconds	60 seconds
10. Entr'acte	30 seconds	60 seconds
11. Baseball!	30 seconds	60 seconds
12. I'd Better Knock On Wood	30 seconds	60 seconds
13. My World Is A Pie	30 seconds	60 seconds
14. The Dream Sequence	30 seconds	60 seconds
15. Melinda's Soliloquy	30 seconds	60 seconds
16. How Much	30 seconds	60 seconds
17. Suppose	30 seconds	60 seconds
18. Finale, Bows	30 seconds	60 seconds
19. Hart Family Reprise	30 seconds	60 seconds

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The DVD

Notes on the DVD After the sixteen 2002 performances, Doug Benson reassembled members of the cast in the studio to tape a new production more suitable for the screen.

Reviews and Comments

The Press “…Doug Benson’s Andrew Michael” commands thoughtful attention…a show that carries a message.” -- Roy Meachum, The Federick Post “Benson conveys …the profound feelings – both joyful and tearful – of being in a family with a child with autism. The story is ultimately about unconditional acceptance, with Benson’s love for his own son clearly shining through.” -- The Advocate (Autism Society of America) "The music and script weave seamlessly together…a story of quiet desperation, frustration, and ultimately, a family’s strength and love…the script, bold, honest, and touching” -- Chris Patterson, Gazette Regional News “Playwright’s bittersweet musical…explores the notion that life doesn’t have to be perfect to have value.” -- Karen Gardner, The Frederick Post “What Benson has done is to take a serious neurological disorder that affects a half million Americans and inspect it from a parental point of view.” -- Chris Slattery, Gazette Entertainment Comments from Audience members and DVD viewers “I expected a lesser thing. It was a complete production, presentation. Not just a little something. It touches all the issues, confronts the establishment, and bites. It has changed the way I think about my disabled patients." -- a physician, Rockville, Maryland “…entertaining, spiritually uplifting. my wife and I were both riveted by it. We were captivated and enlightened by it. It would be a travesty if it went no further. We have three children who watched three hours – no squirming. There is much to learn from this drama." -- a security officer, Damascus, Maryland “- congratulations ... for such a creative and effective work. Thanks for sharing with me what it means to be “different” and what it means to raise/live with someone who is different. I grew a lot from watching the play. " -- a business woman, Washington, D.C. “Thanks for…the excellent review of “Andrew Michael.” It should be seen by a broader audience. I’m confident it will … touch many lives and provide encouragement for families, like yours, faced with these incredible daily challenges.” -- a librarian, Silver Spring, Maryland "My sincere thanks to you – forever! “Andrew Michael” crosses all boundaries. How you do have to let your own children know they are loved. The phrase, “Do you want to know, How to help me grow …” keeps running through my mind, even after five years.” -- mother of three, Damascus, Maryland “It’s powerful! It has a lot of information for people who don’t have children with special needs .It should be seen nationally.” -- a pastor, Damascus, Maryland

Autism Information

Autism Speaks www.autismspeaks.org/ Autism Society of America www.autism-society.org/

For more information, email:

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This page last updated 02/14/09