HOW THEY BROKE AWAY
Music and Film Direction by Andy Teirstein
Words by Carl Sandburg, from The Rootabaga Stories (1922)
Directed and Edited by Andy Teirstein
Choreography by Lehuanani DeFranco
Presented by Animal Stone Productions
What is America?
In 1922, poet Carl Sandburg published The Rootabaga Stories, for children and other people. In an imaginative stream-of-conscious outpouring, Sandburg's down-to-earth characters speak to us of Americana at the border of the absurd. Now, during the pandemic, they are of the moment.
How do we produce a short opera film during Covid-19?
A brilliant cast of singers have filmed themselves, with help from their partners and pandemic podmates.The film blends new music, the fretless banjo, and dance.
Gimme the Axe • David DeWitt
Axe Me No Questions • Sonya Headlum
Train Ticket Agent • Zack Marshall
Please Gimme • Sam Simahk
Storyteller • Erin Stewart
THE CAST
David DeWitt
David DeWitt appeared as Monsieur Reyer in the Broadway National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera, as Gus in the Broadway National Tour of Cats, and regionally as Javert in Les Miserables. Film and TV credits include the Make-up Artist in Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, Michael in Under Shelter, Oscar in Outside the Window and Rusty in King's Day Out. David and Erin Stewart have performed together with the Chappaqua Orchestra, The Northern Dutchess Symphony, and at The Festival of the Arts at Mohonk Mountain House among other venues.
Sonya Headlam
Soprano Sonya Headlam has performed as a soloist, recitalist, choralist, and chamber musician, singing a diverse range of repertoire from the Baroque era to the 21st century across North and South America, Europe, and Asia. She is a member of the GRAMMY®- nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street where she performs regularly with the Trinity Baroque Orchestra and Novus NY. Sonya is a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Rutgers University, where she has also worked as a Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Music.
Zack Marshall
Zack Marshall, baritone, is a recent graduate of Purchase College's Conservatory of Music. Based in the tristate area, Zack has performed in everything from opera to dance, theater, film and more.
Sam Simahk
Sam Simahk has been seen on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel, and on the national tours of The King and I and My Fair Lady. Regional credits include Theatre Under the Stars, Pittsburgh CLO, Ogunquit Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company. A graduate of Emerson College and member of Actors' Equity Association, Sam normally resides in NYC, but is currently with family at his childhood home in Ashburnham, MA.
Erin Stewart
Broadway credits include Mrs. Nordstrom in the Tony nominated Broadway revival of A Little Night Music starring Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, directed by Sir Trevor Nunn, where she also performed the roles of Anne and Charlotte. She made her Broadway debut with The Phantom of the Opera and performed the role of Christine in the Broadway National Tour and the Las Vegas Phantom. Erin has appeared as a soloist with The Omaha Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Symphony Space, Mohonk’s Festival of the Arts, The Finger Lakes Chamber Music Festival, and Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra. www.erinstewart.net