HADLEIGH CASTLE
– A Work in Progress –
A Musical by Johnny Blue Star and Edgar Arens
“Hadleigh Castle” is a musical inspired by the famous painting by John Constable. Set in the 1930s, it is a dramatic, romantic story set in England, France and Russia revolving around a tempestuous liaison between an aspiring Russian writer and an American painter. They meet in France during the last moments preceding World War II during the last, joyous flames of a creative flowering of the arts in Paris preceding World War II and the German occupation.
The sparks ignited in Paris grow to a bonfire in the early years of the War, when the two meet in Hadleigh Castle, a magnificent relic of a bygone era of kings and knights. There, they consummate their love and begin to live and grow together during a period of imminent danger to Western civilization. Their union produces a child who grows up as the creative, political and social tensions grow between them, eventually dividing them. But can true love be destroyed by the little thoughts and feelings that have caused the rift between them? They rush back to Hadleigh Castle, hoping to find the answer.
BRIDGE OF LIGHT PRODUCTIONS
Bridge of Light Productions, the music division of New Galaxy Enterprises, Inc., a media company, is owned and managed by Johnny Blue Star, a lyricist, screenwriter and producer. Johnny Blue Star and Edgar Arens, composer/arranger, are an American/Russian songwriting team. Collectively, they both co-manage their inventory of songs, as well as the Hadleigh Castle musical project. They have already released their first single, “Christmas in Your Eyes,” featured in their forthcoming musical, “Hadleigh Castle.”
Edgar and Johnny feel they have found the perfect performer for their “Christmas in Your Eyes” in the classically-trained artist, Patricia Welch. Patricia has spent much of her career in musical theatre and has worked alongside legends in the music industry. She was the
featured soloist and sang duets with Robert Goulet in his show, “The Man And His Music,” in his tour throughout the United States, recently performing a duet with him for a 2007 PBS Special. In 2005 and 2006 Patricia was a featured soloist in the Wayne Newton Show. Patricia imparts a depth and power to her music perfectly suited for this Russian/American songwriting team. They hope for a long association with this great artist
Patricia Welch says, “I have been fortunate in being able to work with various stars and sing some of the greatest songs ever written as part of my repertoire. But now that I’ve started to work with Johnny and Edgar, I am looking forward to a really creative and original collaboration. As a performer, I think there’s nothing more exciting than to work with original, cutting edge material, no matter what the genre.”
In regards to her version of “Christmas in Your Eyes”, Mike Merrick, the famed Broadway producer of musicals like “Passion,” “Copperfield,” “Clarence Darrow” and “The Belle of Amherst” has this to say about the song: “Christmas in Your Eyes’ is an inspirational song, performed by an inspirational singer, Patricia Welch. Her interpretation of the beauty of the song affords it with the true meaning it is meant to convey. A perfect blending of artist and musical materia.”
Regarding “Christmas in Your Eyes”, Johnny says, “As managers of Bridge of Light Productions, Edgar Arens and I are proud to have produced a song that will speak to every parent and child throughout the world. Our goal in creating Bridge of Light was to contribute to that universal language of art and culture that has and will always pave a way of understanding between various nations and cultures throughout the world. We are honored to be working with the fabulous, Patricia Welch, who brings to this song the dynamic depth and drama of her classically- trained artistry. We are eager to be working with this great artist.”