A brief, pictorial history.
Chicago, Illinois
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John Sparks, artistic director of Theatre Building Chicago invited Jim and Steve to perform The Big Voice in Chicago for a three week showcase production. He had seen it in Los Angeles, and excited about helping the boys raise the show's profile, felt it was ready for the Chicago critics.
[Link to Steve's diary entries covering Chicago.]
Chicago also marked the debut of a brand new song, "How Do You Fall Back In Love?" which has now become the show's centerpiece.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE (March 17, 2004):THE BIG VOICE: GOD OR MERMAN? -
THE LITTLE SHOW THAT COULD!
Given all the religious opposition to gay couples who consider themselves married, one can understand why Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin turned to the theater for spiritual sustenance. And by the end of "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" this performing duo has arrived at the public conclusion that the man upstairs actually was channeling his guidance via Ethel herself.For these musical-loving gay men, it's not so much God or Merman as God through Merman. If that makes no sense, this show probably is not for you. And if it does? A wry and sweet musical awaits.
The theatrical strengths of the piece lie in its potent and provocative exploration of the two fellows' religious roots (Schalchlin was a Baptist in Arkansas; Brochu once was in a Catholic seminary in Brooklyn) and how they morphed into an acceptance of their sexuality. The two are a study in opposites — Brochu is loud, brash and cheery; Schalchlin is introspective and rather soulful.
At its core, "The Big Voice" is an earnest, life-affirming show that's none the worse for its intensely personal roots. The performers — especially the complex and moving Schalchlin — are talented men with complex lives and poignant stories to share and sing about. One leaves the theater with a palpable sense of possibility.
CHICAGO READER (March 19, 2004):
Notwithstanding the minimalist set, it's a little misleading to present this funny, fully realized award-winning musical comedy under the auspices of a workshop program. In fact, writer-composer-performers Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin, who are partners in life as well as onstage, are ringers: The Big Voice is an off-Broadway show running on Belmont. In their autobiographical "solo for two," Steve is the obedient son of an evangelical Baptist family and Jim a devout Catholic adolescent who aspires to be the first Brooklyn-born pope. Both misfit kids look forward to faith-based futures. At life's turning points, they wait for "the big voice" to speak to them. But they're gay. How does that work? They're disillusioned. How does one choose? Suddenly it hits them: Catholic pageantry and evangelical exhibitionism are a lot like...showbiz! Now they have a calling. Theater, says Jim, is like church with energy. Forget about your boredom with coming-out/coming-of-age stories. This double-oddball autobiography is all about joy. These fiftysomething guys are Candide. They're Forrest Gump. Make yourself happy--go.
TALKIN’ BROADWAY CHICAGO (March 17, 2004):
With the controversy of same-sex marriage occupying headline status over the past month, The Big Voice: God or Merman? couldn't be more perfectly timed. It's a highly entertaining exploration of the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of its two gay male writer/performers (Jim Brochu and Steve Schalchlin) and a window into their relationship as life partners for nearly 20 years.
The story of their lives, from adolescence through the production of the first musical they wrote together (The Last Session), is told on a bare stage with songs, alternating monologues, and a small amount of dialogue. A comparison of Ethel Merman's pipes to the voice of God might seem like a too-easy show business joke, but in Brochu's narrative it has legitimacy.
Without resorting to caricature or impersonation, Brochu easily conjures the spirit of Merman. He tells of a chance meeting with her at a hospital where he's visiting a sick friend. Sharing his vocational confusion with her, he asks what he should do with his life. The divine voice answers, "How the hell should I know?"
The two have an easy, self-deprecating humor in the fast-paced first act and a witty script that provides lots of genuine laughs. Their sincerity and candor keep the show engaging. When act two begins to address Steve's sickness, the tone appropriately shifts. Brochu and Schalchlin avoid clichés by focusing on the impact of the drug cocktail's side effects rather than spending too much time on Steve's physical condition. However, there's no denying that the emotional stakes of act two are significant. The age and gender-diverse audience at the performance I attended was genuinely moved.
The score of, by my count, eleven songs is accessible, diverse and contemporary and includes some lively comedy numbers as well as several beautiful and touching ballads, including "Beyond the Light," "Near You," and "How Do You Fall Back in Love?"
The Big Voice is a moving and affirming piece that succeeds without becoming sentimental or maudlin. It tells how we can give or receive divine inspiration in the unlikeliest of ways and that we should not be surprised if the voice of God happens to shout "Sing Out, Louise!"
WINDY CITY TIMES (March 17, 2004):
The Big Voice - a musical about two 50ish gay men’s love for each other, show business and its relationship to organized religion - decidedly comes down on the minimalist side. The two creator/performers arrive on stage in pants and casual shirts. The set consists of a table, two chairs and an electric piano. I thought I was about to see a tryout or a staged reading but I was wrong - yes, critics can be wrong.
This autobiographical story, tweaked with high camp, big laughs, astonishing original music that ranges from heart rending ballads to slick musical theatre to gospel-infused to rock, shattered my expectations and won me over with first a chuckle then a guffaw then tears as Steve and Jim take us on the journey of their lives.
With warmth, poignancy, a great deal of charm and a lot of self-effacing humor, these committed, talented men bring their audience along on a stellar ride. Starting with a childhood fascination for theatre and music and being trapped in the confines of organized religion (one Roman Catholic and the other Southern Baptist), the pair chronicle their meeting as young men aboard a cruise ship, their domestic highs and lows, their familial relationships, their theatrical triumphs…and more importantly their personal triumphs - surviving AIDS and a serious break in the foundation of their relationship.
Brochu and Schalchlin are very talented men and The Big Voice succeeds despite its minimal trappings. Their infectious humor and their ability to shine a spotlight on their personal and professional lives supersede any need for sets and props. This duo doesn’t need them. The lack of these things make their characters and story sparkle even more brightly.
Tribune Reader Review FOUR STARS (March 18, 2004)
This is one of the most innovative musicals I've seen. Jim Brochu is simply hysterical and Steve Schalchlin's music is both funny and poignant. Do yourself a favor and go see this show!
The audiences turned out in droves as the show set new box office records. Once again, The Big Voice turned out a wide variety of audience members. For a show about a gay couple, it seemed to attract all ages and all orientations -- from the oldest to the youngest, gay to bi to straight.They decided to continue testing the show's audience appeal by accepting a new engagement in Omaha, Nebraska. Though they didn't realize it at the time, this would be the last engagement before an unexpected opportunity in New York.