I have seen The Forgotten Carols many times and each time I am touched by the special story and its message and how it brings me into the spirit of Christmas.
Q & A with Michael McLean:
1. What is your favorite Forgotten Carol scene?
I have so many scenes in THE FORGOTTEN CAROLS that are “favorites” for a variety of reasons. But I’m surprised, performance after performance, how often something touches me differently and teaches me something that I’ve missed in performances past. It’s the gift of doing this show for 26 years. I keep learning things, understanding things, and feeling things that bring me closer to the One Christmas is all about…the One who we remember…It’s about remembering what’s been “forgotten” when it comes to the meaning of Christmas.
2. Do you have a favorite snack you enjoy while traveling to each tour city?
I'm a diabetic, so this is sort of a trick question. I crave chocolate cake donuts, but have to eat Kind Bars. That’s the reality, but the truth is, I cheat sometimes…and take a little bit more insulin to make up for it. Don’t tell anybody :)
3. What do you enjoy most when you’re on the road performing?
The older I get the more exhausting it is to be traveling from place to place…but the joy of that travel when it’s with people I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to pieces. The cast and the crew make it a joy beyond measure.
4. During the last song when the audience is hand-in-hand singing, what emotions do you feel from the stage?
When the encore segment of The Forgotten Carols happens, I find myself focusing on the meaning of “together forever”. Is it something that we hope will happen someday, somewhere down the road, or is it something we can feel right now, this moment? Some nights I feel like I should sing a different lyric for families that can’t buy in to the idea of an eternal connection, for whatever reasons, and the appropriate lyric for them would be, “We can be together, whatever, today”. Some nights, thinking about my own family and the challenges we face, those words are a great comfort and a celebration of now. I believe that what happens to me, and many people who attend The Forgotten Carols, is that together in that moment, we feel the love and peace and comfort that comes at Christmas time to remind us that we are never alone, and the One whose birth we celebrate is ALWAYS with us. Here’s a news flash for you, my blogger friends. I’M ADDING A NEW CAROL TO THE SHOW THIS YEAR that I think will shine a beautiful light on that thought. Hope y’all come and hear me sing it!!!
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