News

Wow! Hello, everyone – long time, no see.

First of all – new website. Cool, right? One I can update myself! THANK YOU, Sean Michael Flattery and DRAMATIS DESIGN for the new look. Much needed. I highly recommend this guy to all artists who are looking to get their website done. http://dramatisdesign.com/

Secondly – new headshots. Look how old I am now! The Silver Fox is here to stay! A big shoutout to Josh Levinson and JKLphoto. Again, if you are in NYC and you need new headshots, he’s your man. https://www.jklphoto.net/

So, the last time I updated was 2016, and SO much has happened since then. Check it out:

The Three Musketeers had TWO productions in 2017: – a 90-minute version was produced by The Classical Theatre of Harlem (Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director) and was given a review in the New York Times… what?? And then last fall, Syracuse Stage (Robert Hupp, Artistic Director) gave it a full production, and it, too, was well-received. A big shoutout to those theatres for taking it on – I am one appreciative playwright.

The Three Musketeers have 4 tentative productions lined up for 2018 as well – two college productions and two theatrical productions. Just waiting for signed contracts before I write the names down in black-and white.

Composer Dax Dupuy and I collaborated on an adaptation of the Clementine book series to create a one-hour musical called – fittingly enough – Clementine the Musical. Pretty proud of this one. The Barter Players (Katy Brown, Artistic Director) produced it at Stage II last fall (2017) and the Barter Players ENCORE Company (Katy Brown, Artistic Director) – under the auspices of Theatreworks USA – are just about to finish up a 5-month tour, where they’ve seen over 60,000 kids! Grateful to all involved in this process – everyone worked super-hard and we ended up with a great product.

I wrote my first-ever murder mystery last year as well – Ghost, Ghost, Come Out Tonight was commissioned and produced by Barter Theatre (Richard Rose, Producing Artistic Director) in the fall of 2017. I learned a lot writing that one – mainly, never roast marshmallows in a haunted wood with people you’ve lied to and cheated on. It doesn’t end well.

The Barter Players performed my adaptation of Great Expectations for the Company last summer (they had performed it on tour that spring) – 60 people crammed into a rehearsal hall to watch it – one of the highlights of 2017 for me. The actors killed it and Rick Rose liked it so much he put it in the 2018 main stage season. It opens up this fall at the Gilliam Stage at Barter Theatre. I’m so excited! I love Charles Dickens, and this book was a favorite of mine in high school, and I always wanted to adapt it. And Pip’s journey really resonates with our Appalachian young adults. Come see it if you get the chance – it’s pretty magical.

I also adapted Alice in Wonderland for The Barter Players, which they produced this spring (2018) on the Gilliam Stage. It was a really challenge for me – I’m not a big fan of the book – but I couldn’t have been more pleased with the results. A big shoutout to all involved with the project – and if you take a look at the production photos, you’ll give them a shoutout, too.

I have another adaptation in rehearsal right now – The Barter Players will be presenting my Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs this summer (June 19th thru July 14th) at Stage II. Again, if you’re in the neighborhood – hell, even if you’re not – come see it! You’ll never look at your reflection the same way again.

Some other projects include getting a demo made for my musical about Harriet Tubman – A Woman Called Moses. Composer Gary Bartholomew and I have had this one in the pipeline over a decade – it’s time to finish it up! Also working on a new musical with composer Dax Dupuy based on the poem Maud Muller. And I have three more Player shows to write for next year… whew! But it’s a good life and I’m lucky to have it.

So until next time…