Francis Heaney, Professional Word-Type Person

I recently re-read Shakespeare’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, and friends, I had quite forgotten just how not good the end of that play is. I mean, obviously Shakespeare is not short of probl...

http://www.francisheaney.com/two-gentlemen-of-ver-oh-no/

Lorinne and I belong to a group that meets at irregular intervals to read/sing through musicals, which is a great way to learn (a) shows you didn’t previously know, (b) all the intricacies you ...

http://www.francisheaney.com/color-and-loops/

It’s time, I think, for a seasonal repost of my spoooooooky Halloween mashup, “Now That’s What I Call Ghosts Laughing!”, featuring the mellifluous tones of Disney legend Paul Frees (excer...

http://www.francisheaney.com/the-monster-mashup/

The New York Times has a history of bowdlerizing Philip Larkin’s “This Be the Verse”. Here’s my response to that. They change your words, the New York Times. They may not need to, but the...

http://www.francisheaney.com/this-be-the-word/

I used to make a lot of mash-ups. In theory I still might make more (my most recent was a couple years ago), but clearly I’m in no rush. But here are some of my old ones that I still like! “K...

http://www.francisheaney.com/from-the-mashed-up-files-of-mr-francis-j-heaney/

Here’s a deleted scene from my last American Values Crossword Club puzzle. When pitching ideas, I floated two similar themes, and the other one got the nod. Still, seemed a shame to waste this ...

http://www.francisheaney.com/pig-latin-youre-doing-it-wrong/

Often, when Lorinne is in a show, I’ll make her a themed mix CD as an opening night gift. For her latest performance as one of the three leading ladies in the Jerry Herman revue, “Jerry’s G...

http://www.francisheaney.com/jerry-hermans-lonely-hearts-club-band/

On the way home from the National Puzzlers’ League convention, having already played a whole lot of One, Two, Three and Breakfast Combo, I was trying to brainstorm a not-yet-used approach to a ...

http://www.francisheaney.com/original-musiquarium/

Recently, the Holy Tango of Literature made the news, with my Maya Angelou pastiche “Yoga Alumnae” being quoted in a remembrance of Ms. Angelou in the Washington Post (although its anagrammat...

http://www.francisheaney.com/the-holy-tango-basement-tapes/

Two friends of ours, Julianne and Megan, recently got married, and part of the reception was a cabaret featuring songs on the theme of “home.” Faced with the choices available among the sheet...

http://www.francisheaney.com/branching-back-out-into-songwriting/