Interview/Review of Richard Shulman ‘A Dream of Camelot’ and ‘Camelot Reawakened’
by Cherie Lassiter
Inner Change Magazine Nov.- Dec. 2009
“It began as a dream, where I heard the music of the spheres,” Shulman explains as he began to tell the story of his vision that led him to compose first Camelot Reawakened and now A Dream of Camelot, which is a musical theatre production recently performed at The Light Center in Black Mountain, N.C.
As Shulman listened to this otherworldly music, he “didn’t have the confidence at the time to write it down, and so the music stopped.” He then understood that he needed to continue the music that began with a dream and allow that dream to be fulfilled through him. The music then “started to come in meditations and musical portraits for people.”
The music that flowed through him spoke of bringing heaven to earth, which is “the archetype of Camelot in its highest form.” This archetype holds a strong desire that is in harmony with the land and Shulman’s A Dream of Camelot, “where everyone is honored,” Shulman says. “This Camelot archetype calls for the healing of individual and societal issues that show up in today’s world. The story of Camelot weaves a tale of the highest ideals while revealing the weak thread of human frailty that derailed the dream.” Shulman brings to the stage “relationship issues that we all have with our sub-personalities with each other and with ourselves.” The musical theatre production “brings us through these personal issues into healing.”
This musical story begins at the fall of Camelot as Morgan Le Fay looks out over the battlefield where King Arthur and Mordred, father and son, lay slain by each other’s hand. Le Fay acknowledges her own part in the tragedy and vows to heal herself and Camelot. Meanwhile, from the Otherworld, Arthur and Mordred see their life reviews, which are shared with the other. From this place of shared perspective, “they can only love and understand each other,” Shulman says, “and through each other’s eyes compassion takes the place of judgment and blame.”
As “individual maturing” occurs, Shulman says, “we learn to love those parts of ourselves that are wounded, hidden and shut away.” In one of the songs from the production, “A Friend To Myself,” Mark, the reincarnated character of Lancelot, sings with Glenda, the reincarnated version of Guinevere: “I’ll be a friend to myself, how am I to do it? A little love will do it. Love will show the way.”
As we “learn to love the parts of ourselves that have been hurt, we open up a whole new world for ourselves,” Shulman explains. The archetype of the Knights of the Round Table comes to life in Shulman’s story to illustrate this process of coming into wholeness. “The Round Table is about open communication to all parts of the self as well as with each other,” Shulman says. “These parts, represented by the Knights of the Table, need to be loved into their potential. Communicating with each part of the self allows the inner self to be harmonized and each aspect to be honored.” “Communication is the key,” Shulman emphasizes as he explains the vision further.
In the song “It’s Right Here,” the character Lancelot-Mark sings of the present moment as the point of power and healing:
“I thought I had to ‘get the girl’ to know that I’m OK.
To place myfaith outside myself, chasing it day by day.
But I can make a difference here, who I am is way more than my fear.”
As we “love the insanity inside ourselves,” we become “more effective, aligned and integrated.” This alignment and self-acceptance allow us to have “more compassion outside ourselves.” Within this space of self-love, “we communicate our truth more effectively with ourselves and with each other.” “When we react to something outside ourselves, it is a trigger for something inside that needs healing,” Shulman says.
“A Dream of Camelot is a calling for love,” Shulman beautifully expresses in the song “Who You Are Is Beautiful”:
“Who you are is beautiful, like the first rays of the sun.
Who you are is Paradise, it’s beyond what you’ve ever done.
Beautiful … innocent … someday you will see it. …
Wonderful is really who you are.”
“The time is now to create heaven on earth in our lives,” Shulman says. “This is the time of the growing up of America” and the healing of the wasteland of our souls. Shulman believes that the “energies are right now for this self-mastery.” “Searching for the Holy Grail is really a search for our own divinity, our own center,” Shulman explains. This quest for the grail begins in our own hearts and through this soul healing, we pour love out into the world, recreating the Dream of Camelot. This dream is one of wholeness, peace and heaven on earth. This musical journey that began as a dream for Shulman has transformed into a musical masterpiece that he is sharing with the world.
The piece of heaven that Shulman has brought to earth will remain with us always with A Dream of Camelot.
If you are interested in bringing this production to your venue, contact Shulman at info@richheartmusic.com for a demo of show.
— Review by Cherie Lassiter
Cherie Lassiter has been a practicing psychic and priestess for 15 years. She offers readings and classes at Dancing Moon in Raleigh. Cherie is a talented musician, and her CD “HeartShadows” is an international success. Visit www.cherielassiter.com or contact her at (919) 349-259.
Background information on Richard Shulman’s research and compositions relating to Camelot.
