Paul Lewis — PLAYWRIGHT, COMPOSER, LYRICIST

Martina Visconti, a Jewish opera star, decides to remain in German-occupied Milan during World War II in hopes of protecting her impetuous younger sister, Giulia, who has joined the Resistance. Meanwhile, an American GI in an embattled infantry unit south of Rome, dreams of reaching Milan so that he can finally meet his operatic idol. A story of the bonds of love stretched to their very limits and the heart-wrenching choice one sister must make in a world that is falling into unfathomable darkness.

The Names was workshopped in the summer of 2023 by Theatre 33, as part of their Summer New Play Festival. Audience response to the initially-scheduled week of fully-staged performances was wonderful, and the production was held over for an additional week.

Direction and dramaturgy by Rod Ceballos. Lighting and sound design by Rachel Kinsman Steck. Scenic design by Robert Vaughan. Costume design by Allison Normin Johnson. Pictured: Erica Towe (Martina); Phoebe Jacobs (Giulia); Colin Murray (Schroder); Alex Foufos (Joey); Ryan Carty (Sam); Elizabeth Rothan (Gestapo Official). Photography by Dale Peterson. (Photos 4 and 6 by Rachel Kinsmen Steck.)

Prior development: Staged readings at Equity Library Theatre Chicago;  Macha Productions, Seattle; Atlantic Stage, Myrtle Beach; FUSION Theatre, Albuquerque; Stolen Shakespeare Guild, Fort Worth.

This play started its life as a one-act play, "The Italian Prisoner", which had the following productions: Actors Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA; Exit 7 Players, Ludlow, MA; Playwrights' Forum Festival, Spokane Civic Theatre, Spokane, WA; The Acting Ensemble, South Bend, IN; Theatre Workshop of Owensboro (KY); Driftwood Players Theatre Festival of Shorts, Edmonds, WA (all in 2015-2016). Best of Festival Award at Spokane Civic Theatre. Audience Favorite Award at Driftwood.

FUSION poster design by Harrison Sim.

This musical adaptation of one of the most beloved children's books of all time, THE RUNAWAY BUNNY, written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, had its world premiere at Boston Children’s Theatre in February 2019, under the direction of Mary Guaraldi, with music direction by Austin Davy. This production utilized a large cast of kids and young adults.

A new TYA version of this musical premiered at SecondStory Repertory Theatre, March to April 2023. Directed by Pat Haines-Ainsworth. Music Direction by Terry Alaric Levitt. Production Design by Mark Chenovick.

The top seven images are from the SecondStory Rep TYA production. Photos by Michael Brunk. Cast: Hannah Coleman (Runaway Bunny); Arwen Dewey (Mother Bunny); Tadd Morgan, Leslie Youngblood, Laura McFarlane (Ensemble).

The remaining images are from the Boston Children’s Theatre production, utilizing a large cast of kids and young adults.

REVIEWS:
Stage Review - The Runaway Bunny

Presented By: Second Story Rep - Redmond, WA

Date Reviewed: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Reviewed By: Greg Heilman (Heilman & Haver Theatre Blog)

Covid is many things to many people. Its impact on the theatre community was heavy and far reaching, a true test of patience for theaters, casts, crews, audiences, and certainly creatives anticipating the presentation of their work. I’m not sure I can count the number of productions that theaters have put up over the past two seasons that were originally intended to be presented prior to, or during 2021 when everything shuttered. The latest example is a brand new musical based on the children’s book "The Runaway Bunny”, written by local playwright Paul Lewis, in collaboration with Gabriel Carbajal and Mary Guaraldi. The musical, based on the 1942 book by Margaret Wise Brown (“Goodnight Moon”), is finally getting its chance to shine, on stage at Second Story Rep in Redmond through April 9.

The story is a classic tale (tail?) of a child’s wanderlust and a mother’s assurance, and determination, that no matter where her child should roam, there is a safe place for her to come home to. Runaway Bunny is safe in her den, along with her mother, brother, and two sisters, but has learned about the great wide world outside through her books. She longs to experience it, and against her mother’s insistence that she wait until she grows a little older, the young rabbit heads out. Her mother, resigned to her daughter’s departure, assures her that no matter where the young bunny roams, Mom will be close behind, always ready to bring her home to the comfort and safety of their den. Runaway Bunny’s travels take her through streams, gardens, mountains, the sky, and the ocean. She quickly learns that adventure is not just all fun, but there are a lot of dangers and other challenges out in the world as well. But it’s the reassurances of her mother that give her the confidence to keep going.

The Runaway Bunny is part of Second Story Rep’s “Theatre for Young Audiences” program. While other family shows typically include a combination of adults and young performers, The Runaway Bunny is performed by adults and for children. In order to be successful, in my mind, a show that is for a younger audience needs to meet certain requirements. First, it needs to be long enough to tell the story, but short enough not to exceed the attention spans of the child patrons. Secondly, it has to be told in a way that it can reach children, while not telling the story down to them. There’s a tendency to tell these stories in a way that is above the audience’s ability to relate or access, and at the same time it has to keep the parents interested as well. Finally, it has to be engaging, something that is not just going to tell the story, but to do it in a way that leaves children with a positive impression, enough for them to want to come back to the theatre. It’s a bonus if it leaves the children inspired to be part of a theatre group in their own lives.

I’m extremely happy to say that The Runaway Bunny meets, or exceeds, all of these requirements. Credit for that doesn’t just go to the playwrights, who have captured the essence of the story and its message, but also to director Pat Haines-Ainsworth and the wonderful cast of talented actors. It’s this cast, under Pat’s direction, that help this show excel. There is nothing condescending about this production. The story is taken seriously and delivered with a lot of care. Each of the characters is wonderfully performed, from Hannah Coleman’s portrayal of Runaway Bunny, filled with wanderlust, confident to meet each challenge, and open minded enough to understand that it may not all be carrots and flowers out there, to Arwen Dewey’s Mother Bunny, convincingly characterized as a wonderful mother who more than anything wants to keep her children safe, but is also able to give a little space for them, while at the same time providing a safety net. Hannah and Arwen work extremely well together when the story asks them to. In plays where actors aren’t necessarily believable in these types of roles, adult audience members can usually imply parts of the relationships that fill in the gaps, but children aren’t so easily fooled. The relationship has to be true, and this one is. There’s a sincerity to their performances that is clear.

Tadd Morgan, Leslie Youngblood, and Laura McFarlane make up the ensemble in The Runaway Bunny, and aren’t just supporting the story of Mother and Runaway Bunny, they’re a vital part of the production. They are Runaway’s siblings, fish in a stream, the moon and stars, and any number of other characters, each a part of the story that represents the challenges that Runway faces. As part of the musical aspect of the show, this trio is called upon to do a lot. Their acting, singing, and dancing are all extremely well done, and with a professionalism that shows they are taking this work seriously, which they need to, children would be able to spot actors going through the motions a mile away. And that’s what makes this show work, it’s performed for the children, sure, but it’s not performed at them. It is the kind of experience that these kids will want to come back to the theatre for.

The Runaway Bunny, while made primarily for the younger set, is engaging for the adult crowd as well. It’s got a lot of humor that works at multiple levels, the jokes are geared toward the children, of course, but I found myself chuckling along with them. It seems like everything here is done just right, neither under nor over done. Kind of like Goldilocks and her potatoes (if you’ve seen the show). Mark Chenovick’s (Production Designer) set is simple, changing scenes through projections and simple set pieces, nothing overly stimulating. This entire team has done their work to make sure that it’s told at the right level and in the right way. It’s also paced well. The show comes in at just under an hour, which seems the perfect length for this audience.

The Runaway Bunny, based on the 1942 children’s book of the same name, may be designed primarily for children, but it’s something that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Certainly, I was very entertained by the telling of this story. It’s told and performed in a way that treats both the source material and the audience with respect and dignity. There’s only one weekend left for audiences to take this in at Second Story Rep, so while I would implore you to head to Redmond and take advantage of its short residency there, I think more than that, I would suggest that theatre or school artistic directors throughout the region consider bringing this story to their audiences. It’s a niche that isn’t as filled as it should be, and it would be a shame for more audiences not to have the chance to see this, with or without their children.

The Runaway Bunny runs onstage at Second Story Rep in Redmond, WA, through April 9. For more information, and tickets, visit https://www.secondstoryrep.org/.

Review from Macaroni Kid Dorchester, “We Caught the Runaway Bunny!” (Boston production)
MK families! This weekend, my family and I had the pleasure of attending opening weekend at the first ever musical production of The Runaway Bunny playing at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston for the Boston Children's Theatre. The setting is intimate and the entire show is about one hour long. We had the best time and just wanted to share our experience with you!

The musical opens with mama bunny reading to her little bunnies. They’re inside their den, cozy as can be and the oldest little bunny has been left in charge of reading to and caring for his brothers and sisters while mama bunny goes off to find food. While she is away for the day, the little bunny starts to wonder when he will be able to see the big wide world out there that he only gets a tiny glimpse of from the den below.

Just as in the original story, the little bunny decides to go off on his own to seek adventure and experience all the things the world has to offer. He meets some clever trout in a stream and while on a mountain, a special visit from the moon and her sisters, the dancing stars! Along his travels, he can hear mama bunny, always with him and never stopping to look for her little bunny to make sure he is safe. When he becomes a crocus in a hidden garden, a bird flying high in the sky and a sailboat sailing far away, mama bunny is never far off and always letting her little bunny know, “I will run after you, for you are my little bunny.”

One of our most favorite scenes was when the little bunny sails away. GUYS!! It is surely something that you must see for yourself! The sea god (you’ll see!!), the ocean creatures and the music and songs left us wanting more as this scene offers something new that isn’t in the original story!

As he makes his worldly travels, the little bunny develops an appreciation for all the different families he meets. They live in different places, eat different foods and have different dynamics within their family. The little bunny also realizes that what works for other families might be different from what works for him and his needs. He eventually reunites with mama bunny and his brothers and sisters. They are incredibly happy to have him home in the den while they listen to his stories again but this time, the stories he tells are about his own real adventures in the big world. What a brave little bunny!

In short, BRAVO! It was a wonderful time for both children and adults, alike. What a brilliant, clever and impressive cast of all ages. All of the actors were just incredible including some tiny little stars who you won’t be able to get enough of. I really love how the original storylines were included in the musical along with some brilliant additions, but also how the little bunny’s adventures and all the musical performances really took the audience to that time and place.

I asked my 7 year old daughter what she thought of the production and what she thinks the message was. She said, “All families are different and important but your home is where your heart is. 💕 Mommies bring love to you everywhere you go, even when you’re alone.” I actually shed a tear, people. Seriously so sweet and so true.

Parents, grandparents, caregivers and children, everyone go see it! Suitable for all ages. Humorous yet heartwarming. Thanks for stopping by!
Gaitre Lakhan, Publisher Mom
Macaroni Kid Dorchester

The show received eleven five-star ratings on Goldstar, out of eleven.

“The Runaway Bunny”, A Musical
Book by Paul Lewis & Gabriel Carbajal and Mary Guaraldi
Music and Lyrics by Paul Lewis
Additional music and arrangements by Austin Davy

“The Runaway Bunny” Copyright © 1942 by Harper & Row, Inc. Text copyright © renewed 1970 by Roberta Brown Rauch. Illustrations copyright © 1972 by Edith T. Hurd, Clement Hurd, John Thacher Hurd, and George Hellyer, as Trustees of the Edith and Clement Hurd 1982 Trust

Lost in the Hills is a new musical freely adapted from Zane Grey’s 1919 novel “The Desert of Wheat".

In early 20th-century Washington state, a young Spokane woman, traveling to the rolling wheat lands of the Palouse, is haunted by the inescapable feeling that she has been there once before. While seeking to decipher the reason for that, she loses her heart to a troubled young agrarian and his radical sister, and soon must decide whether to return to the well-planned life she has always known—or lose herself forever in the scenic yet unforgiving hills. A story of loss, love and the gravitational pull of the past, set against the backdrop of the battle for justice in the fields.

”Lost in the Hills” premiered in August 2022 at Theatre 33 in Salem, OR, to record audiences and enthusiastic ovations.

August 18, 2022
The power of place, the siren calls of home, the ideals of fairness and equity and the demand for justice are some of the themes that shine out in Paul Lewis’ new musical, Lost in the Hills which had its first staging this summer as part of Theatre 33’s 3 X 3 Summer Festival of New Plays. I had the honor of serving as dramaturg for Theatre 33 this summer, and the joyous privilege of watching a powerful new musical play unfold.

The western United States in the late teens and early twenties of the last century was a time of struggle, growth and change in a country divided. Challenged by drought, depression, demands for workers’ rights, and a pandemic, Paul Lewis’ distinctive story of farming life, union struggle and the search for belonging in early 20th century eastern Washington wheat country, resonated
from the first reading with universal, contemporary ideas – the striving for community, love, justice, and a place to call home.

The musical, which follows three intertwined stories —a chapter in the doomed history of the International Workers of the World, a love story, and one woman’s personal journey to find out where she is from and where she belongs— presents a portrait of a complete, sometimes contradictory world. In addition to featuring three powerful roles for women, all the characters in Lost in the Hills are well-rounded, complex, and very human. The harsh beauty of the Palouse almost serves as another character and Paul’s beautiful, multi-layered music illuminates the beauty of the landscape and completes the stories and characters’ journeys in lush and distinct songs. It is a rich score where songs come out of the action, the needs of the characters and reflect their emotions and inner lives to beautifully complete this rich portrait of a time and a place. Lost in the Hills presents a portrait of community in all it contradictions, complexities, and celebrations. The play, through very human characters and experiences, explores the difficulties in pursuing justice, understanding difficult history, and navigating the complications of love, belonging and loyalty.

Theatre 33, which offered Lost in the Hills its debut staging this summer, is a new play development company in Salem, Oregon that provides Northwest playwrights a unique workshop experience. Unlike most development opportunities where sets, costumes and staging are minimal or merely suggested, Theatre 33 provides playwrights a full staff of professional theatre artists—in this case, director, musical director, dramaturg, costumer, set, lighting and sound designers and a full-time stage manager —to present their plays in fully-staged, fully mounted script-in-hand performances. And in this case, it is a tribute to Paul’s play – both to the compassionate story and to the engaging music – that the actors were so committed and enthusiastic about this play that they memorized the music, blocking and virtually all of the dialogue in a rehearsal process of a little over three weeks, amid constant changes and revision.

Lost in the Hills was a joyous production and broke new ground for Theatre 33. Period costumes, lights, sound, a constantly changing set and live accompaniment brought this musical alive in a six-performance run for enthusiastic audiences who experienced a full, polished production. The consistent depth of the audience discussions during talkbacks which followed each performance also speaks to the engaging power of this musical.

Lost in the Hills is a unique and powerful piece that resonates with audiences and truly deserves a future life – lots of future lives. I have high hopes for its future development and really look forward to seeing many new productions. Being able to play a small part in this rich development process of this musical has been a highlight of my theatre life.
—Nora Douglass
Dramaturg, Theatre 33
Salem, Oregon

“All the hallmarks of a Paul Lewis play are here: Strong characters, especially strong women; a timeless historical tale that stays on just this side of magic and a mystery that shows the past is never far from the present… [He] captures the wonder of their machinery and life's work, an admiration the playwright uses to great effect here.

There is always something mysterious and magical afoot in a Paul Lewis play, but the greatest wonder is Lewis' words themselves.”
— Award-winning playwright and journalist Matthew Weaver

Photo of the Palouse © John Clement, John Clement Gallery. Photos of the Theatre 33 production are courtesy of Theatre 33.

Cast: Phoebe Jacobs (Lenore); Rachael Loop (Julia); Alex Foufos (Johnny); Dennis Fisher (Anderson); Erica Towe (Betty Baxter); Geoff Schaubbut (Rob)

The development of this work is generously supported by the Schneidmiller Center for Palouse Regional Studies Endowment.

“Jill Trent Science Sleuth”, co-written by Carissa Meisner Smit, was adapted from the series of comic books of the same name, published between 1943 and 1948 by Nedor Publishing. The principal artist for the series was Al Camy.

The year is 1944, in a large American city. Scientific investigator Jill Trent and her accidental sidekick, Daisy Smith, together solve The Case of the Black Sheep Murder, A Case of Bubble Trouble, and The Case of the Sanitary Murders. Yet with each case they solve, the crime-fighting duo draw inexorably closer to the center of a vast undercover Nazi operation which has the potential to cripple the United States from within. In the end, Daisy must overcome her worst fears if she has any chance of saving Jill —and the entire nation — from mortal danger.

Harlequin Productions of Cayuga Community College, Auburn, NY premiered this play in March 2020, under the direction of Bob Frame.

All photos by Bob Frame. Poster design by Adam Williams. Original cover art from 1945 by Art Camy.

Performance licensing by YouthPLAYS.
https://www.youthplays.com/play/jill-trent-science-sleuth-by-paul-lewis-and-carissa-meisner-smit-567

Winner of the 2023 AATE Distinguished Play Award for an Adaptation

Eleven-year-old Charlie has been making the same secret wish every day—to have a family in which everyone looks after each other. But her mom barely gets out of bed in the morning and her dad is in jail, and when Charlie is sent to live with distant relatives in a small Appalachian town, her dream seems even more out of reach. There she meets an uncommonly valiant neighbor boy, a big-hearted aunt and a skinny stray dog. Could it be that wishes come true in even the most improbable places—and will Charlie recognize it before it’s too late?

This musical for young audiences and their families is adapted from the NY Times bestselling novel WISH, by Barbara O’Connor.

The top three production pics are from St Mary's Academy in Fayetteville, GA, 2024. Photos by Rebecca Miller. (Pegasus by Molly Kellam)

The others were taken at the New Play and Musical Festival, Central Florida Community Arts Theatre for Young Audiences in 2020.

Other productions to date: 23 Miles South (2022) and Cy-Fair High School (2024)

Published and licensed for performance by YouthPLAYS

Cover illustration from WISH by Barbara O'Connor. Copyright © 2016 by Barbara O'Connor. Used by permission of Farrar Straus Giroux Books For Young Readers. All Rights Reserved.

A musical for young audiences based on Alexandra Day's perennially popular 'Good Dog, Carl' book series. Madeleine grows up under the careful watch of a playful and courageous Rottweiler named Carl; their adventures together prepare her for the world of kindergarten which awaits.

Running time approximately 50 minutes.

Full production at On Pitch Performing Arts, Layton, UT, 2023

In pre-World War II America, twenty-five-year-old Ruby takes her much younger, recently orphaned half-brother, Mike, on a cross-country train journey, riding in a Pullman sleeper car to the 1940 World’s Fair in order to fulfill a promise that Mike’s father once made — to introduce him to the famous actor who plays Superman.

This full-length play is scheduled for a November 2020 radio play production by Bainbridge Performing Arts, Bainbridge Island, Washington.

In a minor-league ball park in Davenport, Iowa, Hal and Elaine’s lives are shattered when a line drive foul ball strikes and kills their only son. One night the rookie shortstop who hit the ball appears at their doorstep. What follows is a journey toward redemption and understanding.

This full-length musical, with book and lyrics by Paul Lewis and music by Paul Lewis and Bonnie Murphy, will have its first concert reading at the Jewel Box Theatre in Poulsbo, WA in October 2018.

It’s adapted from my one-act play “A Place That Looks Like Davenport”, which has been staged at: New American Theatre Festival of One-Acts, Los Angeles; Edmonds Driftwood Players Festival of Shorts, Edmonds, WA; Storefront Theatre, Waxhaw, NC; Eastbound Summer 2014, Milford, CT;  and Island Theatre Ten-Minute Play Festival, Bainbridge Island, WA; TLC Productions One-Act Festival, Canton, MI; M.T. Pockets Theatre, Morgantown, WV.

Winner of Jury Prize and tie for Audience Favorite Award at Driftwood Players Theatre. First-place festival winner at Storefront Theatre. Third-place festival winner at M.T. Pockets Theatre. 

Music and Lyrics by Paul Lewis. Book by Paul Lewis and Carissa Meisner Smit. 

When in 1932, Amelia Earhart asks for his help preparing for a dangerous trans-Atlantic solo flight attempt, Ray Spencer, an aviation meteorologist haunted by a past tragedy, is on the threshold of an elusive scientific breakthrough which he hopes will make long-distance flight safer. But before he can help the young aviator he must first take on the ghosts of the past.

Winner of a Seattle Times 2016 Footlight Award for Promising New Work.

Premiered at Theater Schmeater, Seattle in July-August 2016, directed by Artistic Director Doug Staley, with music direction by Brita Laree. Photos by Dave Hastings.

Upcoming: Spring 2017 production at the Jewel Box Theatre, Poulsbo, WA

REVIEW

Theater Schmeater stages Ambitious Amelia Earhart Musical
—Dusty Somers, Seattle Times

Theater review: “The Crossing” is still a work in progress, but its unique point-of-view, accomplished singers and interesting score ensure Schmeater’s first musical is a notable debut.

There typically aren’t many firsts left after 25 years, but the venerable Theater Schmeater is setting out to prove new tricks aren’t limited to upstarts with its first-ever production of a musical. 

It takes some real doing to imagine a full-fledged musical production in Schmeater’s old Capitol Hill basement space, but it’s not as if its current Belltown home is much roomier. In such cozy confines, one might expect a manageable starter musical — maybe something with just a couple of characters or even a revue. 

Instead, Schmeater is jumping in headfirst, staging “The Crossing,” an original work about Amelia Earhart with an ambitious, moody score by Paul Lewis. Directed by the Schmee’s artistic director Doug Staley, “The Crossing” is still in an incubation stage, but its scrappy derring-do is kind of irresistible.

Designed to be an intimate chamber piece, the show mostly fits in Schmeater’s 50ish-seat theater, though there’s nowhere convenient to place lone musician Loren Temkin (plus, Lewis’ score yearns for more than a keyboard alone), and on opening night, several actors were still attenuating their singing voices to the space. 

Also displaying some internal conflict is the book by Lewis and managing director Carissa Meisner Smit, which vacillates between embracing Earhart’s mythic quality and presenting her as a credible flesh-and-blood human, whose desire to make great strides for women inspired her daring solo flights. 

Tori Spero makes for a striking Earhart, whether icon or mere mortal. The script doesn’t definitively choose, but it opts not to make her the protagonist.

Rather, that would be the fictional Ray Spencer (Brian Lange), a government meteorologist who’s compelled to help Earhart plan for her solo transatlantic flight in 1932, defying depression-era cutbacks and risking his job in the process. 

Initially, Ray is pressured into the gig by Earhart’s husband, publisher George Putnam (Chip Wood), but his own personal reasons begin to emerge. 

Smit and Lewis have devised no shortage of psychological motivation for Ray. Long, irregular hours have strained his relationship with his wife, Mary (Maren Comendant, whose lovely voice justifies the presence of her ancillary character). He’s hiding a dark secret about his daughter that afflicts his personal and professional conscience. And he’s continually visited by a spirit of the wind in a feather-covered bodysuit who’s half-muse, half-tormenter (Kendra Pierce, half-ethereal, half-ridiculous). 

Spencer can’t make up his mind whether helping Earhart navigate a potentially treacherous route is a noble cause or foolhardy participation in her likely death. Lange makes Spencer’s indecision acutely felt; even after he’s ostensibly made up his mind, a dark cloud of uncertainty is omnipresent on his face. 

Supplying the comic relief are wisecracking reporter Danny Riggins (Olivia Lee, in full-on Rosalind-Russell-as-Hildy-Johnson mode) and her cigar-chomping editor (Michael Ramquist), who spend more time sparring over the angle on the Earhart story than unearthing any real news.

Lewis’ songs alternate between lush, melodramatic duets and grand ensemble numbers with overlapping vocals, and his lyrics rely heavily on meteorological jargon as metaphor — never before have isobars been referenced in so many songs. 

If that sounds like a complaint, it’s not. “The Crossing” is a work still finding its footing, but its unique point-of-view, accomplished singers and interesting score ensure Schmeater’s first musical is a notable debut.

Book, Music and Lyrics by Paul Lewis and Gabriel Carbajal

Adaptation based on Caps For Sale © 1940 and 1947, © renewed 1968 by Esphyr Slobodkina. Used with the permission of HarperCollins.

Pezzo the Peddler has always hoped to be as extraordinary a peddler as his father and grandfather before him. But his village has fallen upon hard times, and no one can afford his many-colored caps. So he sets off on a journey, seeking new markets for his wares. Along the way he encounters a traveling circus with a serious dilemma, a village under a dark cloud, and a family of abandoned monkeys in a forest — and Pezzo soon discovers what it truly means to be extraordinary. 

This musical was workshopped by Boston Children's Theatre in November 2014,  as part of  BCT's Marcia J. Trimble New Works Project. This led to a World Premiere mainstage production in March 2016, directed by BCT's Executive Artistic Director Burgess Clark, with music direction by Austin Davy and choreography by Nicole Soriano. By the end of its run, 5500 people had seen "Caps"!

For performance licensing for "Caps for Sale", please contact me, and I'll be happy to put you in touch with the appropriate representative at HarperCollins.

All production photos by Sublime Photo Art,  courtesy of Boston Children's Theatre.

REVIEWS

In a time of rampant bullying and presidential candidates pandering for votes with xenophobia and equal opportunity putdowns, hats off to the new musical “Cap for Sale.” Adapted from the Esphyr Slobodkina classic with book and score by Gabriel Carbajal and Paul Lewis, this Boston Children’s Theatre world premiere focuses on cap seller Pezzo’s quest for new customers, an odyssey that turns into an unusual act of heroism. Artistic director Burgess Clark really sells this disarmingly simple story to parents and children alike with a bravura turn by guest artist Steve Gagliastro as Pezzo and a wonderfully energetic ensemble.

Pezzo may be very different from Tevye the Milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof, “yet both struggling heroes have the heart and soul of an Everyman. At the same time, both heroes confront prejudice-fear of strangers in “Caps for Sale” and hatred of Jews in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Ultimately Pezzo’s good fortune with “a barrel of monkeys” and fair-minded villagers brings an understanding absent from anti-Semitism-ridden Anatevka and Czarist Russia. 

Collaborators Carbajal and Lewis capture the cap seller’s challenges and eventual vindication in their lively score as well as in a book that catches the spirit of its source.  The popular tale’s legion of fans will find that the tight 65-minute show (with a brief intermission) does full justice to both Pezzo’s  adventure and the outer frame in which young child Eva’s mother narrates the atypical salesman’s entertaining story during a thunderstorm.

Gagliastro is as winning as Pezzo himself. He sings robustly about the colors of the caps he wears like a tower on his head. Speaking with a convincing Italian accent (as the mountains he faces may be Italian Alps), he finds the genial cap seller’s insecurity about living up to his father and grandfather’s  professional success in the family business as well as his growing awareness that he can make a difference for the stranger-distrusting village and a traveling circus without a clown. Joshua Mooiweer as the village’s controlling Constable and William O’Brien as his slavish deputy Yervant engage in some amusing slapstick that somewhat calls to mind the interaction of hunter Gaston and his prat-falling assistant LaFou in “Beauty and the Beast.” Caraline Shaheen has affecting sweetness and simplicity as Pezzo’s young village supporter Alina.Kudos to the dozen or so young actors who frolic as the pivotal cap-stealing monkeys- some with flips and all with eye-catching agility. Jeffrey E. Salzberg’s lighting makes the cap seller’s rising fortunes shimmer as much as the tree where the monkeys play.

Pezzo energetically embraces the potential to be extraordinary in all of us. Boston Children’s Theatre’s labor of love “Caps for Sale” is benchmark special — Jules Becker, South End News

"World Premiere of Caps for Sale Warms Hearts"
A childhood folktale comes to life in the Boston Children's Theatre's production of Caps for Sale! 

Playwrights Paul Lewis and Gabriel Carbajal have done a wonderful job creating a heartwarming story that engages the audience and shares a new spin on a classic story. Directed by BCT Executive Artistic Director Burgess Clark the cast brings the character of Pezzo the Peddler, Alina, the band of monkeys and more to life in a way that captures your heart, engages your mind and makes you want to join in the fun! The entire performance leaves you feeling like maybe we all can make the world a better place — Susan Mulford, Boston and Beyond/Art & Entertainment

Happy children squirmed, squiggled, squealed and screamed in sheer delight last Saturday afternoon, during Boston Children’s Theatre’s world premiere of “Caps for Sale”. The two-act musical, based on Esphyr Slobodkina’s popular children’s book about Pezzo the peddler, appeared through March 13 at Boston Center for the Arts’ Wimberly Theatre, Boston.

Seated on the stage’s left side, narrator Shayna Bredbeck portrayed a mother, who amused and distracted her frightened daughter, Eva (Gabriela Ettinger), during a thunderstorm, by telling her the legendary tale of a dedicated cap peddler.

Boston Children’s Theatre Executive Artistic Director-Director Burgess Clark kept tiny theatergoers’ attention by turning the house lights on at times, as the cast prompted the audience for interactive responses. 

Besides Gabriel Carbajal and Paul Lewis’ lilting musical score, most of this production’s charm belonged to popular Boston actor Steve Gagliastro, portraying the third generation cap-seller, Pezzo. He balanced his stack of bright-colored caps on his head, like his father and grandfather had in the past 70+ years, hawking them for 50 cents apiece. 

Pezzo is magical, too. He converses with chirping birds. Times are tough, and Pezzo can’t make a living, so he decided to venture beyond his ken, to a large city over the mountain and through the forest. His fellow townspeople sent him off enthusiastically, while his elderly, bent Bubba-grandmother (Margaret McFadden), lamented his leaving. 

During his trek, Pezzo braved the elements and encountered unusual people, such as an unemployed twirling circus ballerina (Clara Hevia), man on stilts (Marshall Joun), and juggler (Michael Saracco), searching for work. Their circus was disbanded because a lion ate their clown, and everyone knows you can’t have a circus without a clown. Prophetically, Pezzo told them they’d need a barrel of monkeys to jumpstart a new circus. Pezzo wandered into a town of suspicious, dour, unhappy villagers, who shun strangers, because of a continuous rash of unsolved burglaries in their midst. Only one girl, Alina (Caraline Shaheen) and her mother (Megan McMahon), would speak to Pezzo, who gratefully gave Alina a red cap for her kindness. 

Toddler theatergoers enjoyed slapstick shlock with the villagers’ constable (Joshua Mooiweer) and his nephew/ sidekick/yes man, Yervant’s (William O’Brien). And the audience reveled with the assemblage of shipwrecked, frisky, playful monkeys, who washed ashore, stranded, in a forest. They popped out from behind trees and knot- holes, tumbling, jumping, cartwheeling. Pezzo had fallen asleep with his caps on his head, ripe for these simians’ pickin’ and prancing around in them. When he awoke and tried to converse with them, they gleefully mimicked his actions. As part of Nicole Soriano’s fun choreography, she had the monkeys form the word, HELP with their ’ bodies. All ended well, with Pezzo’s tying everything together in one, big happy finale.

— Sheila Barth, Everett Independent (Independent Newspaper Group)

The Wimberly Theatre in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St. hosts Boston Children’s Theatre’s World Premiere production of Paul Lewis and Gabe Carbajal’s musical adaptation of Esphyr Slobodkina classic children’s novel. Directed by Burgess Clark with choreography by Nicole Soriano and music direction by Austin Davy, the story follows the life of a caps salesman, Pezzo, brilliantly played by Steve Gagliastro, a Gloucester, MA native and Actors Equity member with a stellar list of productions under his belt. 

 Pezzo balances his entire inventory of caps on his head and heads off to sell his wares but when he comes to a very sad and angry town and his caps are stolen by a band of mischievous monkeys, the caps salesman must outwit the monkeys in order to reclaim his caps and save this troubled town. This show is “more fun than a barrel of monkeys”! And speaking of monkeys they swing, screech and cavort on stage. The cast of over 30 performers sing and dance their way into your heart with songs that are filled with warmth, humor and sincerity and wear a series of wonderful costumes by Colleen Egan.  CAPS FOR SALE is an engaging delight for young and old! — Laurie Corbett, Macaroni Kid South Shore Boston

They’re just 50 cents a cap, so you’re reminded the book was written quite a while ago. Seventy-six years, to be exact. That “Caps for Sale” is a timeless classic of children’s literature is confirmed when the mother of the little peanut sitting next to you says they’ve already read the book 20 times.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Boston Children’s Theatre new production of Esphyr Slobodkina’s unforgettable tale is a world stage premiere. Adapted by Gabriel Carbajal and Paul Lewis, it’s embellished considerably, turning a picture book of 48 repetitive pages into a 90-minute performance, with a narrator, rolling set design, several original songs, and a guy on stilts, among other spectacles.

In the book Pezzo, the hat peddler, tramps around the woods and mountains of the Old World with his wares stacked high atop his own patchwork cap, just as his father and grandfather did before him. Based on a traditional Russian folktale, the story features one major obstacle to Pezzo’s efforts at salesmanship: a troop of light-fingered monkeys, who pilfer his hats while he’s snoring and won’t give them back.

The BCT adaptation, directed by Burgess Clark, the theater’s executive artistic director, unspools the yarn with detours into a glum Gothic mountain town and the camp of a failing traveling circus. How Pezzo (played with relish and an accent borrowed from Father Guido Sarducci by local stage veteran Steve Gagliastro) manages to introduce his larcenous monkeys to the joyless townspeople and the hapless circus performers is a trick nearly as precarious as Pezzo balancing all those brightly colored caps atop his dome. 

But the company pulls it off, with a couple of vaudevillian set pieces and a little help from the crowd. At stage right, a mother (Shayna Bredbeck) cradles her young daughter on a stormy night and begins to tell her a tale that’s “true and make-believe all at once.” In her story, there’s a young girl living in the miserable town — “Never have I been to such an unhappy place,” Pezzo exclaims — who sees a glimmer of hope in the visiting peddler and the colorful things he brings. By the end of the show, it’s clear the mother hasn’t just plucked her story out of thin air.

The monkeys arrive after an intermission, and they bring the mayhem the audience has been anticipating. Played by a cast of young actors in brown flannel and big floppy ears, Pezzo’s tormentors spring and tumble around the stage in an inspired bit of choreography.

Ultimately, the show builds on the source material’s simple message about ingenuity — how Pezzo gets his caps back from the monkeys — to offer a larger takeaway about the power of every ordinary person to do something extraordinary. For starters: You hold your head up, like Pezzo does.  —James Sullivan, The Boston Globe

Take the kids to see this world premiere production based on the classic children’s book, whimsically performed by Boston Children’s Theatre at the Calderwood Pavilion. This tale of Pezzo the Peddler and his passel of caps burgled by a barrel of monkeys is sweet, simple, funny, and short! It’s all animated by a frisky cast: especially Steve Gagliastro as the sincere and clever Pezzo, Shayna Bredbeck as a warm and expressive narrator, and a lively and versatile ensemble of townspeople, stilted and tutued circus performers, and those madcap monkeys. It’s all set against charming sets by Janie E. Howland and propelled by musical tunes which stick in the head.— Joyce Kulhawik, Joyceschoices.com

The production was just amazing in every way and the kids were mesmerized from the moment it began until the very end. The cast was so talented and the play was a magical adaptation of such a wonderful story! This was one of the best trips we have been on and we'll be talking about it for a long time —Jennifer Sherrin, Kindergarten Teacher, Maria Hastings School, Lexington, MA

Giselle, a divorced American woman in her 50s travels to Montevideo, Uruguay in search of the tango instructor with whom she fell in love thirty years before. 

Oblivion was adapted from my ten-minute play of the same name, which had productions at Edmonds Driftwood Players in Edmonds, WA; Subversive Theatre Collective, Buffalo NY; and Greenville, SC; and was published in Best Ten-Minute Plays 2014 (Smith and Kraus). 

The full-length play has had staged readings at Atlantic Stage (SC), Raven Players (CA) and HRC Showcase Theatre (NY) in 2014-15, and a full staging by Edmonds Driftwood Players in Edmonds, WA and Richland, WA in 2015. 

Reviews:

Emily Hill, myedmondsnews.com

Driftwood's 'Oblivion' a riveting search for past love

What do we see when we travel – really see? Are our loves fueled by fantasy, or challenged by stark reality? Can we defy the physics of time and return to one particular moment in order to take another “turn,” thus flirting with Fate?

These provocative questions, and so many more, are dealt the audience in Paul Lewis’ riveting piece, “Oblivion,” which is playing a limited engagement at the Wade James Theatre under the banner, “Theatre of Intriguing Possibilities”.

Intriguing indeed! In his expanded 90-minute script, playwright Lewis tiptoes his audience into the menacing reality of 1980s Latin America and its state terrorism campaign. In smoothly constructed flash-back scenes we learn of the lost love of a young woman, Giselle, who travels to Uruguay with her boyfriend on the eve of their engagement.

Some years later (and post-divorce) she returns as a successful American doctor in an attempt to recover the love she realizes was a mistake to walk from.

News travels from one small Uruguayan village to the next that Giselle has come back to seek out her former lover – a Tango instructor with whom she shared defining and bittersweet moments before walking down the aisle with her staid, self-absorbed American fiancé.

An Uruguayan priest – the brother of her years-earlier love – guides her exploration of motive, conscience and reality as they spar at a sidewalk café to find the “real” truths of the past.

And the “real truth” was revealed to Driftwood audience last night in the searing scream of accomplished actor Dawn Cornell, which tore through the Wade James Theatre. Cornell offers a notably flawless portrayal of Giselle, 2013.

Playwright Paul Lewis has now written three adaptations of “Oblivion,” profiled by Artfully Edmonds, He received gratitude for his efforts by fans and followers of his work during a question-and-answer period that was attended by 30 audience members.

Director Paul Fleming and Lewis celebrated the successes that “Oblivion” has received thus far, making it clear that the product of their collaborative work met the high standards of each. In response to one question posed to Fleming during the Q&A period, the experienced director described an amenable and generous Lewis fostering the creative ideas and character development of his play through its production.

Edmonds friends – this is a high caliber production, one that is already winning awards for its cast, the company and its playwright. “Oblivion” won “The Best Ten-Minute Plays of 2014″ (Smith & Kraus). Cast members Steven Ruggles (the priest, Eduardo), and Annie St. John (a young Giselle) received accolades at the 2015 Kaleidoscope Festival held in the Tri-Cities.

The cast of this Driftwood Players production was flawless in their delivery of lines. Sean Morrone, Greg LoProto, Monica Chilton and Greg Brisendine are the exactly correct choices in casting. Having traveled through Latin America extensively in the 1980s, I might make a different wardrobe choice for Giselle, 1983. I found the layered sweater look not in keeping with a 26-year old sophisticate – but may be that was the point – our young Giselle has yet to attain the intellectual level of a stylish sophisticate at that juncture of her life.

Seattle readers? Everett readers? Do not miss this work – or going forward – any work by this accomplished, generous playwright. Paul Lewis is going places, take note!

Victoria Gilleland, Shoreline Area News

Theater review: Oblivion - premiere of a thought provoking, emotionally raw play

It isn't often we witness the birth of anything these days. But Driftwood Players' current production, Oblivion, provides the audience with an opportunity to enjoy the premier of a thought provoking play by local playwright, Paul Lewis.

Oblivion has evolved from a Ten Minute Play first performed in 2013 to a fully staged 90 minute production at Wade James Theater in Edmonds. The acting is top notch and the production well done.

Giselle, the main character in our story, has returned to Montevideo, Uruguay in search of the tango instructor with whom she fell in love some 30 years earlier. The story is set in the real world of 1980s South America. In 1983 when she first visited, Uruguay was a place of unrest ... but what was Giselle’s perception then and what was the reality for her and the people she met at that time?  The complex mental and emotional lives of the characters are explored.  

The characters are so real and the emotions so raw that the audience is soon pulled into the drama. Every question posed by one of the characters resonates with the audience. We can identify with these people ... We all have strengths and weaknesses.   

Playwright Paul Lewis has previously written Musicals, a Children’s Opera and a number of Ten Minute Plays of which Oblivion was one. His musical The Hours of Life premieres this December in Seattle. Mr. Lewis is a very creative and talented writer who has much to contribute to the world of theatre. We're fortunate to have him here in the Northwest! 

Photos by Arian Smit

This musical tells the story of the love affair between Edgar Allan Poe and Rhode Island poet Sarah Helen Whitman against the back drop of the dawning of the Machine Age. An incident in Poe's past involving an Austrian swindler moves forward in time to derail Poe and destroy his last chance at attaining happiness.

Production by Theatre22 at Cornish Playhouse Studio, December 2014 after two workshop stagings. All productions directed by Corey D. McDaniel. Finalist for Fulton Theatre New Play Discovery contest, 2012. 

Here's what the critics had to say about the Theatre22 staging:

Doug Hamilton, The Seattle Gay News

Bravo! Theatre 22's new musical The Hours of Life brings standing ovation.
“I expected to be moved, but I wasn’t expecting to be dazzled, and I was both. Theatre22’s world premiere of their new musical, The Hours of Life, is a triumph of talented people making smart decisions that inform the play from every angle, from set to staging, script, cast, singing and score. I was hooked from the opening moments when the chorus streamed onstage from all corners for their opening number, singing ‘The Machinery of Man,’ looking and sounding like a Broadway production…”
Read the full review here:
http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews42_50/page21.cfm

Drama in the Hood’s review

“The world premiere of The Hours of Life, a musical about Edgar Allan Poe by Paul Lewis shines with loving attention. Directed by Corey McDaniel, this presentation by Theatre22 at the tiny Cornish Playhouse Studio at Seattle Center delivers the goods…”
Read the full review here:http://www.dramainthehood.net/2014/12/the_hours_of_life/

Director/playwright Kathy Hsieh’s review

Show #170: Theatre22’s “The Hours of Life” by Paul Lewis, directed by Corey McDaniel, musical direction by Julia Thornton. A musical about the romance between Edgar Allan Poe and Sarah Helen Whitman. What an undertaking! A brand new locally developed world premiere musical by a brand new company. I loved it and predict a grand future for it. Not only is its leading man an iconic figure, but the musical does an incredible job of weaving together three storylines involving love, vengeance and longing into a cohesive tale. I also appreciated the orchestration of cello, guitars, piano and drums; the thematic refrains for Poe and Whitman were especially haunting and lovely. Admittedly, I am a huge fan of historical fiction and of course after the show, spent hours doing research on Poe & Whitman. This only made me appreciate Lewis’ work all the more, realizing how much artistic selection and crafting of the real events went into the making of this piece. Featuring Meg McLynn, Brian Pucheu, Michael Ramquist, Victor Matlock, Macall Dunahee Gordon, Jennifer Ewing, Sarah Trowbridge, Pamela Haines-Ainesworth,Amelia Meckler, Doug Knoop and more! ‪#‎SEAthtr

Seattle Actor’s review

“The new musical, “The Hours of Life” by Paul Lewis is an almost perfect definition of a contemporary chamber musical. That’s especially appropriate because this relatively large cast in a relatively small space achieves just the sort of intimacy and authenticity needed to tell the story of the deeply personal love life of a widely known man, the great 19th Century writer Edgar Allen Poe. Although this production, finely directed by Corey McDaniel, has a very brief run it is the result of more than three years of development, and I feel confident that the show has a good, long life ahead of it…”
Read the full review here:
http://seattleactor.com/news/modules.php?name=SeattleReview&rop=showcontent&id=636

Copious Love’s review

As a staff member for a theatre company that exclusively produces original works, it isn’t a stretch to say that I am thoroughly excited by seeing performances blossom at their inception. The Hours of Life is no exception. The play was a musical rendition of Edgar Allen Poe’s career misfortunes and love affair with Sarah Helen Whitman. I had the pleasure of seeing this original new musical by Paul Lewis on its opening night and was stunned into submission by a wealth of talent from the cast and crew on this Theatre22 production.

Director Corey McDaniel exhibited a brilliant use of a very small space by utilizing the ring around a circular clock platform in the middle of the thrust at the Cornish Playhouse Studio. The original music was haunting and jarred the audience at times with its minor scales and unique blend of piano, cello, electric guitar(with distorted feedback appropriate to a song about American industry), acoustic/electric bass and drums. Accompanying the rhythm of the drums were instruments that harkened themes that made Poe famous. The woodblock echoed the tapping of the raven as well as the sinking and the swelling of the bells.

Brian Pucheu gave a stunning performance as the macabre poet, Poe, with delicate delivery of sensational and poetic lines. He was matched with powerful performer in Meg McLynn as Sarah Helen Whitman, another poet and eventual love interest of Poe’s. Michael Ramquist and Victor Matlock gave exciting and fantastical life to a pair conniving German profiteers set on getting revenge on Poe for publicly denouncing their livelihood. Other strong performances worthy of mention were that of Riley Donahue as Poe’s new found foppish friend and fellow poet as well as Sarah Trowbridge who played Poe’s cousin/wife who is is stricken with consumption.

I strongly recommend catching this wonderful musical and finale to Theatre22’s inaugural season which runs through December 14th.

http://www.copiouslove.org

Poe Forevermore’s review

“THE HOURS OF LIFE is the new musical about Poe that had its world premiere in Seattle at the Cornish Studio Theatre on December 5, 2014. The Theatre 22 production was written by Paul Lewis and directed by Corey D. McDaniel. The show opens with cast members filling the stage in song, all dressed in beautifully tailored period costumes. The intimate feel of the 100-seat theater was immediately felt with the characters literally standing at your side. After the rousing finale of the first of 17 songs, the ensemble disperses and the play gently unfolds…”
Read the full review here:

http://www.poeforevermore.com/reviews-theater-the-hours-of-life.html

A Theatre22 production directed and produced by Corey D. McDaniel. 
Music Direction: Julia Thornton
Casting Director: Alber Sucupira
Assistant Director and Associate Producer: Chris Shea
Production Manager: Becca Anderson
Stage Manager: Michelle Berweiler
Fight Choreographer: Tom Dewey
Fight Captain: Victor Matlock
Dialect Coach: Alyssa Keen
Dramaturg: Sonja Lowe
Costumes: Janessa Jayne Styck
Set/props: Robin Macartney. 
Sound: Jesse McNeese. 
Lights: Robert Falk

Photos by Rob Falk

Paul’s one-acts have been performed at play festivals across the country, including four appearances in FUSION Theatre’s prestigious festival, “The Seven” as well as in the UK, Canada, and Mexico. They been awarded a number of Best of Festival and Audience Favorite awards. Several of his pieces have been published in Best 10-Minute Play, Best Women’s and Best Men’s Monologue anthologies.

Pictured: “Music Box”, Portland, OR
REVIEWS:

By David Stabler/ The Oregonian/Oregon Live

..."The Music Box" was a poignant tale about a ballerina and her partner stuck inside a music box, trying to imagine the big, wide world beyond. She manages to get free, but misses him and soon returns. 

The choreography, by such notables as Jamey Hampton, Lane Hunter, Cherie Price and others, was fun and varied, as was the music by Kurt Misar, Paul Lewis, Bryce Earhart and others. Nordin led a dynamic band of instrumentalists off stage. 

By A.L. Adams, Oregon ArtsWatch

...Wendy Wallace and Paul Lewis’s Music Box seems to be sprinkled with Pixar dust. Like Toy Story, it has a kiddish premise, involiving toys, but manages to humanize its characters. The mechanized ballerina (Malia Tippets) and her partner (Sharinghousen) show tenderness and ennui as they face near-realistic dilemmas in their miniature world.

4×4 quickly takes shape as an enthralling kids’ show that I’ve no doubt my favorite 6- and 11-year-old would enjoy as much as I. I also can envision these cartoonish shows being spun into animated shorts—so clearly, in fact, that I mentioned that notion to NW Animation Festival director Sven Bonnichsen after the show. (Hey, content is the first hurdle, and too often the Achilles’ heel, of animation. The matchmaker in me sees possibilities there.)

A musical retelling of a story from The Odyssey, in which a dog stubbornly awaits a missing soldier's return from the Korean War, long after everyone else has lost hope of ever seeing him again.

Bainbridge High School Spring Musical, Bainbridge Island, WA. Staged reading at Theatre Puget Sound. Finalist for a Before Broadway production at Northern Kentucky University. 

“Alley Dog celebrates the archetypal journey of a young man returning home after many years and the dog who awaits him. The audience longs for their reunion throughout the musical and are delightfully entertained by the many colorful characters who provide comic relief to the twists and turns for both Sam and his childhood dog before their final emotional reunion. A great musical for the entire family that plays on our deep connections to home and those who make us feel ‘at home’.’’ - Barbara Hume, Bainbridge High School Theatre Director (Bainbridge Island, WA)

Performance licensing and more information at YouthPlays, at youthplays.com

Photos by Jordan Lewis