The Sun is Sleeping
A 60-minute film, The Sun is Sleeping is a cross between a pop star's visual album and a theatrical solo show that follows a series of dreams digesting our strange present days. 🌞💤
It is survivalist art for me and my communities that features collaborations with artists from across the country—created safely and shared independently—that directly benefits its company of thirteen creatives, performers, and musicians.
Click for access to the video on demand stream of The Sun is Sleeping—complete with post-show bonus content!
Any way you can help spread the word about The Sun is Sleeping will go a long way towards extending the life of the project, getting it in front of audiences, and supporting independent artists directly in these tumultuous times for our industry. Share with your social networks about The Sun is Sleeping by tagging Michael John (@xomichaeljohn on Twitter & Instagram) and use #TheSunisSleeping!
Watch Second Single “Paper Moons”
This scene was the first time I felt brave enough to explore my alcoholism in my art since I’ve been sober.
Inspired by the Josef Salvat song of the same name, I put it together with my partner Brian behind the camera, Nicky B on music, and the show’s voice performer ensemble conjuring the romance and terror I felt at the intersection of love and liquor.
I am so very proud of this scene—writing, performance, editing, and contributions; I couldn’t not put it out as a standalone “single.”
I hope it gives you some of the light it let shine in me.
Watch the trailer:
Night falls.
The Sun is Sleeping.
The Sun Prince dreams his way towards an elusive, impossible tomorrow.
What will light find when The Sun shines again?
Will it?
About The Sun is Sleeping
The Sun is Sleeping is born from existential crisis and depression—personal, professional, and global. At the start of 2019, I was charging full-steam ahead into a year creating in the theatre. Suddenly, with the outbreak of Covid-19, my industry shuttered. Spaces closed; gatherings were—and remain—prohibited. All planned gigs were either cancelled or postponed. I hit a wall. I was angry and depressed, stuck at home to watch time melt away, resources evaporate, and my chosen medium face questions of survival.
I sought refuge in my art. I wrote confessional pieces from the voices and identities I embody or hold within. I felt inspired and liberated by the boundary-pushing transmedia work of some beloved pop auteurs—Perfume Genius, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Charli XCX, Beck, and Prince. I began to consider how my storytelling could thrive outside the theatre.
All my life, I have been a pop music culture vulture. I have long studied the pop album format and the larger campaigns built around them—rife with imagery, music videos, and contextual writings. With that guise, I collected the art I wrought from this moment in my life and curated a project into a sixty-minute film. The Sun is Sleeping, therefore, is something between a pop star’s visual album and a theatrical solo show.
Many of my favorite pop campaigns feature fierce collaborations. The artist at the helm shares the spotlight to feature work that deepens the shared humanity at the heart of their project. I’ve long believed solo work to be a misnomer. In my experience, any art I make is built from relationships with my family and friends; inspiration from and collaborations with fellow artists; and all that helps me out of hiding every day of my life. I wanted The Sun is Sleeping to lay that bare. The freedom of this invented format allowed me to include contributions of spirit beyond me—roles performed in scenes, original songs, and voiceover performances.
Press and praise for The Sun is Sleeping:
THE PLAYLIST:
MUSIC FROM & INSPIRING THE SUN IS SLEEPING
COLLABORATORS
To read biographies and learn more about The Sun is Sleeping’s collaborators, click their headshot below.
FEATURED PERFORMERS
VOICE PERFORMERS
MUSICIANS
Compensation transparency:
Actors who performed a role in a scene received $100. Voice performers who contributed line readings received $50. Musicians received $50. Actors who performed a role in a scene will receive 4% of proceeds. Voice performers who contributed line readings will receive 2% of proceeds. Musicians will receive 2% of proceeds.
Screening Events
The project was announced to celebrate Pride Month on June 24, 2020 with first single, “Foolish Love,” serving as a preview and fundraiser for Projects LETS (Let’s End the Stigma). The full-length project The Sun is Sleeping was premiered in a live screening event on Zoom on October 2. Four additional screenings events followed through autumn 2020 with special pre- and post-show engagements. Screenings were attended by over 200 people across 5 time zones!
The Sun is Sleeping is entirely independent and self-funded; all art, design, and marketing is work done by the artist. All collaborations were compensated. Proceeds off-set labor, software, internet, and production for the piece.