Andrea Green Reflection – Changing the World, One Musical at a Time:The Arts in Our Lives

                       Andrea Green Reflection – Changing the World, One Musical at a Time

When I was 12 years old my Dad would take me with him on house calls and to the nursing home where he was the medical director. He would ask me to bring my guitar and play and sing for his patients.  I would go from room to room, making connections with people who desperately needed to be noticed and heard. 
They would talk to me about their pain, their fears, their hopes and their dreams and I would respond by playing music and creating songs that I felt reflected their feelings and experience.   I remember one woman in particular who was battling crippling arthritis singing out “I wanna get my feet a goin’, fly on out of here. Standing on my own again…(to which I added)…on this my mind is clear”. Immediately, we were collaborating on a song about her life. 
The deep empathy I discovered within myself allowed me to connect with her through my music. My heart was so open that the music flowed right out of me.  

My mother was a very prolific poet and music teacher who, like my Dad,
encouraged me to ‘feel the music inside’, help others, to listen closely, 
to communicate, to practice and work hard to expand my musical horizons. 

I pursued the field of music therapy and was particularly interested in the art of creating music and musical theater to meet a (societal) need, provide a purpose and to meet therapeutic objectives. 

In music therapy undergraduate studies at the University of Miami, in Coral Gables, Fla., in my graduate work in the Creative Arts in Therapy Program at Drexel University in Philadelphia and in my internship at Connecticut Valley Psychiatric Hospital in Middletown, Conn., I developed and defined my musical skills, my talent and my understanding of psychology and the psychology of music.  I naturally carved out a unique model that I would effectively use as a music therapist in the years ahead.

In 1982, I was working as a music therapist at the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Philadelphia.  While in a meeting where a debate was going on as to whether children with severe physical disabilities could participate as equal partners with non-disabled youngsters from Germantown Friends School, I found myself challenged to create a vehicle to bring them together. As I sat there listening to a heated discussion of the pros and cons, the words “On the Other Side of the Fence” jumped into my mind.  I imagined a farm divided by a big strong fence, where the animals on the two sides were curious about each other but there was a huge barrier between them.  I raised my hand and said, “I’m going to write a musical that will provide the framework we need to bring the children together as equal partners!”. There was plenty of skepticism expressed by many of the HMS teachers who were worried that their students would be patronized, excluded or not ‘seen’.
After a two week inspirational brainstorm the musical “On the Other Side of the Fence” was born and became the theater structure that would provide the foundation to support the partnership. This metaphorical musical with its’ songs and messages of empathy, understanding, acceptance and respect would be the first in a series of musicals I would create over the next 35 years. 
The musical story parallels the children’s story, with songs of that reflect the experiences and feelings that go along with new relationships; the fears, 
the curiosity, the caring, the communication, the acceptance and the respect.  
The children become aware of what they have in common and are willing to embrace the differences.

As in the lyrics to the song ‘On the Other Side of the Fence’ -
“Animals eating, drinking, sleeping when the day is almost through.
 Animals working, playing, doing what they like to do.
 Learning things from day to day. 
  Growing up in different ways.
 Maybe I should take a ride, over to the other side”.

The late Broadway playwright/composer Michael Friedman was in the first production of On the Other Side of the Fence in 1982. He played the part of Ham, the pig who desperately wanted to be friends with Bacon, who lived on the other side of the fence.  Michael described his experience as a child in the musical as transformative and one that impacted the way he eventually created and produced his own theatrical work .
“Almost all good musicals are about the society and the individual, on some level or another.  Tolerance is the answer. Not just tolerance.. but integration and acceptance of difference. The lessons in the musical will carry these children through their lives”  (https://vimeo.com/76494555)


In 2014-2015, the documentary On the Other Side of the Fence was filmed 
and aired nationally on Public Television (www.ontheothersideofthefence.com) 
The film chronicles my work as a music therapist over the past 35 years creating and producing musical theater as a vehicle to bring together diverse groups. The film received a Mid-Atlantic Emmy, a  Public Service Bronze award from the United Nations and a gold medal from the NY International Film Festival.
It became clear to me from the response from people who viewed the film that my musicals are universal in exploring the theme of acceptance; acceptance of oneself and acceptance of others. 

I launched my business Andrea Green Music to continue to create, provide
and produce my musicals in schools and theaters around the globe. 
I am honored Samuel French Inc. has published three of my shows
and many theater directors  are producing my work not only for it’s
artistic quality but for it’s valuable tolerance teaching lessons.


My first international production was by The Generation Musical Theater Company of Estonia.  They were producing my musical The Return of Halley’s Comet and using the piece to reflect on the country’s history of persecution and alienation of people and the need for continued healing and discussion.
I traveled to Tallin, Estonia to tour with the company. The cast ranging in age from 7-92 performed the musical in the Estonian language and shared with me how this musical was transformational in helping them express their fears. Many spoke about Estonia’s history and how they identified with the “halien” alien characters in the story who were jailed. I realized then and there, that my work was much bigger and more powerful than I ever could have imagined.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+return+of+halley%27s+comet+trailer



My musical HOMEROOM the Musical has had a lot of traction the past couple of years. Co-writer Selma Tolins Kaufman and I created this musical to bring to light the issues of teen life in school. Published by Samuel French Inc., HOMEROOM is performed in middle and high schools and is used as a springboard for teens to sing and talk together.
A teen cast from Ponce, Puerto Rico from the Colegio Poncéno forged relationships and performed with teens from the Philadelphia and South Jersey area.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhp9aLuqJno



The past 3 summers I worked with children in St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands helping to bridge the worlds of children from diverse backgrounds.
I am so worried about everyone right now after the horrific hurricane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GwdCUhO0BU&t=47s



This summer I directed my musical The Same Sky
at the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts in Fairfield, Iowa.
Outwardly a homogeneous group, I used the story about diverse
fabric characters that come to life in a fabric shop, to help children embrace difference in the world. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ruzf8our0


Where am I now?  I live in Center City Philadelphia and I’m preparing to present several tolerance-teaching music workshops at various conferences and universities. Also working hard to create awareness of my musicals so they can be produced in theaters and in schools EVERYWHERE. There is no time more relevant than right now for children to feel safe, to develop empathy and understanding of differences and to work together with mutual respect.  

To end my never-ending blog I invite you to listen to my latest song called
(Everybody is) One of a Kind.  It pretty much sums up my life long
mission to make the world a more understanding, accepting, loving place.
https://soundcloud.com/andrea-green-34/everybody-is-one-of-a-kind-by-andrea-green-copyright-2014

My Dad would be very proud of me today – and proud of himself for knowing
just what I needed to do.

Thank you for reading!

Andrea
Andrea Green Music – www.andreagreenmusic.com
On the Other Side of the Fence documentary – www.ontheothersideofthefence.com
Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/andreagreenmusic/