I was introduced to Award-Winning Orchestrator & Arranger Lynne Shankel when Producer Dan Watt called to tell me about his new documentary EVERYBODY DANCE, which features Lynne’s song “I Will Make Thunder,” sung by Broadway’s Bonnie Milligan.

Dan couldn’t stop raving about Lynne’s song or the way Bonnie has interpreted it. He urged me to listen to it & sent me an advanced copy of the recording. When I listened to the song, I immediately hit repeat & kept listening to it for the next hour.

I called Dan back to tell him how much I loved the song & he asked me if I wanted to interview Lynne about the song. I immediately said YES.

In this interview, Lynne answered my call to share:

• How she came to write “I Will Make Thunder”
• How it went from a musical theatre song to being used in EVERYBODY DANCE
• How she hopes to make thunder in her career
• So much more

Connect with Lynne: Website, Instagram

Stream/Purchase “I Will Make Thunder”: Apple Music/iTunes

EVERYBODY DANCE explores the everyday challenges and blessings of kids living with neurological disabilities, following 5 kids, their families and dance teacher on a journey through life and toward their dance recital.

This touching film illuminates the daily challenges faced by children living with a variety of disabilities, focusing on the positive impact of dance in their lives. 

Watch this inspiring journey of self-discovery, dedication, achievement and yes DANCE!

1. How did you first come to write "I Will Make Thunder”? I wrote the song back in 2014 when I was writing some new material for a show at 54 Below in NYC. I was thinking of a friend who had been fearful of really letting their dreams take flight and the song was kind of my wish for them. My wish for them to just close their eyes and DIVE IN.

2. The song is used in yours & Crystal Skillman's musical Postcard American Town, but it is also featured in the credits of Dan Watt's new documentary Everybody Dance. Why do you feel this song works so well in both projects? The song is really about losing your fear.

In the musical, it’s about a character who is afraid to let go of the past and what that might mean. She is afraid that letting go of the past will mean letting go of memories and tradition, but she finds that letting go really means finding who you ARE.

I think that in the documentary, the kids are so bravely losing their fear and using dance to find who they are and to express their joy. It’s really beautiful.

3. Why is "I Will Make Thunder" the perfect song to end Dan's documentary Everybody Dance? I think that the film expresses what we all truly want, which is to not be afraid of expressing ourselves in ways that are true and honest.

I hope that ending the movie with “I Will Make Thunder” leaves the audience with that feeling and makes folks want to lose their fear and try something they have always wanted to try to do, but have always been too afraid to try.

4. "I Will Make Thunder" has just been released as a single with Bonnie Milligan on vocals. What made you choose Bonnie to record this song & release it as a single? Well because Bonnie is the bomb, of course! She is an incredible vocalist and storyteller. I have been very blessed to have the song recorded by two stellar voices— the divine Jenn Colella who recorded it for my album BARE NAKED in 2016 and the magnificent Bonnie Milligan who sings it in the movie. Bonnie has been kind enough to do a couple of readings of the musical POSTCARD AMERICAN TOWN with us, which is where I got to hear Bonnie sing it for the first time, and she was brilliant. Then Dan Watt heard her sing it at a benefit and the rest is history!

5. How do you want to continue to "Make Thunder" in your career? I do my damnedest to make thunder every day. I always want to try new things and take new risks.

As an artist, taking risks is inherently key to not becoming stagnant. It’s how we advance our art forms. It’s also very important to me to make thunder in the stories that I tell. I am drawn to writing stories about folks who are marginalized in some way, and for me that often takes the form of writing feminist pieces and bringing uncomfortable issues to the forefront.

I’m not interested in art that is frothy and meaningless. I’m interested in telling stories that need to be told and making thunder.

More EVERYBODY DANCE Interviews:

2025 (Coming Soon): Dan Watt: EVERYBODY DANCE: Taking The Entrepreneurial Leap
2022 (Read Here): Dan Watt - EVERYBODY DANCE Documentary: Making Dance Accessible to All Bodies

Lynne Shankel

More on Lynne Shankel:

Lynne Shankel is an award-winning orchestrator and arranger living in the New York City area.

Lynne was recently the music supervisor/arranger/orchestrator for ALLEGIANCE starring Lea Salonga and George Takei on Broadway. Her diverse musical background has led her to write orchestrations and arrangements for everyone from Chita Rivera, the New York Pops and Raul Esparza to Tony Award winner/Bon Jovi member David Bryan and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

She was music director/arranger for the Broadway production of CRY-BABY, as well as the resident music supervisor for the Tony-award winning revival of COMPANY, for which she conducted the Grammy-nominated cast album. She was music director/arranger for the Off-Broadway hit ALTAR BOYZ, for which she received a Drama Desk nomination for orchestrations. Lynne received a second Drama Desk nomination for her work on THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY (by Paul Loesel and Scott Burkell) in 2010. In 2012, she received the Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Orchestrations in San Diego for her work on ALLEGIANCE.

In 2014, Lynne was orchestrator/arranger for the world premiere of CHASING THE SONG (music by David Bryan, book by Joe DiPietro ) at La Jolla Playhouse. She was orchestrator/music director for the acclaimed revival of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at the Papermill Playhouse (directed by Thomas Kail) and the music supervisor, arranger and co-orchestrator for BARE THE MUSICAL. She also collaborated with lyricist Jon Hartmere to provide the new songs for that production which are featured on her new album, Bare Naked.

Proud graduate of the University of Michigan.