Thank you for taking the time to stop by the home of Me And My Muse. I want to talk about how this hybrid production came about and why it’s so important to me.
Are you ready?
Me and My Muse started out as a series of videos I created as a unique way to promote my novels. I sat down with a cheap camera and had conversations with my muse about whatever it was I was working on at the moment. I did this for about 7 years, and it really meant something to me. I can’t remember the number of videos I created in that fashion, but it was a lot. A lot.
That series eventually evolved into me simply talking about various topics I believed could possibly help artists do what they do, as well as navigate the waters of a world that wasn’t exactly amenable to those of us who considered art to be an absolute necessity for the soul of humanity. I would then pepper that with advice on just being a good human being and maybe even add a bit of humor.
It was fun and (believe it or not) I still do it. You can find those videos on my <shameless plug>YouTube channel.
One day, when I was in the shower, I realized I needed to do something else with the idea. Initially, I thought I’d turn it into a series of books about a writer (me) who woke up one day to find he could hear his muse speaking to him. I thought, “I think that’s something every artist could relate to.”
However, something was wrong with that idea, so I asked myself, “What do I really want to do with this thing?”
Then it hit me: Turn it into a TV series!
Of course! I mean… why not?
So, I invested far too much money into a cinema camera, mics, lights, and more equipement that I would probably ever need. I enlisted a friend and we set out to make it happen. I wrote the pilot episode and then he and I spent two months filming the first scene every Saturday until we felt we knew what we were doing.
Famous last words, but we were ready.
And then… my life fell apart (as life is wont to do).
I put the project aside because life had decided to kick my soul in the heart.
Fast forward about 3 years.
One day, during a bleak midwinter, I was on the treadmill watching The West Wing and thought, “Why has no one ever done episodic theatre?” In that moment, I realized that I was going to make that happen. It took me all of ten seconds to realize the perfect story was Me And My Muse. So I rewrote the TV script, decided it would be a combination of live action and film (because… I’m a masochist) and set about seeking friends who I loved and loved to work with that would want to join me on this mission. To my surprise, I didn’t have any trouble getting people on board.
The next big decision: Who would make the perfect director?
One day, I was at a voice lesson with one of my all-time favorite humans, Sharon Kinnison, and I asked, “Would you like to be a part of this project I’m creating?” Without hesitation (or my explaining what the project was), she said, “Yes!”
I had my director.
From there, everything fell into place. It took roughly a year after that until we had our first rehearsal and a month after that, Me And My Muse: Wake Up was brought to life at the Walden Theatre (thank you, Andrew Harris and Stage One).
This series means the world to me; it’s autobiographical, filled with heart, and has a message everyone could benefit from.
Me and My Muse is me, my heart, my soul, and I would love for you all to join us when we open the next episode.
Thank you, my friends. I love you.
Jack Wallen (producer, writer, and actor)