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Paths Crossed and Uncrossed

By Ophelia Chong
February 14, 2009
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divorce

I work virtually, I communicate with my clients via email, IM and occasionally on the phone. I do meet them from time to time, but mostly I am just a Ping in their email inbox.

Fall 2006

I was introduced to Erin Kamler by a mutual friend back in the fall of 2006. Erin, a very talented musician, artist and writer needed a logo for her musical Runway69. I designed a logo that was used in the New York debut. All our work was done via email and we never needed to speak on the phone, since both of us were busy, we found the ease of email to our liking. Two years later, Erin emailed that she needed a logo for Divorce the Musical, I was intrigued with the possibilities of the logotype and emailed back a few comps. One stuck and I sent her the file and off we both went back into our own swirling vortexes.

Valentine's Day 2009

It is 10:51pm and I am sitting at my keyboard. I just got back from the opening night of Divorce The Musical. I arrived at the box office at the Hudson Complex with my friend Michael and was met by the producer Rick Culbertson, he grabbed my hand and shook it, he thanked me for designing the logo, I smiled and thanked him for inviting me. I was there to experience the excitement of opening night, and to finally meet Erin. It was the end of a shared process of silent words and images to an evening filled with music, laughter, sadness and joy.

Divorce The Musical opens with a couple joined in love, and moves to the couple unravelling at the seams. Penny (Lowe Taylor) and Rich (Rick Segall) have differing views on what marriage is about, Penny is working on a career, while Rich wants to start a family - money, miscommunication and rebound sex further complicate the delicate untwining of their hearts. With a multi-talented ensemble cast, Erin plays out the process of loving and leaving, with a couples therapist (Gabrielle Wagner) as a Greek Chorus that meddles more than heals. As one of their multiple roles, Gabrielle Wagner and Leslie Stevens play the attorneys as enchanting Sirens luring their clients to the rocky shoals, while padding their bank accounts. If you could have your divorce set to toe tapping music, and have your mediation process set on a game show hosted by a Mediator in a mustard colored Be-dazzled jacket (Gregory Franklin), you would have Divorce The Musical. Every divorce should be this fun.

Take A Bow

After the cast gave their final bow, Rick Culbertson came on stage and gave thanks to friends and family. He then took a deep breath and spoke about his relationship with Erin, that while working with her on Divorce, he fell in love with her. He then took a deeper breath, and he pulled out a box from his jacket pocket, and proposed to Erin. A collective gasp from the audience made the moment stop in time. Rick bounded up the steps to Erin and placed the ring on her finger. Nothing could make the moment more perfect than the serendipity of opening night being on Valentine's Day.

As the crowd thinned, I went over to Erin and we shook hands. Our paths finally crossed outside of the internet and into the real world.

divorce2

Top Photo: Lowe Taylor and Rick Segall
Bottom Photo: Gabrielle Wagner, Rick Segall, Gregory Franklin, Lowe Taylor, Leslie Stevens
Photos by Craig Schwartz

For information on Divorce The Musical go here.
DIVORCE! THE MUSICAL begins performance February 5, 2009 through March 29, 2009, with the official press opening on February 14, 2009. The world premiere musical plays at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Performance schedule is Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.

ERIN KAMLER (Book, Music and Lyrics)
RICK SPARKS (Director and Musical Staging)
DAVID O (Musical Director and Arrangements)
For full credits go here.

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