Posted by Mauro...

graysea · *September 15, 2012*

Posted by Mauro...

Continues the musical Susan Boyle. In view there is in London?

September 15, 2012 - Continue the replies of "I dreamed a dream", the musical tells the rise of Susan Boyle from a humble little working with enthusiastic applause of "Britain's got talent" and through the splendor of three well-selling albums. The show, based sull'autobiografia of 2010, "The Woman I Was Born to Be", debuted on March 27 at the Theatre Royal Newcastle and continues to add dates. The next are:
Edinburgh, Festival Theatre, September 21-29
Glasgow, King's Theatre, 1 ° -13 October.
Elaine C Smith, the interpreter of Subo in the musical, told the newspaper "The Scotsman" which is not excluded one landing the show in London. It said Susan, appeared in person at some replica, is finally getting used to his new status.Constance Elaine Smith, 54, Scotland, said: "I do not know how he does it, but she says that now is getting used to this job, and now he realized that his new job is this. E 'a woman who takes care of his fans and the public that is interested in the album. Susan is a fun girl, has frailties as all but I think it has adapted very well. " The show was generally well received, with
5 stars from the "Telegraph" and the "Daily Espress", 4 stars from the "Times" and the "Scotsman", and "Guardian" and "Daily Mail" were limited to three.

http://www.rockol.it/news-418258/Prosegue-il-musical-di-Susan-Boyle.-In-vista-c-%C3%A8-Londra-

graysea

Susan Boyle is surprise guest at Regal's Talent Showcase

Sep 13 2012 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

SUSAN Boyle took a step down memory lane last Thursday night when she was guest of honour at the first talent show she ever took part in.

The Blackburn singing sensation surprised performers at the Regal Showcase in Bathgate’s Regal Community Theatre when she turned up in the audience as a special guest to offer them all support.

Years before rising to international fame with her appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, SuBo used to grace the stage at the Regal for the annual talent showcase. The West Lothian venue is even where she performed her signature song I Dreamed A Dream for the first time.

The 51-year-old, who recently agreed to become patron of the theatre, delighted the participants by coming on stage at the end of the performance and posing for photographs and signing autographs.

The event was organised and compered by Charles Earley, a member of the Regal Board, as part of the Bathgate Music Festival.

He said: “The evening was a resounding success, with an outstanding array of talent.

“To have Susan present was a huge honour and a real inspiration to all the performers.

“We are also grateful to Weslo Housing Management for their generous financial support and sponsorship.”

The showcase gave some of the extremely talented singers, dancers, comics and musicians in West Lothian an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience.

Performers of all ages took to the stage to wow the near sell-out audience. In total there were 16 finalists who were chosen to take part in the Showcase from two audition evenings.

Among those performing were dance troupes The Vicky Rees Dancers and All Steps and superb soloists Heather Gourdie, Sophie Halpin, Fionne McQue, Curtis Desire, Charlene Sives and Toni Williamson.

Talented singer-song writers Marcus Jefferson, Caragh MacNicol, Nikki McDonald and Jay Scally all performed accompanied by their guitars.

Ballerina, Jennifer Laffan, danced beautifully to The Sugar Plum Fairy and young Robbie Baxter wowed everyone with his piano recital. Jay Scally’s little brother Jude entertained everyone with his stand up comedy routine and trio, Unnamed Rhodes were wonderful.

Theatre manager Stephen Darroch said: “I was sitting with Susan Boyle and she was astounded by the standard of talent on show.

“Everyone in the audience was raving about the show. The standard was fantastic.

“At the end of the show she met the cast and everyone got their photo with her.

“She was brilliant with all the performers. The first group were all young dancers and they couldn’t stay until the end so she went and saw them at the interval.

“In terms of the show Charles Earley and artisitc director Scott Kyle deserve a lot of credit and praise.”

Thanks must also go to Joanne Plowman for all her hard work behind the scenes and to Alistair Plowman for taking photos and to all the volunteers who worked so hard.

Photos by Stuart Vance, Alistair Plowman and Brenda Jennings-Macdonald.

http://www.westlothiancourier.co.uk/2012/09/13/susan-boyle-is-surprise-guest-at-regal-s-talent-showcase-62405-31821621/

graysea

http://www.facebook.com/susanboyle

Susan Boyle shared a link.

4 hours ago

There are wonderful things coming up in the world of Susan! Keep your eyes peeled and sign up to the newsletter for all the latest news

www.susanboylemusic.com

The official Susan Boyle website, with news, music, videos and event details.

graysea

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/scottishnews/4527113/U-turn-for-TV-chiefs-in-Susan-Boyle-documentary-row.html

U-turn for TV chiefs in Susan Boyle documentary row

Susan Boyle

Exclusive

By MARC DEANIE

Published: 08th September 2012

RED-faced telly chiefs had to to ditch part of a Susan Boyle documentary — after the singer’s advisers complained it was misleading.

Producers behind STV’s Desperately Seeking SuBo added a caption saying they were not allowed to film with her.

But the chart-topper’s camp branded it unfair — as she was NEVER lined up to take part in the programme.

A source said: “It makes it look like Susan’s thrown a strop.”

The show, to be aired next week, goes behind the scenes of I Dreamed a Dream — the musical about her life starring Elaine C Smith.

Last night it emerged makers RPM Arts, ironically owned by Smith, had changed it.

A spokesman for SuBo said: “Susan was never due to participate.”

STV said: “We’re sure viewers will enjoy it.”

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/scottishnews/4527113/U-turn-for-TV-chiefs-in-Susan-Boyle-documentary-row.html#ixzz26EFzgtIf

graysea

Susan in Benidorm
Embedded image permalink

graysea

Susan Boyle adapts to fame singing for fans; finally success is her new job

Susan Boyle

Credits:

(Getty Photo)

Susan Boyle has readily admitted in the past that success was tough for her. Found on the reality show Britain’s Got Talent, the extremely talented artist had difficulty with people flocking to her after watching on television. Entirely different than living alone, it has taken some time to be ready for the fame. On Sunday it was revealed that the entertainer really has settled down with success and is getting used to it after realizing it has become her job.

Elaine C Smith, who plays the character of Susan Boyle in the theater play I Dreamed a Dream, is in consistent contact with the reality star and has seen how the real Susan has changed.

“I don’t know how she copes but she says she’s getting more used to it now and realizes this is her job,” Elaine C Smith. “She has fragilities like any other person but I think she’s coped remarkably well.”

Fans from around the globe have taken an interest to Susan Boyle as this simple woman came to the stage with a remarkable voice that blew away Simon Cowell and the rest of the judges on Britain’s Got Talent. Making her mark in the music world, anything Susan Boyle sings gets downloaded by the fans as they love her and her music.

With the latest play I Dreamed a Dream, fans come from around the world to see the story of how Susan Boyle made it big. Then at the end she shows up and sings which is a perfect ending.

http://www.examiner.com/article/susan-boyle-adapts-to-fame-singing-for-fans-finally-success-is-her-new-job

graysea

Susan was in Spain. The pictures are starting to come in. Here are a few.
Susan on an airplane to or from Spain.

graysea · 10 September 2012 13:11 BST

Elaine C Smith admits she’s “very protective” of Susan Boyle

STV 10 September 2012 13:11 BST

Susan Boyle’s overnight singing success has been described as a fairytale by the press – but her close friend Elaine C Smith admits she doesn’t envy the star’s sudden rise to fame.

The 51-year-old became a global sensation after giving a stunning rendition of I Dreamed a Dream on Britain’s Got Talent back in 2009.

Since then she’s travelled the world performing for her millions of fans and singing for the likes of the Pope.

But Elaine, who plays Susan in the stage show I Dreamed a Dream, admitted she doesn’t envy the way the star was catapulted into the public eye.

Asked if she is protective of Susan, Elaine told STV’s Laura Boyd: “Very much so, all I want is Susan Boyle to go on and have a happy life, have great opportunities and enjoy what has happened to her

“I think for her process, to have gone from where she was to what she’s become, is massive. I do not envy it at all; I’m happy for her that it’s happened but I do not want any part of that."

Elaine and Susan have become firm friends in recent times, with the pair bonding as they worked on the musical, which comes to Edinburgh from September 21-29 and Glasgow’s King’s Theatre from October 1-13.

Susan occasionally makes an appearance during certain stage shows, delighting audience members, and Elaine admitted that the excitement and love for the singer amongst the crowd is unbelievable.

“It’s been an amazing reaction,” Elaine explained. “Somebody said to me the other day ‘what is it like when she comes on?’ and I said ‘it’s like the Pope arriving!’ All she needs to do is wave and they’ll go crazy, she doesn’t even need to sing in a curious way.

“During the two and a half hours [of the stage show] before you feel like you know her. I always said to her I’ll have done my job and the company will have done their job if they’re on their feet before you come on. And 78 performances and they’ve done that every performance.”

But while Glasgow-born Elaine is relishing her role - telling the story of Susan from her humble beginnings in Blackburn right up to her success as an artist around the world - the comedienne and actress admitted she’s suffering a few nervous pangs about performing in the city.

“There’s always a mixture of terror coming back to your own city, I think Billy Connolly talks about that; particularly when an expectation has been built up about something.”

We’re sure the home crowd will make you feel right at home Elaine!

See link for video: http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/189507-elaine-c-smith-admits-shes-very-protective-of-susan-boyle/

graysea

To see pictures of Susan from Regal Theater photos click link below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/westlothian/7950104540/in/photostream/

graysea

Susan Boyle now enjoying her fame says actress playing her in musical

SUSAN Boyle is finally enjoying her celebrity status, according to the woman who portrays her in a hit musical.

Elaine C Smith, who plays SuBo in I Dreamed a Dream, said: “I don’t know how she copes but she says she’s getting more used to it now and realises this is her job.”

The actress, who has been picked as SuBo’s choice to play her in any movie of the musical, added: “She cares about her fans and the albums she puts out.

Susan is finally enjoying her celebrity status

“Susan’s great fun. She’s not quiet or pious. She has fragilities like any other person but I think she’s coped remarkably well,” she added.

The musical has been touring the UK since March and Smith said the production may even go abroad.

She said: “There’s talk of Australia and London, and a number of Americans have been over to see it and are showing an interest. Who knows what will happen?”

Smith, 54, said she was at first reluctant to take on the role of SuBo.

“It made me a bit afraid,” she said. “I had to be careful because I didn’t want to be perceived as basking in her success.”

SuBo herself often appears on stage at the end of the show.

Smith said: “There’s this mystique about whether she’ll come out or not, so it’s like the Pope arriving when she does.”

Smith also revealed that she is SuBo’s first choice if – as seems almost certain – a movie is based on the musical.

She said: “I think film negotiations are ongoing but they don’t involve me.

“Susan says very kindly that she wants me to play her.

“Reese Witherspoon playing Susan Boyle would be a far bigger draw than me,” she joked.

graysea

Posted on the forum: http://susan-boyle.com/
Please check out the forum for all the latest on Susan Boyle.
You will find many devoted fans there to answer any questions about Susan.

graysea

Susan Boyle lights up Celtic Park with singing performance

Sep 6 2012 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian singing sensation Susan Boyle lit up Celtic Park last week, as she took to the stadium to belt out club anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

The Blackburn-based singer – who shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 – performed before the club’s Champions League qualifying game against Swedish side Helsingborgs.

As you can see from our photographs, Susan was suitably attired for the occasion, wearing a Celtic scarf around her neck.

The star also paid tribute to the Hoops as she showed off her specially painted green nails, and a large green stone ring.

And it appears Susan may be a lucky charm for the team as they raced to a 2-0 victory to claim a spot in the group stages of the competition for the first time in four years.

The last time SuBo was introduced to the crowd at Parkhead was during half-time of a Europa League tie against Hamburg three years ago, but this was the first time the 51-year-old took centre stage to sing there.

And she was met with huge applause, after showcasing the stunning voice that catapulted her to overnight fame and success around the globe.

After performing, Susan then returned to the pitch alongside good friend Elaine C. Smith – who is currently starring in the role of Susan in musical I Dreamed a Dream – for the half-time draw.

The two have become firm friends after working alongside each other on the stage show, which charts Susan’s early life and her rise to fame.

I Dreamed a Dream comes to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre from September 21-29 and Glasgow’s King’s Theatre from October 1-13.

http://www.westlothiancourier.co.uk/west-lothian-news/west-lothian-news/west-lothian-news/2012/09/06/susan-boyle-lights-up-celtic-park-with-singing-performance-62405-31772375/#.UEnZr822x8Y.twitter

graysea

Susan Boyle plays at her own theatre of Dreams

Back where it all began ... Susan Boyle

By GORDON TAIT

Published: 4 hrs ago

YOU have to hand it to singing sensation Susan Boyle.

Multi-million-selling SuBo, 51, was back at the venue where she first sang hit I Dreamed A Dream last night.

The Britain’s Got Talent runner-up was at Bathgate Community Theatre, West Lothian for a talent show. Susan, from Blackburn, said: “It’s great to be back where it all started.”

A theatre spokesman said: “She’s an inspiring woman.”

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4525331/Susan-Boyle-plays-at-her-own-theatre-of-Dreams.html#ixzz25ksjLIO1

graysea · 6 September 2012 18:55 BST

Elaine C. Smith reveals all about the first time she met Susan Boyle

Elaine C. Smith came into the STV office this week to be guest editor of our fine website, in aid of the STV Appeal.

While she did a grand job overseeing proceedings, I was desperate to ask her about I Dreamed a Dream and what it was like working with the legend that is Susan Boyle. Thankfully, Elaine was more than happy to reveal how the musical came about and the charming story of the first moment she met Susan.

You can watch the amazing details of how I Dreamed a Dream came to be and Elaine’s initial doubts as to whether the story would ever make it to stage in the player above.

The much-loved Scottish actress spoke fondly of her first encounter with Susan, revealing she was invited round for tea at the singing sensation’s house.

But which house? Elaine explained: “She was really nervous about meeting me, which was bizarre, and I said I would just pop in for a cup of tea on my way through to Edinburgh.

“She said, 'Where do you want to come? I’ve got two houses you know', and I said, 'There’s no need to brag Susan! I want to come to the posh house!'

“So we had a laugh about that and I said 'I’m only coming in for a cup of tea, but make sure there’s a decent biscuit, Marks and Spencers please.'”

As well as being an incredible singer, Elaine is also a talented pianist and as she and Susan bonded, she sat down by the BGT star’s grand piano and the pair enjoyed a sing-song, just the two of them.

It’s clear the lovely ladies are close and have a mutual admiration for each other’s work. As if to give her nod of approval at the end of the meeting, Elaine explained: “She [Susan] put her arms round me and said, 'I would be honoured if you played me Elaine', and I said, 'Well, we’ll see where it goes', and I think then I felt I had something really precious and that I had to look after it.”

Elaine has gone on to enjoy rave reviews for her portrayal of Susan in I Dreamed a Dream and as the show gets set to come to Glasgow and Edinburgh, where Elaine, and possibly Susan, will play to the home crowd, I can not wait to see the girls take to the stage.

Next week on stv.tv/entertainment, you can watch more of my interview with Elaine, where she discusses the moving moments in I Dreamed a Dream, how it was important to avoid sugar coating Susan’s story and how she partied with Susan at her fascinating birthday bash.

graysea

Permanent exhibt to be set up in honour of Susan Boyle

SINGING star Susan Boyle is set to have a permanent exhibition created paying tribute to her.

Bosses at the Regal Theatre in Bathgate are in talks to set up an exhibition in honour of the Britain’s Got Talent runner-up and international chart topper.

The theatre played an important role in the early rise of the singer, from Blackburn in West Lothian, who first performed her signature song I Dreamed A Dream at the venue and has agreed to become its patron.

And the bond between SuBo and the Regal will be cemented today when the singer returns there to grace a showcase of local singing talent.

Theatre managers said they hoped one of Susan’s dresses - designed exclusively for her by Suzanne Neville and worn by the singer in Madrid on the Ana Rosa TV show and at a show in Paris - would become the centrepiece of the new exhibition, which will chart the singer’s rise to stardom.

The theatre is now on the hunt for other pieces of SuBo memorabilia to put on show.

Charles Earley, chair of the Regal Theatre Board, said: “At some point we would like to have some kind of permanent exhibition in the theatre recognising Susan’s achievements.

“We are talking to Creative Scotland about future funding for a permanent exhibition in the theatre and we are very excited about it.

“I think having Susan Boyle as our patron is a huge plus point for us.”http://www.scotsman.com/edinburgh-evening-news/latest-news/morning-briefing-drink-driving-limit-susan-boyle-tribute-jk-rowling-book-festival-1-2509249

graysea

Picture is not the one in article.

Susan Boyle is going back to her roots

Exclusive

By BEN ARCHIBALD and DAVID WYNN

Published: 3 hrs ago

SINGING star Susan Boyle heads back to her roots tonight as a guest at the first talent show she ever appeared in.

SuBo, 51, will grace the Regal Showcase in Bathgate Regal Community Theatre, West Lothian.

The multi-million-selling Britain’s Got Talent runner-up, from nearby Blackburn, first performed her signature song I Dreamed A Dream at the venue.

A source said: “She’s one of the biggest stars on the planet but had no hesitation in agreeing to be in the show.”

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/4523243/Susan-Boyle-is-going-back-to-her-roots.html#ixzz25ek5mNsh

graysea

SuBo set to become ambassador of her home town theatre

SUSAN Boyle is set to become an ambassador for the theatre where she first showed off her amazing singing talent.

Theatre bosses at the Regal Theatre in Bathgate,West Lothian, have asked Susan to be the patron of the venue, where she first sang I Dreamed A Dream.

Her debut performance in the 74-year-old theatre came long before her appearance on talent show Britain’s Got Talent in 2009.

Susan Boyle at her home in Blackburn

The singing star is in talks with theatre officials to become the ambassador for the 1938 venue after her musical I Dreamed a Dream wraps up.

A portrait of Susan will hang in the foyer and a room will be named after the star if she agrees to the patronage.

Charles Earley, 60, chairman of the theatre board, said Susan was “thrilled” to be approached for the honour.

He said: “We approached Susan a short while ago about the possibility of her becoming a patron and she certainly was thrilled to be asked.

“We haven’t set a date yet because Susan is so busy with her musical and the jubilee but we’re hoping to finalise something by June or later in the summer.”

The chairman added it was high time that Susan was recognised for her stardom.

“She’s been involved with the theatre in the past and it would be great forWest Lothianto be able to recognise her for success.

“On the night we would have an official ceremony on the night and Susan would unveil a portrait of herself in the foyer.

“I’ve seen her at some performances in the past and she is fantastic. She always pays special attention to children with learning difficulties and it’s wonderful to see.

“She has achieved huge success internationally and it is about time West Lothian recognised her for that.”

Mr Earley was one of the first people to witness Susan’s talent when she sang at talent shows in her home town.

The singer performed Cry Me a River and Somewhere Over The Rainbow for her local fans across West Lothian.

But it was Mr Earley who told the star to ditch the well-known songs for I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.

He added: “She came along to auditions and I asked her to sing something from Les Miserables because I knew she was a big fan of it. When she came in to sing I Dreamed A Dream, I was bowled over.”

It was this song which shot Susan to fame at her 2009 audition for Britain’s Got Talent.

Last year, Susan returned to the theatre to support local performers.

SuBo, who lives in Blackburn, signed autographs and posed for photos with her adoring fans.

The theatre recently underwent a £160,000 facelift in 2010.

Renovation work was completed by West Lothian Council, with the nine-month project seeing the former cinema building’s frontage restored to the original style of the 1930s.

Speaking about the transformation, Mr Earley added: “In the present climate, all theatres are struggling but we held a board meeting in January and were thrilled with the local support we received. A new director was appointed and we are confident that Susan’s involvement would give the Regal a new lease of life.

“If she was to become a patron, it would be not small thing for us and we’re very hopeful it will happen.”

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2012/05/04/subo-set-to-become-ambassador-of-her-home-town-theatre/

graysea

When is Desperately Seeking Subo on next?

Lists all of the times that Desperately Seeking Subo is on UK TV given your country, provider and region selection.

Desperately Seeking Subo	September 11th, 2012 at 8:00pm STV
A fascinating glimpse into the making of the musical about the life of Susan Boyle. Actress and writer Elaine C Smith goes in search of a hit and in search of her star. Will she find either of them?... read more
Desperately Seeking Subo	September 11th, 2012 at 9:00pm STV Plus 1
A fascinating glimpse into the making of the musical about the life of Susan Boyle. Actress and writer Elaine C Smith goes in search of a hit and in search of her star. Will she find either of them?... read more http://digiguide.tv/show-times/872480/Desperately-Seeking-Subo/Documentary/

graysea

Beautiful pictures of Susan. Posted on the forum by John V.

Susan Boyle: Singer and Now Businesswoman

By Marie Sheahan Brown

Who can forget the YouTube masterpiece? She strode and sashayed onto the stage with golden stature and confidence. She sparred wittily with the three famous judges, wearied by their long day of auditions in Glasgow, Scotland. She didn’t look the part of a “professional singer,” although one might perceive that being “currently unemployed” at forty-seven left little extra for beauty-shop pampering. Was she, rather, a comedienne? Susan Boyle audition

Then she sang. The formerly skeptical audience stood enraptured, tears welling as she belted out “I Dreamed A Dream” from Les Misérables with stunning clarity and passion.

More than five years after the seven-minute audition video aired on Britain’s Got Talent on April 11, 2009, and promptly hit worldwide news feeds, multitudes in America and beyond remember Susan Boyle. Since she first broke Amazon pre-sale records in September 2009, millions have bought her albums. Each year, a new carefully crafted album has been released in time for Christmas. Since 2009, five albums have garnered sixty-three gold and ninety-four platinum sales levels in forty-two countries. Her sixth album, Hope, will be released on October 21 in the United States.

Scottish and United Kingdom audiences thrilled to Miss Boyle’s first full-length concert tours in 2013 and 2014. Now she’s coming to America—home of an immediate and strong support base—starting in San Diego on October 8, and singing her way across the southern half of the United States at venues in twenty cities. A sweep through the northern states could likely follow in the future.

See http://www.susanboylemusic.com/us/events

Many have written about Susan Boyle’s difficult and graced life. Her 2010 autobiography, The Woman I Was Born to Be, is a good source. Now fifty-three, she carefully revealed late in 2013 that, after decades of mistaken assumptions, she had finally been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. The relief of self-knowledge strengthens and encourages her after a lifetime of dealing with debilitating anxiety and panic attacks, and some difficulty in handling emotions and relating comfortably to people.

“This is a point: People may have problems,” she states in a documentary, “but they’ve got other things as well. And they’ve got a lot more to offer.” (Gammon, Lottie, produced, filmed, and directed. “There’s Something About Susan.” Firecracker Films Ltd. for ITV, 45:37 minutes. 2013)

Fewer analyses have considered her role as a small businesswoman and philanthropist whose personal success has enhanced the lives and small businesses of countless others not only in her native Scotland but also in, for example, America.

Miss Boyle, easily mistaken for a stately five feet ten in the famous video, is, in fact, barely over five feet tall with soft, dainty hands and feet—a huggable China doll. So she does qualify as a smallbusinesswoman despite her multimillions in sales, which also benefit business giants like Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited; SYCOmusic (Simon Cowell); Simon & Schuster, Inc.; Amazon; and, more recently, concert tour bus companies. In significant other ways, she retains her focus on the little ones.

The woman who had “never been married, never been kissed” and remains a virgin has, since 2009, given birth with astonishing fecundity. Lewis Hyde well describes her kind of gift and fertility in his 1983 classic, The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property: “I have hoped . . . to speak of the inner gift that we accept as the object of our labor, and the outer gift that has become a vehicle of culture. I am not concerned with gifts given in spite or fear, nor those gifts we accept out of servility or obligation; my concern is the gift we long for, the gift that, when it comes, speaks commandingly to the soul and irresistibly moves us.”

Mr. Hyde first explores traditional “gift economies,” in which citizens are considered wealthy not according to how much they acquire but how much they give. In fictional form, Jean M. Auel’s well-researched Earth’s Children series (The Clan of the Cave Bear and five sequels) describes the creativity and ingenuity that led people to survive, to form communities, and to work cooperatively for mutual benefit. Goods, services, storytelling and musical talents, art, and many other gifts were appreciated in deeper ways than they might be in a typical “market economy.”

According to reviewer JoAnn Schwartz, “Above all, Hyde is interested in examining the effect our current immersion in the market economy and the myth of the free market has both on our view of gifts and on our ability to give and receive them. The market economy is deliberately impersonal, but the whole purpose of the ‘gift economy’ is to establish and strengthen the relationships between us, to connect us one to the other. It is this element of relationship which leads Hyde to speak of gift exchange as ‘erotic’ commerce, opposing eros (the principle of attraction, union, involvement which binds together) to logos (reason and logic in general, the principle of differentiation in particular). A market economy is an emanation of logos.

“In a market economy,” Ms. Schwartz continues, “one can hoard one’s goods without losing wealth. Indeed, wealth is increased by hoarding—although we generally call it ‘saving.’ In contrast, in a gift economy, wealth is decreased by hoarding, for it is the circulation of the gift(s) within the community that leads to increase—increase in connections, increase in relationship strength. Through this book, Hyde helps us focus on the importance of gifts, their flow and movement, and the impact that the modern market place has had on the circulation of gifts.” (http://southerncrossreview.org/4/schwartz.html)

Susan Boyle does appreciate the financial security that she had never known, especially in the fearsome years after her mother died in 2007, when Miss Boyle kept her house cold so that she could afford the heating bill. Yet more important, Susan Boyle has said all along, “I sing to make people happy.” When she was a girl, the gift spoke “commandingly to the soul”—her soul. She honed, honed, honed the gift to perfection over decades of world obscurity. She sees with gratitude and humility the effects of this gift on people worldwide. When this gift is pointed out to her in personal conversation, she bows her head and lowers her eyes shyly. “Thank you.”

Miss Boyle’s fame and financial success have boosted tourism modestly in West Lothian, Scotland, with its pastoral more than spectacular scenery, a region that has suffered from bouts of economic depression and unemployment over the past few centuries. In February 2013, for example, following a centuries-old pattern, the main employer in the area—Halls of Broxburn meat processing plant—was closed by foreign owners, leaving 1,700 unemployed.

Lorraine Campbell co-owns and manages The Balbairdie—a nicely refurbished old hotel and pub in Bathgate, West Lothian. When the economy suffers, The Balbairdie feels it. Asked how she copes, Ms. Campbell replied, “You just keep going.” Happily, the local economy has improved some since 2013, according to Ms. Campbell in April 2014.

Miss Boyle has engaged experts like Andy Stephens, manager; Nicola Phillips, publicist; and Andrew Panton, creative and vocal director, to name a few. She has provided jobs for local personal assistants who handle correspondence, scheduling, wardrobe consultation, and myriad other details; gardeners; carpenters to renovate the council house she grew up and still lives in (her first big post-Britain’s Got Talent purchase); a housekeeper; women who fix her hair, do her nails, and apply her makeup for special public appearances and photo sessions; and others who tend to basic needs of a now-busy celebrity who still prefers to live in her home village, stop in at her favorite small shops and establishments, and take the bus.

Miss Boyle has also given seed money and sponsorship for creative business and charitable ventures in her local community and beyond. One start-up, Boyle’s Boutique, is an extended-family cottage industry that sells, among others, products featuring the new Boyle Tartan created for the family. Products may be ordered online.

Susan Boyle’s very capable personal assistant Sadie Boyle (no relation) says Miss Boyle gets about four hundred emails weekly, many requesting her generosity. This kind of response to another’s fame and fortune is not uncommon.

More unusual, and a clearer example of the fruits of the “gift economy,” is the generation of a worldwide community of Susan Boyle supporter-fans who have formed friendships, discovered or rekindled their own creative gifts, invested thousands of volunteer hours, spread financial generosity, and—to a small extent—started creative cottage enterprises for profit or merely to cover expenses.

Several unofficial Susan Boyle fansites live on the Internet. The first and largest, still flourishing, is www.susan-boyle.com. On April 11, 2009, Paul Wood, a London construction worker, watched Miss Boyle’s audition on TV and immediately put up a website. Starting within hours after the audition aired, people from many continents to whom Susan Boyle’s gift spoke “commandingly to the soul” were “irresistibly move[d]” to find out anything they could about her on the Internet. They frequently stumbled across Mr. Wood’s hastily launched site with its prolific discussion threads generating hundreds of written comments every day in the first two months of Miss Boyle’s fame.

To bring some order to the conversational chaos, Mr. Wood launched a companion Forum in June 2009 with more sophisticated software, accessed through the main website. Anyone could (and still can) join for free. The main rules are that one not be an Internet troll (a term and experience many had never heard of), that one behave reasonably civilly as outlined in posted guidelines, and that one not use the Forum itself for commercial purposes (more on that later).

Volunteer moderators and techies keep the discussions and online experience on an even keel. Online advertisements generated by Google AdSense and Amazon sales linked to the website (“SuBo Store”) help pay for the normal operational expenses.

In early 2010, Mr. Wood announced that he was going to auction off the website (some fifty thousand registered members) and its Forum (a few thousand registered members at the time). The worldwide member community could not bear the prospect of being taken over by some unknown commercial entity with other goals. So they decided to bid on the fansite themselves. A few members—by no means wealthy—each voluntarily loaned trusted fellow members a few thousand dollars to buy the fansite during the auction. The effort succeeded in July 2010.

Navigating through some tensions and hurt feelings (typical in any community anywhere), the worldwide Susan Boyle Fans International, Inc. (SBFII) community established itself as a non-profit corporation registered in Delaware, USA. SBFII elects a multinational volunteer board of directors; keeps meticulous financial records and files annual tax returns; maintains bylaws; and holds online annual meetings and elections engaging active members. Technically not a charity, SBFII uses AdSense and SuBo Store income to cover modest expenses and keep a healthy bank balance. Funds left over from voluntary collections (often for tasteful gifts for Miss Boyle for special occasions) are donated to a charity of Susan Boyle’s choice, frequently benefitting children in Scotland. By December 2011, SBFII repaid all interest-free loans given by members to buy the website; it remains debt free. No member gets paid for services to SBFII or personally benefits financially.

From the beginning, even silver-haired grandmothers proficient only with email learned to navigate the fansites in order to participate in a community of people who have experienced an inexplicable response to Susan Boyle—both her singing and her unique way of being—unlike their response to other favorite singers. Within months, members began gathering in person around the globe (often in restaurants, boosting local economies). They attended (and surreptitiously filmed and posted to the fansites for the enjoyment of those who could not attend) Miss Boyle’s performances in various cities (Britain’s Got Talent tour venues in the UK; Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Tokyo, and more). Supporter-fans flocked to these events even though—until only 2013, when she first tried her own full-length concerts in Scotland—Miss Boyle was slated to sing just one, two, maybe three songs. These gatherings supported local hotels, B+Bs, restaurants, cab drivers, shops, and other travel-related businesses.

Miss Boyle and her team soon experienced that supporter-fans who came to these early events were older or at least more mature than stereotypical rowdies at, for example, Justin Bieber concerts. They saw that typical Susan Boyle supporter-fans are responsible, respectful, fun loving, generative. They include retired or active professionals—teachers, nurses, techies, writers, musicians, artists, farmers, truckers, businesspeople, social workers, radio hosts, professors, lawyers, homemakers, construction workers, postmasters, foresters.

To most gatherings (usually at restaurants) supporter-fans bring homemade memorabilia to share, including commemorative buttons and red scarves to identify themselves in various venues. The popularity of such items led SBFII to add another linked site, “Fan Creations,” linked in turn to the creators’ individual websites. Products include non-Susan-Boyle-related fan creations. Currently, three members offer SuBotique Hand Painted Apparel; Creative Images by tweek (Buttons, Mugs, etc.); and Susan Boyle Professional Singer chronicles gathered from news and other sources.

SBFII members often post creative ideas and images to discuss in writing with one another. Memorably, in 2009, a member from Texas, one from Iowa, and other volunteers, coordinated an international quilting bee. Supporter-fans from every continent, including Antarctica, created and mailed squares for a handmade quilt presented to Miss Boyle at a brunch following her debut solo appearance on the Todayshow on November 23—the day her first album, I Dreamed A Dream, was released in the United States and quickly broke world records in several categories.

Members can upload Susan-related videos that they have created; share poems that they’ve written; upload posters that they’ve designed digitally to document Miss Boyle’s career and accomplishments; upload news reports of supporter-fan activities, complete with photographs; post fine pencil drawings or paintings displaying talent the artists had only recently discovered; and offer a place where members can contribute their own essays. These essays, sometimes written in French or other non-English languages, often try to explain how the wee singer with the big voice; the shy woman who communicates profoundly—cor ad cor loquitur—through music others have written; the multimillionaire who stays in her small lifelong home and still takes the bus—the essentially inexplicable Susan Boyle—“irresistibly moves” them.

SBFII and other volunteers take responsibility to daily and positively post or re-post Susan Boyle news, photos, and encounters on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media. Their Internet involvement began immediately when Miss Boyle became famous—and once again experienced the bullying known since childhood, only this time inflicted by some members of the media and anonymous commentators. She writes in her autobiography, “What I didn’t know then, because I didn’t have a computer at the time, was that every time there was a mean comment about me in the press, a dozen messages of support would appear in response. On the Internet there was a growing community of fans. I had no idea how many people out there in the world felt moved to stick up for me, and I want to thank everybody for that.” (The Woman I Was Born to Be, pages 188–189)

Miss Boyle’s professional team also encourages creativity from fans. Starting with the first documentary of her life, Susan Boyle: I Dreamed A Dream, produced in 2009 by Talkback Thames, fans were invited via the official www.susanboylemusic.com site (picked up and promoted by volunteer sites) to send short videos of themselves saying “Hello, Susan!” with backdrops representing their locations. Several clips from around the world were chosen for the documentary. As a lead-up to Miss Boyle’s second album, The Gift, she held a worldwide “Susan’s Search” competition, inviting any amateur singer to upload a brief selfie singing “Silent Night.” The winner, Amber Stassi, a thirty-three-year-old paramedic from Brewerton, New York, sang “Do You Hear What I Hear?” with Miss Boyle on the album and at the 2010 outdoor Today show appearance in New York City.

In the 2013 and 2014 concert tours in Scotland and the United Kingdom, Miss Boyle and her team selected local choirs to serve as back-up choruses in every city, receiving standard financial compensation. Already individual choir members in the United States are tweeting: “Aaliyah Buchanan ‏@Itsuko_Sora I’m to pumped, i get to sing for Susan Boyle!!!!” and “Drew Mikuska ‏@DrewMikuska Hahahahaha I’m singing backup for Susan Boyle.”

Already in the twenty cities spanning the southern United States, supporter-fans from as far away as Australia and Scotland are buying tickets. They are organizing pre-concert dinner-camaraderie gatherings for supporter-fans, some of whom they have never met in person but know through their written posts on fansites. Restaurants, hotels, theaters, airlines, public transportation providers, cab drivers, and many small businesses will benefit. Susan Boyle, her team, and numerous music-related vendors will profit.

Yet in Susan Boyle’s “gift economy,” which she neither forecasted nor manipulated, money can facilitate but cannot possibly buy the greatest benefits to the community in which she finds herself to be the generator and principal member. In this higher economy, she is both blessed herself and a blessing to countless others.

As recently reported on her official website, Susan says about her upcoming United States concert tour: “This is a brilliant moment for me. The past five years have been incredible, and it just keeps getting better. I have spoken so often about wanting to tour America and be able to visit different cities for the first time—I’m so excited. This really will be fantastic, and I can’t wait for October. The US embraced and supported me from the beginning, and it really feels like a second home. So I can’t wait to get on the road and perform there.”

Source:Small Business Exchange Northeast