"Nunc Licet"

Emanuel Swedebenborg

"Nunc Licet Intellectular Intre in Arcana Fedei"

"Now it is Permitted to enter Intellectually into the Secrets of Faith"

"Nunc Licet" written by Arthur Greisiger is a dramatic stage play that addresses the progression of thought and feelings that leads a person through religious concepts that are founded in Christianity and breeches the subject of the transition from the natural world into the spiritual world. It does this by exploring numerous concepts that arise in the mind that is exploring the existence of God and introduces the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, in a summary fashion, while doing so in the context of a dramatic stage presentation.

   This drama will be produced before "I Am Alpha & Omega", being that it was derived from that larger stage presentation and that A&O is undergoing rewrites and significant redesign as a whole.

   In terms of the resources available for any of this, Image of the Mind Studios is undergoing major changes in terms of facilities, construction, and also Publishing activities, so those things will directly effect any production of stage projects such as these.

   Two of the projects most affecting activities are the construction of a Green-Screen Stage and a Recording Studio. Another is Publishing Activities that must take priority. Check the IMS Virtual Studio and "The Gnomes of New Hope" for assorted discussions in this regard.

AG

An Update

 

Well, for a time there were discussions going on about the music with a composer/songwriter of note. That inspired me to work on the Libretto. Those discussions have ceased, primarily because the lines of communication could not, or would not, be confirmed by a face to face meeting. 

  There is only so much discussion that can take place until the lines of communication are confirmed to be absolutely secure and free from being corrupted by uncertainty. Well, we reached that point and the dialogue was beset with uncertainty on my part. So I discontinued discussing the project.

  That's not to say that dialogue can not or will not be initiated again, but the channels for that dialogue must be established through other professional avenues. I'd be happy if that happened, but as they say; "the ball is in your court".

  So in the meanwhile, I will be working on the Libretto, locating, gathering and revising the work that has been done in the past. The rapidity in which that occurs is completely contingent upon completing "The Gnomes of New Hope; Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure".

   But there is also "Nunc Licet", a stage play, that is in line to be produced for the cameras.

  In addition I have my responsibilities to "The Bryn Athyn Orchestra" as a Board Member, which involves; Grant Writing, Publicity, GFX Design, and Technical Direction.

   I also have multiple publishing projects online and intend upon installing a printing press in the Studio for the Illustrated Storybooks, the Score and assorted photographic and display products.

   So, because of all thiaddressing the music on "I Am Alpha & Omega" will not occur again until the Libretto is published again. I am open to discussions if that line of communication opens up again. I will continue to pursue the professional avenues available for that to happen.

   In the meanwhile, I have a goal of building my sound stage and of building a sound studio large enough to house a 24 piece orchestra (for the Gnomes) and possibly be expandable for a larger one. 

    It rather depends on the available space after doing a layout for the renovation of Building Two. I have four, 

5k sq ft buildings to work with and I have much to to in maintaining and renovating the studio facilities. So all projects are affected by this.

I Am Alpha & Omega

   

   As I've stated numerous times, this is a theatrical project which I began back in 1974. It has gone through many changes on it's journey from a screenplay to a multimedia theatre presentation. 

  I'm sad to report that the most recent versions of the stage play have been trapped on a failed hard disc and on my dead G3 laptop. I am certain I can recover those versions of the script, but now I am working to reconstitute what I do have, which amounts to the entire 1989  and portions of the 1999 version of the Libretto.  But I do have significant sections of handwritten notes and a new vision in my head.

   The original screenplay has been retitled "The Celestial Manifesto" and that version is in need of updating. That was written when I was 21 and it has the remnants of adolescence in the dialogue. So if I am to redress that film script, I will need to refine the dialogue a bit on that. I do think that has the foundation of a pretty good science fiction story. But I'm too busy with other things to attempt a rewrite on that screenplay.

   "I Am Alpha & Omega" was rewritten around 1986 to become a stage play and it had a few revisions before I broke off portions of the third Act to become a stage drama titled "Nunc Licet". That stage drama took up the majority of my writing labor for many, many years. Before I began "Nunc Licet",  I was writing a medieval romance titled "MiLady", which was retitled "Grael", as it became refined.

   After advancing with "Grael" and "Nunc Licet" I decided to return to working on

 " I Am Alpha & Omega".  At that time, I worked for numerous theatres, including a nine year stint with The New Hope Arts Commission as their Technical Director.

   I began discussing mounting "Alpha & Omega", with The Arts Commission,  but it was becoming too complex. Many years before, I designed A&O to be implemented in a Hemispherical Theatre. I also considered IMAX, and after that Cinema 360.  So when I returned to it, I was somewhat overwhelmed and uncertain what to do about it.

   That's when I shifted gears and moved to create "The Gnomes of New Hope; Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure", which I am still working on.  At that time, I was very involved in Children's Theatre.

  In any event, I have determined to begin rewriting "I Am Alpha & Omega" and committing myself to publishing the Libretto. I do need to address the music, particularly because the Third Act will be an opera based on the Apocalypse and I can't bring that up to spec until the first two acts are restructured satisfactorily.  I do have the text for the third act identified and some of the dialogue and lyrics crafted. It all needs to be pulled together.

  The advancement of A&O will depend somewhat on conversations that are underway in regard to the music. If I get a commitment from a composer I am talking to, then I will need to speed things up to finish the Libretto, so we can dive into the music.

   The one thing I want to achieve in the new revision is to bring a more abstract vision to certain sections. The are portions of the current Libretto that just laid down a dramatic structure that in not as as artistically crafted as I ant them to be. The information was placed there as a marker and needs to become an expression that is more akin to a impressionistic painting than a snapshot photo of information that we know and expect. There are other dramatic sections that I would like to craft around those ideas as well.

That's all for now. I'll post more later or update this post as I go. AG

A Synopsis of the Project

 "I Am Alpha & Omega"

A Summary:

This project started out as a screenplay, 

which I wrote after I completing the film/television programs

 at Bucks County Community College 

with an major in Mass Media/Cinema.

 I then sought to enroll in the film program at Temple University in Philadelphia.  

I found that the program would not allow me to touch a film camera for two years. 

That was not acceptable to me, I already had my own camera equipment 

I was already making short films, 

plus I had two years in the Bucks program

 with four films under my belt from that program.

So I, after looking at film schools, I decided to visit The Film School 

in Half Moon Bay, California, where I wanted to enroll.

At 21 years of age I crossed the country 

to seek "fame & fortune" in the film industry. 

HA ! That's a joke. 

But I did live in Berkeley/San Fransisco for a time and during that time 

I wrote a screenplay titled "I Am Alpha & Omega".

That screenplay dealt with the second coming of Christ 

and was crafted as a science fiction story.

While I was there, that screenplay found it's way, 

thru a science fiction club in Hollywood, 

to Gene Roddenberry, the creator of "Star Trek". 

I was amazed, especially when as I was told that "he liked it".

Being a young and impressional "Film Student", 

I knew what the flaws were in my script, 

so I took it back, intending to make it better.

Of course, that did not happen so quickly. 

While I was there I was pitching the screenplay 

to an assortment of studios and "alleged" producers.

After showing it to NBC 

I was advised to take it to Bob Hope, 

which blew me away.

I simply could not imagine approaching Bob Hope!

Well, I got distracted from rewriting and ended up leaving Hollywood,

basically to protect myself from unsavory elements 

that were assaulting me, such as these "alleged Producers", 

who were really predators

seeking to take advantage of my innocence.

 Back In Pennsylvania, after a time, I found myself working more on A&O. 

designing festival events, 

producing concerts and film festivals. 

I thought it might be good to see if The Moody Blues might be interested in 

composing music for the film version of A&O.

I set up a meeting, but failed to succeed at that effort.

I then determined to complete my education 

and finish my degree at BC3.

This lead to me being employed 

by the BC3 theatre department as a tech.

 I was  involved in and studying;

 acting, signing, & technical theatre.

So, I decided to rewrite "A&O" as a theatre project.

The link below takes you to my home page. 

In the top header is a link to my Bio,

 which details the progress of my career.

IMS Virtual Studio

The script for Alpha & Omega has gone through 

multiple stages of rewrites,

with each version gaining depth overall.

Well during this process, I was led to discover The Church of the New Jerusalem.

this church is founded on the second coming, which is defined as 

"a coming in the Word".

So over many decades of learning what this meant, 

I rewrote "I Am Alpha & Omega" numerous times 

to accommodate my increasing understanding 

of what the project needed to be.

I will continue to expand upon this Synopsis 

as time allows.

AG

The Subject of "I Am Alpha & Omega"

  I have begun working on A&O again as a result of discussing the music with a musician of significant talent who I think has a propensity for the subject matter, judging firm his previous work.

   Without getting into that, I will say that I consider "I Am Alpha & Omega" to be my Magnum Opus in theatrical terms.

   My goal has always been to address "the second advent of Christ" as a 3 dimensional theatrical experience, but to do so in an aesthetic fashion that addresses certain issues around that event. The issue there is proclaiming the concept in such a way as to bring it to people who are not yet fully informed about what that means and to do so in a what that informs without a rigid doctrine stance that is crafted in older world thinking on the subject. Hence, the content is based on the teachings of The General Church of the New Jerusalem, a church that has been formed as a result of the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.

   I will address this further, as I post information about the rewrites that are beginning to take place. For now, here is a link to the Bryn Athyn Church, which is the world centre for these teachings.

   June 19th is viewed as the date the church was established. The teachings of the church are based on the belief that the Second Coming has already happened and that it was a spiritual event manifesting in the Word.

   We have a Pageant event that takes place on June 19th that deals with the events told of in the Apocalypse (Revelations). This Pageant is very much in line with the Third Act of "I Am Alpha & Omega". If you go to the Cathedral site above, you will find sermons that discuss the subject, particularly those taking place near to and leading up to June 19th.

   My Facebook Page has some posts on the subject with photos of the Pageant, as I performed the role of John for over twenty years. I retired from that role after last years performance and this year I will be portraying the Lord.

AG

   

Finite, Indefinite, Infinite

   In the doctrine, we are told of the finite, the indefinite, and the Infinite. Theses are also terms in common use, but they receive from Revelation a fullness of meaning unknown before. The finite is that which has limit, a border or boundary, which can be seen by the eye or grasped by the imagination. The indefinite is that which has limit or boundary, but such as cannot be compassed by the human mind. The Infinite is wholly beyond the reach of all the thought and imagination of man. We can know that it is, but not what it is. The finite and the indefinite are in and of the created universe, but the Infinite is prior to the universe. It is God Himself, in Himself, the Uncreate... In respect to the Infinite, man is nothing. 

 W.F. Pendleton, D.TH.

Music Composition

    

  I'm quite a ways out in regard to composing the music, but I have been speaking to someone about getting together on the music. Unfortunately our method of communicating is rather erratic, so I will just post here that, if we are moving toward that, then make sure we get together sooner or later on that. 

   I have much to do on the Libretto, so a rewrite is in order there and that will be my focus of attention. Normally, I would craft the Libretto as the music is being composed, but if we are not in communication about the music, then I will do the Libretto first and worry about the music later.

  I am working on crafting a new conception for the imagery needed for Act One, based on some new information that has come to me. I expect that I will compose some music after I get clear on the timing of Act One. I do have that capability. I say that in the light of rewriting the Libretto to accommodate some new design concepts.  If I lay down some music tracks, it will only be because nobody has stepped up to the plate before I get to that point.  I have a MIDI  EWI and keyboard to help with that.  Doing that is a long way off, I need to finish The Gnomes of New Hope first. but I am prepared to compose the music if I have to.  Although, I would rather not. Simply because I get easily distracted with so much to do and I fear I might not get it finished before I drop dead.

AG