Watch the His Story sizzle reel:

 OVERVIEW

Contemporary pop musical delivering Jesus’ message of compassion and love through a dynamic, uplifting, live Broadway theatre experience.

A VIDEO MESSAGE FROM AUTHOR, ANNA MIRIAM BROWN

 
 

"I prayed and knew the songs would come to me when God was ready"

A NOTE FROM DIRECTOR, JEFF CALHOUN

"Bursting the seams with heart"

People often ask me what I am looking for when deciding to develop a new Broadway musical. I always give the same answer, “heart!” Well, HIS STORY The Musical is bursting at the seams with heart, thanks to our brilliant author/composer, Anna Brown.

Although I have worked on seventeen Broadway musicals, nothing prepared me for the shock and awe of meeting this truly amazing artist. It did not take long after hearing Anna’s original concept album to know that I had to be involved. Anna’s Gen Z perspective has made this familiar story youthful and contemporary, not exactly adjectives I had previously associated with the Bible!

"Gen-Z perspective... youthful, sexy, and contemporary"

The heart of HIS STORY emanates from the messages of love, compassion, and redemption delivered entirely through Anna’s music and magnifi ed by the ingenious choreography of Eamon Foley. Add to that the stunning vocal arrangements by Rick Hip Flores and spectacular visuals from Broadway’s celebrated set designer, Tobin Ost, and I believe we have the makings of an enormous hit.

COMPARISONS 

Inspired by HAMILTON and shares its eclectic style including being entirely sung-through.

THE CHOSEN, the fi rst-ever multi-season TV series about Jesus which has garnered 100 million views for Seasons 1 and 2. To put into perspective, FRIENDS garnered 52.5 million viewers for its fi nal episode.

Like the most licensed shows to the secondary professional and amateur markets (regional theaters, community theaters, colleges, schools, churches), a fl exibly large cast, family-friendly material, catchy songs, and a recognizable brand element.

HISTORY

2017

17-year-old Anna Brown listens to the Broadway original cast album of “Hamilton” during a mission trip to Africa and gets the idea of making a musical about Jesus for her generation.

Over the next year Anna prays for help and writes 30 songs she calls HIS STORY that span Jesus’ life and work from virgin birth to resurrection.


2018

Anna’s parents devote their resources to record a concept album. They locate and contract Pawl Zareki to arrange, orchestrate and produce the music in Warsaw, Poland and record added vocals at Longhouse Studios in Los Angeles.

The album organically garners 100k+ streams on Spotify and 100k+ views on YouTube.


2019

Grammy Award-winning Producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac “Rumors” album) hears the album and Anna is introduced to TONY AWARD nominated Broadway producer Bruce Lazarus.


2020

Anna, Josh and Sarah travel to New York City to meet with Bruce and attend the Commercial Theater Institute seminar.

Anna and Bruce formally execute a theatrical production agreement for worldwide rights.


2021

Bruce puts together his team, including Chase Gosselin of Visceral Entertainment as General Manager, Peter Breger as Legal Counsel, and Hofstetter+Partners as Marketing and Social Media Agency.


2022

Bruce interviews veteran Broadway directors and engages 2-time TONY AWARD nominated Jeff Calhoun to direct. At Jeff’s suggestion, Eamon Foley is engaged to choreograph the show. Broadway veteran Rick Hip-Flores is engaged as Arranger and Music Supervisor.

The decision is made to produce the show in Dallas, Texas, and establish it as a long-term tourist destination that can be licensed and duplicated in other cities in the US and worldwide.

Anna makes several trips to New York to work with Jeff, Eamon, and Rick to fashion the songs from the concept album into a legitimate Broadway stage musical. In April this work culminates in a fully staged workshop of the new musical at new 42 Studios NYC with Jeff’s longtime collaborator and TONY AWARD nominee Tobin Ost as Scenic Designer and Daniel Lundberg as Sound Designer. The Thinking Tree coproduces. Visceral Entertainment manages the workshop production.

The workshop is videotaped and edited by Streaming Musicals and Milliron Studios.

Korie and Willie Robertson are introduced to the video and passionately come on board as producers as do Troy Duhon, Bob Katz, Brad Reeves, Bill Noble and Jill Wilkinson.

Situation Interactive, the leading Broadway digital marketing agency, joins the team to oversee digital advertising. The publicity team is rounded out by Christian Marketing Specialist, Joe Battaglia of Renaissance Communications, and the publicity fi rms, Keith Sherman & Associates (National PR) and A. Larry Ross Communications (Dallas PR).

LAUNCH - 2023

Why Dallas?

  • #1 fastest-growing city.

  • Perfect “bus trip destination” for Houston, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City (Houston #3 and San Antonio #4 fastest growing cities).

  • Home to 5 million people who identify as Evangelical Christian.

  • 8 of the 25 largest churches with a combined weekly attendance of 190,000.

  • Hosts large Catholic and somewhat smaller LDS and Jewish communities.

  • Markets have relatively low television advertising rates.

The Broadway Tent at Grandscape

  • An agreement is reached with Mathew Churchill Productions to purchase the 1300-seat Peter Pan 360 Tent and rename it as The Broadway Tent.

  • An agreement is reached with the brand-new Grandscape Dining-Entertainment-Shopping Center in The Colony TX (20 minutes from DFW airport) to place The Broadway Tent in the key location directly in front of the iconic Ferris Wheel to begin installation in March 2023.

  • An announcement was made on December 15, 2022 at Grandscape with The Colony Mayor Richard Boyer and other county and state dignitaries present. Anna sings and brings the crowd to tears. The fi rst performance is announced as May 5, 2023 with opening night set for May 18, 2023. Tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com.

Beyond Dallas

We expect that we will produce or license additional long-term destination productions in other US cities (for example Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Anaheim) and in the United Kingdom and Australia/New Zealand.

Additionally, we will produce or license North American Tour(s) at Performing Arts Centers, large and small, then having established the brand take the tour to New York City and if warranted return as a full open-ended Broadway production or alternatively return annually for Christmas and Easter.

We also have the right to produce or license additional companies as tours or sit-down productions throughout the world in all languages.

 

 

On a creative landscape 400+ acres, unfolding like a grand map ready to be explored.

Venue Details

  • Super Regional Anchor Retailers

  • Exceptional Streetscape Atmosphere

  • Immersive Technology Experience

  • Best in Class and many first to Dallas Tenants

  • Entire Spectrum of Food and Beverage Offerings

  • Leisure Entertainment Destination

  • Wellness Concepts

  • Luxury Living–Amazing place to LIVE

  • Hospitality–Incredible place to stay

  • Corporate Office and Co – Working

Perfect location in North Dallas, with more than a mile of frontage on the Sam Rayburn Tollway (SH 121) and three interchanges.

Greater Dallas Metro Area

  • DFW Airport 4th busiest in US

  • 12 largest metro economy in world

  • 4th largest metro with 6.8M residents and growing fast

  • Largest population growth of metros 2+ million

  • Workforce 3.1+ million with 31% holding college degree

  • #1 US Metro for Food + Alcohol spending

Anchor Attractions

  • World’s largest sporting goods store

  • 85 specialty shops & interactive experiences

  • 65-foot ferris wheel

  • 2 high speed superkart tracks

  • Arcade, bowling, ropes course

  • Restaurant & bars

  • 15 theatres

  • Sony 4k laser digital projection and sounds

  • Luxury leather recliners

  • Restaurant & Bar

 

THE BROADWAY TENT

 

The Broadway Tent at Grandscape is a state-of-the-art 1300-seat theater tent. The first-class venue features plush seating, 360 degree overhead projection mapping, and full A/C and heating.

“In every generation God raises up new voices that point us to Jesus in unique, powerful and creative ways.  We believe Anna Brown, the 17 year old writer of His Story, is one of those voices.  We are thrilled to be a part of bringing this musical to the stage!”  

- Willie and Korie Robertson,
Stars of Duck Dynasty, NYT Bestselling Authors of The Duck Commander Family: How Faith Family and Ducks Built a Dynasty

“I love that His Story is giving us a visual experience and interpretation of the life of Jesus. It’s amazing to get to see Jesus being the human that he was; laughing, singing, and hugging people. But it is also amazing to see Him for the God that He is. I love how they beautifully intermingle these things to tell His story.” 

- Sadie Robertson Huff,
Writer, Speaker, Creator of Live Original, and the award winning Whoa That’s Good Podcast

"Immediately on hearing the music I knew I had to bring this show to a worldwide audience. People needed to experience the magic of Anna’s telling of this familiar story in a most unfamiliar way; making Jesus easily relatable to a new generation."

- Bruce Lazarus,
Producer and Broadway TONY AWARD nominee

THE MUSIC

"Explosive in rhythm and rhyme"

The musical score of HIS STORY breaks new ground, boldly propelling the story of the New Testament into the 21st Century.  Penned by the gifted Anna Miriam Brown, the songs deftly synthesize the styles of rap, R&B, and pop.  Explosive in rhythm and rhyme, but never lacking for melody, the music soars with all the grandeur and pathos of the timeless source material from which it is born. 

"Sonic influences range from Kanye West to Billie Eilish"

To capture the vitality of this daringly original score, live musicians will play in synchronicity with fully produced and orchestrated tracks.  Utilizing the most modern production technologies available today, the palette of sonic influences ranges from Kanye West to Billie Eilish.  While eclectic in nature, the score is never gratuitous or ungrounded.  Each moment is crafted and honed to capture the soul of a character and the spirit of a moment. 

-Rick Hip-Flores, Music Supervisor / Arranger

THE DANCE

"Bodies work together as an organism to create cinematic images"

His Story is paradoxical in that it is epic in scope and yet told in a fashion that is purely elemental. The goal is to make miracles happen on stage in ways that are intrinsically human. Bodies work together as an organism, the sum greater than its parts, to create cinematic images of fantastical events. A ship comes together, a stormy sea swirls, and an angel materializes, all using bodies. By establishing a choreographic language using modern, jazz and hip-hop styles, we ask the audience to bring their imaginations to the table. In doing so, we hope to infuse this ethereal story with a human, tangible quality. 

-Eamon Foley, Choreographer

 

THE DESIGN

"Our sets and costumes will allow the old to feel strikingly new, and the contemporary to feel ageless"

Drawing on time-honored elements as comfortable to BC as AD, our sets and costumes will find commonality in materials, allowing the old to feel strikingly new, and the contemporary to feel ageless.  We will see and use elements in their purest form throughout the production, including water, sand, clay, and stone, adding in advanced elements such as glass, steel, silver, and gold. In a sort of abstracted archeological dig site, we will create a literal onstage arena that supports in all the best ways the abstraction and modernity of the HIS STORY narrative. State-of-the-art lighting, sound, and scenic automation will complement and underscore these simple but bold elements, highlighting the beauty of the story, its music and choreography.

-Tobin Ost, Scenic Designer

Check out Behind the Scenes Video

Check out the Full 84 Minute Workshop Video - Password his-story2022

THE TEAM

ANNA MIRIAM BROWN (Book, Music & Lyrics). Now 21, Anna started writing His Story, The Musical at the age of 16 while on a mission to Africa. A dyslexic, unable to read or write before 9 years old, homeschooled, Anna focused instead on the arts before writing her first songs at 15. As a social-media-savvy Gen Z, she sees a chance to reach her generation with the timeless story of light and hope. Anna is an author and illustrator of over a dozen educational books, some bestsellers, for children, especially kids with Dyslexia and teens with their passions and career goals. Anna currently lives in Dallas and travels often doing research for writing projects, which include several new musicals.

JEFF CALHOUN (Director). Broadway: Disney’s Newsies (Tony Award Nomination for Best Director), Bonnie & Clyde, Jekyll & Hyde, Grey Gardens, Deaf West’s Big River (Tony Award Nomination for Best Revival of a Musical), Brooklyn, Annie Get Your Gun, Grease (Tony Award Nomination for Best Choreography), Tommy Tune Tonite, and The Will Rogers Follies. Tour and Internationally: Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 (US National Tour, London, Australia) and Disney’s High School Musical 1 & 2. Mr. Calhoun is an associate artist at The Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Covenant House International, a not-for-profit helping homeless youth in thirty cities across six countries. He recently directed A Night of Covenant House Stars (2020 and 2021) on Amazon Prime. Twitter and Instagram: @thejeffcalhoun

EAMON FOLEY (Choreographer & Associate Director). is the Artistic Director of Grind Arts Company. Choreography credits include Next to Normal (Writer’s Theater), Annie (The Hollywood Bowl), Merrily We Roll Along (Wallis-Annenberg Theater), Alien/Nation (Williamstown Theater Festival), and, upcoming, Guys and Dolls (Imperial Theater – Tokyo). As director-choreographer: Nine, Sweeney Todd, Cyrano, Hero, and The Last Five Years. As a performer, Broadway credits include Gypsy, Assassins, The Grinch, 13! The Musical, and Everyday Rapture. Eamon received his BA from Princeton University.

RICK HIP-FLORES (Music Supervisor & Arranger). was the musical director of Natasha, Pierre... on Broadway, and music supervisor of In Transit, Broadway’s first a cappella musical. He was Associate Musical Director of Ain’t Too Proud, and has conducted seven other Broadway shows including Fun Home, Come From Away, Bronx Tale, Groundhog Day, Beautiful, Rocky, and the Radio City Rockettes. Rick’s arrangements and orchestrations have been performed by the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and on television. Most recently, he was awarded the Kennedy Center Musical Theater Award for his work on Daddy Issues.

PAWEŁ ‘BZIM’ ZARECKI (Arranger). has worked with artists like: Anna Maria Jopek, Mietek Szcześniak, TGD, Pat Metheny. He plays the keys with several Polish artists, and recently travelled to the (USA, Izrael, & New Zealand) to produce albums. Most of the time he works in his own studio at home, Pueblo People Studios, in a forrest few km from Warsaw. 

TOBIN OST (Set and Costume Design Consultant). Broadway: Newsies (Tony nomination-Best Set Design of a Musical), Disaster!, Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde, The Philanthropist and Brooklyn The Musical. Off-Broadway: Tappin’ Thru Life, Nightingale, Grace, The Overwhelming, Zanna–Don’t!, Almost Heaven and Fighting Words. Tobin has worked extensively with national regional theaters including La Jolla Playhouse, the Mark Taper Forum, Arena Stage, Huntington Theatre Company, Ford’s Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Two River Theater Company, The Old Globe, Kansas City Rep, Yale Rep, Hartford Stage, and AllianceTheatre.

DANIEL LUNDBERG (Sound Design). Designs include New York Stage and Film, A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live. Associate sound design and sound engineer credits include Paradise Square, Freestyle Love Supreme, Once Upon a One More Time, Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Jagged Little Pill, An American in Paris, Shakespeare in the Park, Cirque du Soleil, and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. BFA Carnegie Mellon.

BRUCE LAZARUS (Producer). Broadway: Say Goodnight Gracie (Tony Award nomination - Best Play). Off-Broadway: Only Kidding, Shakespeare’s R&J. Bruce is the former Executive Director of Samuel French, the largest licensor of Broadway and Off-Broadway plays and musicals to the secondary market. He also has the distinction of serving as the original lead legal counsel for the most successful Broadway musical in history, Disney’s The Lion King, and the most successful Off-Broadway show in history, Blueman Group. www.linkedin.com/in/BruceLazarus. For investment and sponsorship opportunities, email bruce@brucelazarus.com

VISCERAL ENTERTAINMENT (General Management) Founded by Michael Chase Gosselin and Tim Sulka, Visceral executive produced four consecutive NYT Critics’ Picks: Emojiland, Midnight at The Never Get, Life Sucks and Happy Birthday, Wanda June. Visceral’s shows have received and been nominated for Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Off-Broadway Alliance, Bistro & MAC awards. Other highlights: Starcrossed (UK), ¡Americano!, A Turtle on a Fence Post, Rescue Rue, Period Piece, The Song of Bernadette, Tiananmen, and currently Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical.


Co-Producer
THE THINKING TREE LLC

General Management
VISCERAL ENTERTAINMENT

Strategic Christian Marketing
JOE BATTAGLIA

Digital & Social Media
SITUATION INTERACTIVE

Advertising
HOFSTETTER+PARTNERS

Integrity Consultant
INTEGROUS LLC

Press Representative
KEITH SHERMAN & ASSOCIATES

Legal Services
LAW OFFICE OF PETER BREGER

Videography
STREAMING MUSICALS

 

A NOTE FROM PRODUCER, BRUCE LAZARUS

 

I suppose that there are moments in all of our lives when, for various reasons, we are moved to reflect upon the purpose of our being.  25 years ago, I stopped and took stock of my life, the ups and downs, my actions, both good and bad, my assets and my liabilities. I realized that I was on a dark road leading down a negative path that would ultimately lead to self-destruction. I prayed for help and was guided to 12 Step recovery programs. There I had a personal awakening of sorts where I made a conscious decision to right myself, move forward with honor and integrity, make amends to those I had harmed and turn my will and my life over to the care of God. I was propelled into action and over time my body, mind and spirit were all transformed. I was able then to immerse myself fully in life. I married, raised two sons, held prestigious employment positions, built businesses, and gained financial security.  I was energized by my accomplishments in the world. Gradually I fell into the unfortunate trap of wanting greater and greater success. My focus on external accomplishments became a distraction from my internal growth and spiritual life. Although I was no longer on the dark road, I once again began feeling the familiar emptiness I had once known. I entered a new season of searching for meaning and purpose. Using my talents, experience, and passion for theater, I decided I wanted to produce a show that would not only be a spiritual journey for an audience, but also for myself. I solicited scripts of plays and musicals about God, spirituality, religion, and the search for the meaning of life.  My intention was not to find Christ. Frankly, that never entered my mind.

"We were brought together to take HIS STORY on an inspired journey for all to experience the heart of Jesus Christ as, perhaps, never before. "

Finding the right producing project that would fill my soul was to no avail. I put the idea on the back burner and continued on my career path. Last year I was asked by a friend to help his friend with a film project. He wondered if I would look at a stage-musical about the life of Jesus Christ written by a young girl. My first reaction, was that this project probably was not right for me, so I put the material aside. Nevertheless, out of respect for my friend, I felt it only right to listen to at least one song before I rejected the work. Skeptically, I played the first song and… WOW!  It was contemporary and beautifully written, arranged, and orchestrated. I was immediately interested. I listened to the next song - this one a pop style and a sure HIT. Then another song that brought me to tears. Before I knew it, I had listened to the entire album and was completely enthralled. I had to know more. Here was a portrayal of a Jesus who was human, a brother and a teacher - a totally accessible man. I arranged to meet with the composer, Anna Miriam Brown, and was captivated by her energy, personality, work ethic, and sheer talent. I was hooked. Without even trying, the long-desired musical about God had found me! I knew I had to bring this show to a worldwide audience.  People needed to experience the magic of Anna’s telling this familiar story in a most unfamiliar way; making Jesus easily relatable to a new generation.

"Making Jesus easily relatable to a new generation."

So here we are. The fact that you are reading this history affirms to me that we were brought together to take HIS STORY on an inspired journey for all to experience the heart of Jesus Christ as, perhaps, never before.

I hope you will join me on this mission to produce His Story on tour throughout the United States/Canada and internationally, then on to Broadway and London’s West End. Together we can only succeed!

For investment and sponsorship opportunities, email bruce@brucelazarus.com

 

To review the estimated production budgets, recoupment schedules, and projections for HIS STORY THE MUSICAL ORIGINAL COMPANY IN DALLAS, TEXAS 

The Information presented here is intended as an introduction to our plans to bring HIS STORY to the stage. It is not an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities, which may only be made by a prospectus submitted in accordance with applicable state and federal law and regulation. It is accurate at the time of publication, but subject to change.