The year 2000, turn of the century, turn of millennium, was a turning point for me. I had separated from John, didn’t know who I was alone or how to survive. When Elisabeth Lewis Corley proposed that she and her husband Joseph Megel create a “jukebox musical” from my songs, I was thrilled. We set to work.

Elisabeth created a script with five characters, a storyline threaded through the songs. Jonell, John and I wrote two new songs to fill in the story. “How Green Was My Mood Ring” is a beautiful evocation of the beginnings of my love with John. “Enough” evokes the ending.

We did auditions in New York City and found the equity actors. Elisabeth and Joseph enlisted high-quality professional arrangers, designers, coaches for all aspects of the production. My daughter, Sofi, was home from college that summer and did a perfect job as our production manager.

The performances in the Byrdcliffe Theater in Woodstock were well-received. The small, historic theater provided an intimate setting for working out the show. Byrdcliffe also provided housing nearby for the actors and musicians. A beautiful team coalesced. The next year, Joseph Megel took it to a New Jersey theater where he was artistic director. I do wish it could have gone further. But it was a dream come true.

Joseph Megel and Elisabeth Corley