Lunar Threads

Thought I'd mention an interesting project I'm acting in currently...

It's an original script, locally written by a friend of mine. And it's a musical using the music of Ben Folds, done in a cappella arrangements. So basically the chorus serves as the "orchestera" vocalizing all the accompaniment (including a couple beat-boxers who do percussion sounds) while the soloists sing the melody/words.

The script is really neat. It's actually going to be the first part in a trilogy set in a small town called Effington, where a young man named Benjamin arrives, leaving behind his old life. He is welcomed into the town and very quickly falls in love with the town and also with Annie, the woman who shows him around when he first arrives. But the town has a secret they're hiding. There's a reason Benjamin doesn't remember quiet exactly how he arrived...

I'll let people guess on that one for a bit before I talk more (I'm not supposed to reveal too much about the plot before we open - I realize no one here would be probably be able to see the production, but you never know who might read this).

Anyway, I'm playing the town Reverend, who is sort of the leader of the town. If anyone knows the Ben Folds song "Not the Same", that's the solo I get to sing.

It's a pretty exciting project (and yes, we do have the rights to use the music). It's a world premiere, basically, and it's created a lot of buzz already locally. We open in July. And the music/material is very fun and fulfilling.

So anyway, that's I'm working on right now. Thought I'd share.

That sounds really cool! Ben Folds is a fantastic musician. Really wish I could come see this. Tell me Zak and Sara is in there somewhere, that's probably my favourite song of his.

Yup. The songs in this particular installment of the trilogy include:

Effington, Fred Jones pt. 2, Not the Same, Army, Brick, Still Fighting It, The Luckiest, Magic, You Don't Know Me, Zak and Sara, Wandering, Boxing and Evaporated.

I have been told that my character will get to sing the ultimate finale of the trilogy when all the scripts are complete - it's going to be Songs of Love.

Wow, that's a legitimately awesome project. And please, please tell me that "Song For The Dumped" will make an appearance somewhere in that trilogy, because that would be pure win.

He hasn't set all the songs yet for the future installments, so I'll definitely put a bug in his ear for that one. I also really want him to use "Smoke" b/c that's one of my favorite songs.

Hey I thought I'd post some pics from the production, if anyone's interesting. Ben Folds fans will get some of the character names I'm including here...