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Throwback Thursday – “One Little Wish”

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For this Throwback Thursday, I will highlight one of my two musical collaborations with the great composer Paul Robert Bartsch called “One Little Wish.”

Briefly, “One Little Wish” is based on an old French fairytale (in some tellings, it is a Cuban or Puerto Rican fairytale – which just goes to show that stories “get around”) about a miserable old man with a pear tree, who, after helping a stranger (who just happens to be St. Peter in disguise!), is offered the ability to have one wish and subsequently wishes thay anyone who tries to steal pears from his pear tree will stick to the tree until he (the old man) wishes them back down again.

Some 20 years ago now (I am dating myself), I learned about this fairytale during a French history class at Northwestern University, stored it somewhere in the back of my mind as a wonderful idea for a musical, and then, some years later, after I worked with Paul (Bartsch) on the musical “Hello World”, I proposed that we work on a musicalized version of this very yarn together.

Notably, “One Little Wish” has a special place in my heart because it was my first foray into the world of the theater producer, as I self-produced the show after founding the theater company Speerhead Theatricals – and not only that, but I harnessed my inner actor (from college days) and even took a role in the show, starring as the arch-villain tax collector, Morínigo.

Long story short, “One Little Wish” was produced way back in 2012 – including a great concert presentation at The Lambs in New York City and then two productions in Connecticut – with much credit to the Director of Production, Shawn Amdur – and while admittedly not my best work, the show had a typically lovely score by Paul, who simply couldn’t not write tuneful melodies.

The below excerpt is quite extended and taken from very early in Act One – after the opening song – where we meet three people who pester the old man with his pear tree – a pair of young lovers and the aforementioned tax collector, played by yours truly – and of course, in both cases, the old man will suffer no one taking his pears and demands that they all “Leave Me Alone.”

You can listen to other songs from the show here!

Throwback Thursday – “Philosophus” in Texas

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For this Throwback Thursday, I will highlight the production of my play “Philosophus” by Plaza Theatre of Wharton, Texas – a (true story) historical farce about the persecution of the philosopher Voltaire by the minions of King Frederick the Great of Prussia.

One of more frequently produced works – and also a published one – “Philosophus” was given its world premiere production by Alleyway Theatre of Buffalo, New York, after which it was one of three finalists to win the prestigious TNT POPS! Playwriting Contest of 2018 (TNT = “Texas Nonprofit Theatres” – an organization of theaters in Texas dedicated to mutual support of the theatrical arts).

As a result of being one of three winners for 2018, “Philosophus” was scheduled to be produced by a member theater of Texas Nonprofit Theatres, which turned out to be the Plaza Theatre of Wharton, about 40 minutes outside of Houston – and while I had never been to Texas before, I ended up having a great time traveling to the theater and seeing “Philosophus” performed by the wonderful cast.

Above all, I was most struck by the fact that, despite crude stereotypes to the contrary, where one envisions theater as thriving primarily on the east and west coast, Wharton had a vibrant theater community and the Plaza Theatre had quite a storied history – and not only that, but they put on a marvelous production of “Philosophus”, filled with gorgeous costumes and make-up, great acting performances, and a very fine set – so needless to say, I was beyond impressed and beyond humbled to have my play performed by them (as well as chastened to ever think that anyplace outside of the greater NYC or LA area was theatrically limited).

Alas, my greatest regret was that, while I was able to meet the cast of the show (and was feted quite marvelously), I wasn’t able to meet the director, Trace Morris, because he couldn’t attend the one performance where I made an appearance

While “Philosophus” only played for one weekend, the pictures speak for themselves…

Introducing “The Last Flight of the Electra”

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I’m thrilled to announce the “launch” (if “launch” is indeed the right word) of my newest play, “The Last Flight of the Electra!”

Taking place in late 1968, “The Last Flight of the Electra” concerns the retired magazine executive Aileen Craigmore, who finds her carefully manicured (and well-protected) world turned upside down by an obsessive secretary, who insists that Craigmore is, in fact, Amelia Earhart, the famous aviatrix who went missing while flying over the Pacific Ocean in July of 1937.

A brisk-paced, full-length one-act, “The Last Flight of the Electra” is an exciting, even haunting play about the nature of identity – who we truly are and who we choose to be – and, indeed, the extent to which there is any difference between the two – requiring only a single unit set and a cast of five actors to bring its story to life.

The play is inspired by a real-life historical incident, encapsulated in the below picture:

Irene Bolam before the press, denying she is Amelia Earhart – 1970

The woman above is Irene Craigmile Bolam, who was famously (or infamously) “accused” of being Amelia Earhart in a book by Joe Klaas in 1970. Joe Klaas wrote his book inspired by former air force officer Joe Gervais, who became convinced that Irene Bolam – a retired bank executive, living in New Jersey – was actually the living, breathing Amelia Earhart. (Hopefully, most readers know that Amelia Earhart was a world-famous pilot who disappeared while flying over the Pacific in an around-the-world tour way back in July of 1937.) Gervais met Bolam in the early 1960’s at an event sponsored by The Early Flyers’ Club of Long Island (Bolam was a former aviatrix) and became convinced she was Amelia Earhart, secretly repatriated to the United States by the American government following World War II. Bolam subsequently sued the publisher of the book and pursued legal action against Klaas and Gervais, but withdrew the case eventually when a judge asked her to provide her finger prints for comparison with Amelia Earhart’s. This decision – and the fact that Bolam subsequently insisted she be cremated upon her death in 1982 – have kept the extraordinary claims by Klaas and Gervais, if not fully “alive,” at least in a state of labored breathing.

You can check out a synopsis of the play here!

Great experience with “Flower”

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Yesterday, my play “A Flower of the Field” closed at Tyler Civic Theatre Center in Tyler, TX.

I was very blessed to be able to travel and see two performances of the show, as well as meet the directors, the cast, the set designer, and the Managing Director of Tyler Civic Theatre Center.

I can truly say that visiting TCTC was one of the more enjoyable experiences in my time doing theater and I left extremely impressed by the great job everyone did on the show.

I have already written about my happiness with TCTC’s production, but some kind theatregoer left this lovely post on Facebook under a post by the theater reminding people of the closing performance of the play on Sunday:

This is a unique and riveting show! 

Imagine getting on an amusement park ride with no other knowledge than “Bubonic Plague.” Your little train cart immediately moves into darkness and the vaguely anticipated historical themes — I’m picturing a warped “It’s A Small World” — but THEN the ride begins a clackety-clack climb that makes your palms sweat, as you realize the floor is about to drop and you’re in for way more twists and turns than you expected. 

The script is interesting and well-written. 

The directing is spot-on. 

And every actor delivers a strong, engaging performance. 

As a brand new play with a short run, this one might be easy to miss; but, trust me… DON’T!

Comments like that that really push you forward – as a playwright, as an actor, as a director, as anyone involved in the world of theater.

I also thoroughly enjoyed my talkback sessions while I was in Tyler, getting a chance to chat with the audience and with the actors in the play.

I’ll be forever grateful for TCTC giving ”A Flower of the Field” its first set of wings and I look forward to when it can grace the stage again!

Another great show at TCTC!

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Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing another performance of my drama “A Flower of the Field” performed at Tyler Civic Theatre Center.

I also had the pleasure of conducting another talkback with the audience following the performance and hearing their very valuable feedback.

During this experience, I confess I had an experience I have not had previously in theater, sitting in the audience as the play was concluding and the very last line was spoken and the lights fell – and somewhere in the darkness, though I don’t know where, I heard a woman say under her breath… “AWESOME.”

I must say, this is also my view of the great work done by Tyler Civic Theatre Center and the wonderful cast and crew who made my play come to life.

There are so many people to thank…

  • David Dickerson – for his marvelous directing and deft use of the stage
  • Kevin Willis – for playing the lead role of John Clyn with so much inner strength and humanity
  • Aletha Nelligran – for playing the nefarious Alice Kyteler with such understated evilness
  • Bryan Michels – for changing type to play a villain with such priestly, well-adorned aplomb
  • Heather Hufterson – for playing Mathias O’More with such sing-song Irish smarminess
  • Georgi Dumas – for learning her role in a little under two weeks (!) and yet acting her part with such fervor and feeling
  • Kevin Phillips – for bring a shadow to life! (you have to read the play to understand this)

Again, I can’t begin to express how impressed I have been with the work by David and the cast, for a piece that is rather difficult to perform.

I have left the experience with awareness of where I need to tweak the play, but also confidence that this is a piece that truly has wings.

Great show last night at TCTC!

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Last night, I had the great pleasure of seeing my drama “A Flower of the Field” come alive for the first time at the Rogers Theatre at Tyler Civic Theatre Center in Tyler, TX!

“A Flower of the Field” won the People’s Choice Award in Tyler Civic Theatre Center’s 2022 new play contest after an excerpted reading was done of the piece last July and the audience voted it the show (out of five others) that they most wanted to see produced.

I must say, I was extremely impressed with the great work done by TCTC’s production of “A Flower of the Field” – everything from the deft directing by David Dickerson to the extremely talented cast of actors and actresses to the marvelous synergy of lights, sound, and set that created such a gothic atmosphere around the play and encapsulated its eerie, mysterious, threatening feel.

Additionally, I must give a shoutout to Tyler Civic Theatre Center for such a great theater complex (they have two theaters, both in-the-round) and such a vibrant artistic community in Tyler, TX (including extensive educational outreach to the surrounding community) and really see them as a perfect representation of how the future of theater is increasingly in the community, with all the talents that communities offer.

Lastly, I would be amiss not to point out that I learned Tyler Civic Theatre Center is the oldest continuously operating theater-in-the-round in North America – an undervalued way of producing plays.

I will be around in Tyler, Texas for the Saturday evening show, as well.