PREVIEW: Selections from A Little Death to be performed May 8th
05/08 @ Jive Hive Live, Albany
“A Little Death explores identity, resilience, and morality through the lens of marginalized people, brought to life by the sounds of the American Songbook.”
On Thursday, May 8th, A Little Death, a haunting and heartfelt original musical by Eric-jon Tasker, will come to life in a special staged reading at The Jive Hive.
Set in Depression-era Louisiana, inside a house of ill repute, A Little Death explores identity, resilience, and morality through the lens of marginalized people, illustrated through the sounds of the American Songbook.
Tasker began working on the musical years ago, initially as a personal challenge: “What if I could take these marginalized sections of society and things that are taboo and make them likeable to an audience?” Tasker asked. “Even though these people are engaged in things that society at large may not approve of, how can people feel and empathize with the things that are happening in the show?”
The show has since evolved into a deeply human story, one less about shock, and more about the people inside the house and what it means to live, survive, and love under scrutiny.
After stepping away from music in 2015 following the disbanding of a former group, Tasker found his way back into the scene years later, thanks to his partner and a moment of inspiration. “Zan [Strumfeld] asked if my partner could write a song for a project,” Tasker said. Shortly thereafter, Tasker was approached and asked if he could write a song, which he accepted without a second thought. “I realized during writing that this song fell into the world I had been working on for so long.”
Strumfeld now stars in the staged reading, alongside Erin Harkes, Jackie Argoff, Raya Malcom, Gary Maggio, Seth Biskind, and Nellson Jacobs-Moore, with narration by Michael Gregg.
“I thought people would be doing this as a favor,” Tasker admits, “but to hear people say a song moved them, or that they’re still singing it days later, it’s new for me. I’m just not used to that. It’s been encouraging.”
He describes the process as surreal: “It’s like an out-of-body experience. Some of these performances are more than I ever imagined. I think this is the beginning of something really special.”
Check out Jive Hive Live’s livestream (linked below) to experience the raw, thought-provoking beauty of an original American story in the making.
The show features the following live musicians:
Steve Golding (guitar)
Dylan Perrillo (upright bass)
Seth Maset (drums)
Lucy Nelligan (violin)
Jess Bowen (viola)
Watch the live stream here: https://www.youtube.com/live/9qruxGVic0o?feature=share&themeRefresh=1
In-person attendance is by invitation. To inquire about live access, contact the venue at jivehivelive.com
Admission is free, with donations encouraged to support the vocalists, musicians, and production crew.