IT'S ABOUT TIME
THE MUSICAL

It’s About Time – A Magical New Movie Musical

Dean Kravitz presents “It’s About Time,” a magical new movie musical that brings together young people from different pivotal periods in American history, each becoming a stepping stone for the other to reach their full potential.   Through the magic of a “time traveling pied piper”, all the kids arrive at the “Time Table” after traveling through the galaxies of time.

The theme is one of accepting others that are different from ourselves with kindness and respect, and we realize the power we have to help make a positive difference in others and the world.

Personnel

Composer/Music Producer Dean Kravitz has created 18 songs for “It’s About Time” working with a creative team featuring highly sought collaborators who are acclaimed voices in music and media:

Music Producer Stu Kuby has produced a cross section of superstar talent over the years, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Al Jarreau, Aaron Neville and Gladys Knight.  

In their careers combined, lyricists Amy Englehardt and Deena Charles have amassed a GRAMMY award, a #1 Billboard hit and enduring Off Broadway credits. 

Live Action Director Adam Heydt has served as director for countless network TV series including “The Drew Barrymore Show,” “Harry”  (the Harry Connick TV Show), “The Martha Stewart Show” and “The Meredith Vieira Show.” 

To orchestrate “It’s About Time’s” ambitious repertoire, Dean tapped a team of internationally lauded orchestrators: multiple Tony Award-winning orchestrator Doug Besterman, whose resume includes orchestrations for Barabard Streisand and Barry Manilow and Broadway orchestration credits for “Fosse,” “The Producers, ” Thoroughly Modern Millie” and “The Music Man”; orchestrator Larry Hochman, who has done orchestrations for Marvin Hamlisch, Audra McDonald and Paul McCartney, won a Tony Award for The Book of Mormon orchestrations, and has received 7 Tony Award nominations for Best Orchestration for shows such as Monty Python’s Spamalot, Something Rotten!, Fiddler on the Roof (2004 Revival), Hello Dolly (2017 Revival) and She Loves Me (2016 Revival); and arranger and first-call collaborator Rob Mounsey, whose decades-spanning career includes projects for Paul Simon, James Taylor, Michael Bublé, Rihanna, Usher, Mary J. Blige and Eddy Mitchell, and album credits for Steely Dan, Phoebe Snow, Kurt Elling, Diana Ross, Roberta Flack, Diana Krall, George Benson and Brian Wilson.

To interpret such diverse musical selections, Dean put together a supergroup of hard-hitting artists who have recorded the soundtrack including: Paul Schaeffer on Piano and B3 Organ  (The David Letterman Show, B.B. King, Brian Wilson), Will Lee on Bass (Steely Dan, James Brown, Chaka Khan, The David Letterman Show), David Spinoza on Guitar (Paul McCartney, John Lennon, James Taylor), Chris Parker on Drums (Miles Davis, Billie Holliday, Aretha Franklin, Brecker Brothers), Matt Beck on Guitar (“In the Heights” and “Tick Tick Boom” Motion Picture Soundtracks), Saxophonist Lou (“Blue Lou”) Marini (Saturday Night Live Band, Frank Zappa, Dionne Warwick, Maureen McGovern), Pianist Lee Musiker (Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Audra McDonald), Acoustic Bassist Jay Leonhardt (Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Sting). and Trumpet player Randy Brecker (Brecker Brothers, Joe Cocker, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin).

Premise: While each character invites viewers into a unique historical era, 13-year-old Finn, a “time traveling pied piper,” identifies them all as young dreamers who want to change the world for the better but find themselves stuck, each in their own way. Through instrumental magic, he draws everyone together, outside their personal timelines. Gathering at the Time Table, after initially clashing over differences between them, the characters grow to accept each other’s differences, as they also discover they need to work together and support each other so they can reach their own full potential and better heal the world. 

Theme: In accepting those we view as different from us, and supporting them with kindness and respect, we all can realize the power we have to help make a positive difference for others, and in the world. 

Music: Each song reflects a different musical style informed by the historical era of the characters who sing it, including 1780’s Classical, a 1860’s Spiritual, a Roaring 1920’s Charleston song, 1950’s Rockabilly, slammin 1970’s funk, 1980’s bubblegum pop and much more.  Through moments of playfulness, conflict, sadness, hope and resolution, we experience profound discoveries along with the characters and, eventually, experience with them the transformative magic that inspires them to bring their better selves back to their own eras so they can better heal their world, giving us hope and empowerment for healing our future world. 

Musically, “It’s About Time” takes on another meaning in that when the characters are at the height of their emotion or have their transformation, that is reflected in a shift in rhythm, meter or time signature.  There are lots of interesting cross-rhythms….all related to what’s happening with the story and the character.

For more information, please email Dean Kravitz at ptwdean@gmail.com.