THE DAVIDSON AFFAIR by Paul Solomon & Chris Van Cleave is a timeless musical story with current relevance and insight for all cultures and creeds.

The story of THE DAVIDSON AFFAIR was born in 1974 from a lecture given at a conference in New York by internationally acclaimed philosopher and speaker Paul Solomon.  After completing his second tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Chris Van Cleave met Paul Solomon in 1981 and wrote the song "Emmanuel" which led to an eighteen-month collaboration between them to create a staged musical THE DAVIDSON AFFAIR.  This was first produced in 1982 for a showcase run of five performances at the Wells Theater in Norfolk, VA.  Two years later, a reader's theater version of the show was performed in London and Bristol, England, followed by performances in Den Haag and Rotterdam, Holland. Many generous people contributed their talents and support to this whole endeavor and are acknowledged on the CD.

The following is the setting of the show:  The new administration in Washington has declared that all young men must return to the city of their birth to be registered for the military draft.  Due to the economic recession, Josh Davidson and his expectant wife, Maria, have hitch-hiked to New York City so that Josh may register.  All New York hotels are over-booked with the influx of registrants and, unable to find a place to stay, Maria goes into labor on a Manhattan sidewalk.  A doorman at the Waldorf-Astoria springs into action, taking Maria into the hotel’s basement boiler room where Joe Davidson is born.  The birth is attended by a taxi-driver (one of the “shepherds” of New York City) and three other “guided” visitors.

If the story begins to sound familiar, it should.  It is a potent new telling of the “greatest love story” ever told.  It is all too easy to dismiss the relevance of a story that took place 2000 years ago in a very different culture.  With the current turmoil in the world and the challenges of our everyday lives, what if a man such as Jesus Christ lived today?  What if he were in your city, sharing his teachings giving practical advice on how to navigate successfully through these current times?  If he taught and demonstrated miraculous healings, showing us we could do all these things and more, would he be condemned and accused of fraud? How would our church and religious leaders respond? Would history repeat itself? 

The music is powerful and the story compelling--enough for Tom O'Horgan (the only director to have four shows running concurrently on Broadway: HAIR, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, LENNY, and INNER CITY) to have written the following to Chris after he had heard the music and read the script in February 1995:

This is a note to reiterate my great interest in the new rock/gospel musical, “The Davidson Affair.”  This certainly looks to be a show of tremendous power, with all the durability and success potential of a musical like "Jesus Christ Superstar". Under any circumstances, I would like to be part of this production. 
Sincerely, Tom O'Horgan

There is now renewed interest in further developing THE DAVIDSON AFFAIR through workshops and showcase productions to prepare the show for international audiences.  We invite you to be a participant in this journey by purchasing an album, enjoying the songs, and spreading the word as THE DAVIDSON AFFAIR spreads its wings to take flight!

For further information on the development of the show, please contact Chris Van Cleave through his website:
www.vancleavemusic.com