"DEAR WORLD" AND IT'S CONNECTIONS

"RADIATING GRACE"--Blog # 4

"Dear World' and It's Connections
by Desiree de Angelise"

"Dear World" is one of my favorite musicals, which I discovered when I was working in a campus

library, shortly after we moved from California to Wisconsin.  Jerry Herman, who wrote music for

"Mame," "Hello, Dolly," and more recently, "La Cage..." wrote the music for "Dear World".

He had discovered Giraudoux' "Madwoman"... when he was a student and acted in it and loved it.

While "Dear World" was nothing like his other successes, he is quoted in the information in the cd, as

saying, that "Dear World" is "one of his favorites."


It is easy to see why given the "Madwoman" plot and his music, such as "One Person," "Dear World"

and "Tomorrow Morning" alone.  He also created a complicated three-part harmony for the

"Madwoman" and her friends to sing, including "Everything That Was, Is"


Jean Giraudoux was one of my favorite playwrights--He wrote "fantasy" plays--"Ondine," "Electra"

and "Madwoman"... among others.  I was fascinated with his plays as well as knowing that he was also

a French Diplomat!  The plot for "Madwoman" involves a group of oil men who are willing to destroy

Paris in order to get to the oil.  The "Madwoman" and her friends work to stop them.


Long before this plot became "real" rather than "fantasy," I wanted "Dear World" to have a revival, as

so many musicals do.  I had first the album and then the cd. and I have given the cd to many.


Persons to whom I gifted "Dear World" were Jean Houston, as I found out from attending her "Social

Artistry" group in 2007, that she had once played "Madwoman" and still remembered her long speech,

so in order to thank her, I purchased "Dear World" which I thought she and others would enjoy.

Actually, I remember that years before that I was supposed to interview Alan Cohen regarding his

new and first novel, "My Father's Voice".


 Alan was known as a writer of non-fiction and I had read a number of his books, attended his

workshops and even created some workshops around his books, as well as giving information leading

to where his first Chicago workshop was held.  I had arranged to interview him when I was in Canada.

He was holding a workshop near where I was visiting a friend from Unity Village. Both of us wanted

to attend Alan's workshop.


My friend who later that weekend spoke at the London, ONT Unity Church, had invited me

to join her and offer my choreographed  dance "Touch Through Me: An Invocation to the Holy Spirit"

(Music which I had  discovered when I attended Unity Village in 1995.)  It was there and the same year
when I met Alan Cohen and shared my "Each Moment The Universe Is Making You An Irresistible

Offer" which he later used in his "A Deep Breath Of Life".


  I had arranged with Alan's CEO to do the interview for a spiritual magazine I also wrote for

so I was mailed an early copy of Alan's new/first novel, "My Father's Voice" to read before the

interview; it was agreed that I could do the interview with him while I was in Canada.  I had gotten

a cd of "Dear World" as a"thank you" for the interview, so even when the interview fell through,

I gave the cd to Alan,  as I thought he would enjoy the music and the "Madwoman" plot.


I don't remember if I gave "Dear World" to anyone else; however I do remember sharing "One

Person" from it with others, whenever possible.  Recently, I shared it with a number of my

Facebook friends, and at a Lightworkers Conference I had also talked with one of the presenters

about it.


Before that, however, I have one more unusual connection with "Dear World" to share with

you.


During the second election for Obama, I was working at the Democratic headquarters in Beloit,

Wisconsin where I had decorated the office and  including a printing of the lyrics for "One Person". 

 There were some tours and I was pleased to learn that one of the people coming was a state senator

I had met some years earlier and knew that he had since denied Walker the vote he needed, so I wanted

to celebrate that.  I knew he was coming with someone else; however it wasn't until somewhat later

that we learned that he would be accompanied by Tyne Daly!


Tyne Daly, in expressing her gratitude for my simple gift, shared that "Dear World" was a favorite of

hers, too, and she had talked to Jerry Herman about playing the "Madwoman" part and had been turned

down at that time.  She was most gracious and asked to have a photo with me because we both loved

"Dear World".


Very recently, I discovered that she was playing the "Madwoman"part in a revival of "Dear World"

off-Broadway, so  I was thrilled.  (1) to find out that she got her wish and (2) to know that others

would see and hear the plot, music and lyrics of "Dear World".


I thought that "One Person" would be a perfect song for the Bernie Sanders campaign. 

I hope that you will check it out, too. 

"If one person can beat a drum and one person can blow a horn, and one person can hold a torch,

then one person can change the world."...

















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