Well well well. I’ve been busy living life IRL instead up upkeeping my website. So here is the update.
YESTERDAY we had the opening of A Levittown Christmas Carol, a 90s spin on the Charles Dickens classic. You ain’t seen it like this – a rock musical masterpiece, with a pertinent message made more accessible for today’s anyman. Based in part on the childhood of Righteous Jolly, the story follows the bones of the original, as aspiring writer and current fry cook Chuck takes on the re-writing of the tale. We experience the story through Chuck’s struggles as a writer, as he discovers the true meaning of Christmas through the exploration of Dickens’ work. The music by David Garrett Shaw totally kicks, melding 90s rock with the messages of the Christmas Ghosts, the importance of friends and family, and some soon-to-be Christmas staple songs for sure.
I am blessed to work with such amazing performers, from cast to band, and it has TRULY refreshed the Christmas spirit within me. I suspect it would do the same for you. Our opening night at New Hope Arts Center was last night, and I was totally prepared… until Executive Director Christine Ramirez introduced the performance, noting it was the first time in a DECADE that there had been a theater performance on their stage. “A milestone,” she said, and I began to cry. She emphasized the importance of theater, community, and the profound impact live art has on our society at large. It is through the arts that we can see things from other perspectives, helping us grow and better understand our world. I encourage you to come see this marvelous production, of which I am only a small part… ok, ok. A few small parts. But you’ll laugh, cry, and hopefully walk out of it refreshed and ready to open your arms to the world.
Get your tickets for tomorrow and Sunday – walk ups only tonight, and I suspect we will sell out!
A Levittown Christmas Carol – New Hope Arts Center, New Hope, PA – now through Dec 22
In other news, I am thrilled to announce the audiobook release of PROSE winner (2023) Against Progress: Intellectual Property and Fundamental Values in the Internet Age by Jessica Silbey, published by Stanford University Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks. This book really riled me up, and encourages us to think about what “progress” means, and how intellectual property law can either help or hinder the progress of science and the useful arts. For me, the takeaway is we must encourage and rely on each other to help ideas flourish, creating a more sustainable and better future. By sharing and developing ideas, we progess as a society, preserve artistic work and further the conversation (like, with a Levittown Christmas Carol). We get new work pertinent to our development as a whole and all are the better for it. I have a few download codes available – get in touch to listen and join the conversation.
Moving forward I am working on new books, both writing and narrating, and new music. You can expect to hear new things soon but until then, this is about all I have time to update for now. And, in 2025 I will continue to update monthly, as I expect a LOT of really fun things to happen this year.
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