I'll be stepping into the shoes of acclaimed novelist, poet and pioneer of the Beat Generation, Jack Kerouac in new musical, Beatniks with The Collective Beat Ensemble. We'll run June 19th-24th at The Actor's Company as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival.
Book, lyrics, music and direction: Davia Schendel
Music direction: Mina Bloom
It’s 1950s Manhattan, and the Village is buzzing with creativity. Jazz music floats through the air while beat poetry adds to the rhythm of the city. “Beatniks” follows the interconnected journey of writers Diane di Prima, Joyce Glassman, Elise Cowen, Hettie Jones, Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and more as they rebel against conformity through their artistic visions. This high energy musical gives audiences a look into the lives of several literary icons who rebelled against the conformity of 1950s America. Through their revolutionary poetic expression, these writers conveyed the ideals of a generation that longed for authenticity and self-exploration.