An Original
Biographical
Musical,
THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS
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Book by: Brandon Anderson
Music by: Kai Kang
Lyrics by: Brandon Anderson & Kai Kang
Directed by: Brandon Anderson
Music Direction by: Kai Kang
Light Design: William St. Hilaire
Set Design: Brandon Anderson
Production Information
Production runs May 18–20, 2023 (3 performances in total)
First read-through scheduled for Monday, April 3rd, 2023
Performances
May 18- 7:30pm Saint John’s Preparatory School, Weber Center
May 19th- 7:30pm Saint John’s Preparatory School, Weber Center
May 20th- 2:00pm Saint John’s Preparatory School, Weber Center
Auditions
March 17th & 18th 2023
Saint Johns Preparatory School
2280 Watertower Rd
Collegeville, MN 56374
*Please prepare an audition song of 16 measures that showcases the best of your vocal range. An accompanied audition track is preferred. Please bring your own accompaniment link/track to auditions. In addition please prepare a short contemporary monologue not to exceed 60 seconds.
Summary
Based on true events, That’s Just the Way It Is a biographical musical written by Brandon Anderson, Theatre Director at Saint John’s Preparatory School, with music composed by SJP senior Kai Kang. The story follows one man’s journey of self-discovery as he searches for acceptance of his rare multi-system genetic disease, Tuberous Sclerosis. The show is an invitation for audiences to observe the constraints of physical disabilities and through the magic of theatre look deeper into the consciousness of a person. By tearing down the walls of shame, humiliation, and indignity we witness the heartfelt touching tale of overcoming one of life’s most challenging obstacles.
Director’s Note
THAT’S JUST THE WAY IT IS has been in the making for over 10 years now. At its inception it was first created to serve as a devise to help fulfill my thesis for my post graduate degree at The Royal Conservatoire of Birmingham in England as I pursued my Masters in the British Tradition. It was performed in 2014 as a two person show to help my investigation of what is required of a physically abled bodied actor to accurately portray a physically disabled character and what physical, vocal, mental, emotional, and political challenges an actor faces in their preparations. You can click the link for more information about that original production here. After receiving feedback from those that attended the production, I knew that the show had the potential to grow. In 2019 I met and started working with an SJP Student Kai Kang on various theatre related projects. Kai possessed a strong interest and talent for music composition and naturally we began collaborating and devising the story further. Now after four years of writing, editing, and composition we are ready to show case the evolution of this very emotional but touching story of inspiration and determination.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusive Casting
We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are actively seeking a diverse cast of actors. All auditions shall be conducted in a manner that promotes fair consideration to persons of all races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, ability statuses, and body types.
If you need special accommodations for your audition, please reach out to me at [email protected] or let our audition volunteers know when you arrive.