http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGOJUAa9cJo

Click here to download as a PDF

Beat

Scene 1

The set is minimal, with only a piano, a desk, and a lamp beside the desk. Tables, chairs, and a couch are used to create the different environments.

NOBODY

Hello everyone, and welcome to the theater this evening. Excuse me, first let me introduce myself. I am Nobody. I am of absolutely no importance. In fact, this play is of absolutely no importance. When you leave your seats tonight, in all likelihood you will have forgotten I even exist, and I suppose that’s the way it should be.

Enter 2 actors

Anyway, as you will see, this play is about somebody. Well, a few somebodies.

(He indicates an actor)

This is my favorite somebody. I like to call him Will, out of affection I suppose. It’s a nice generic name, Will, isn’t it? There are a great many Wills in this world, what’s one more?

(He crosses to another actor)

This is Will’s acquaintance. Her name…well…why don’t I stop talking now, and let them do the storytelling. I am nobody, of course, and they are undoubtedly somebodies.

(To actors)

Please, proceed.

The stage transforms into a break room cafeteria. LINDA is seen sketching. WILL watches over her shoulder.

WILL

This is fantastic!

LINDA

(She hides her paper)

Excuse me!

WILL

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.

LINDA

No, I think you meant to mind your own business!

WILL sits down at the same table as LINDA.

Well, aren’t you straightforward!

WILL

It’s the only seat left, and if you aren’t too shy I’d love to see what you’re working on.

LINDA

I don’t know…

WILL

Come on.

(He puts out his hand for her to shake)

I’m Will. I name paint colors.

LINDA

I’m Linda.

(She shakes his hand)

Secretary.

The stage transforms into a boardroom. WILL, LINDA, and NOBODY are the only three onstage, but we get the feeling that the room is full of businesspeople.

NOBODY

(Now playing the boss)

Will, your work has been lagging a bit. Is there anything I should know?

WILL

No, I apologize. It won’t happen again.

NOBODY

Have you finished the proposal for the new line yet?

WILL

Almost, I’m just going over the details.

NOBODY

(underneath WILL and LINDA)

Alright. Everyone else then, I want to see a new proposal from all of you by next week. They’re churning out new product faster than we can keep up. Johnson, you take the tan line, Arp, I want you on reds…

LINDA

He’s been after you for that palate for ages. Do you need any help?

WILL

That would be great, thanks. I’m Will, by the way. We met in the break room. You’re the artist!

LINDA

Don’t worry, I remember. Linda.

(They shake hands again)

NOBODY

William!

NOBODY returns to his original persona as the scene changes to WILL’s cubicle.

See what’s happening here? Look at the hands, did you see the hands? You can practically feel their hearts beating through the skin of their fingers.

WILL is seated at his desk with LINDA beside him.

LINDA

What’s this one again? I lost track.

WILL

“Autumn Amber.” I think it fits, don’t you?

LINDA

I suppose. Don’t we already have a Seasons themed line?

WILL

(Remembering)

“Colors of the Wind.” Damn it.

LINDA

Don’t worry about it, it’s only a few you have to rename.

WILL

I suppose. It’s amazing I can name anything at all, I’ve been doing this for so long.

LINDA

Well, as long as they have new colors you’ll have new names, right? You got this job for a reason.

WILL

Yeah, I’m just glad my degree qualifies me to name cheap paint colors. What would the world do without “Worn Leather” and “Summer Sand.” And what would I do without this job…

LINDA

What did you study?

WILL

Humanities. I have a BA in English. See what good it’s doing me?

LINDA

Hey, It could be worse!

WILL

I suppose your right. I could be naming crayons.

LINDA

See, there’s the silver lining.

WILL

What do you do?

LINDA

I’m a secretary, remember?

WILL

That’s your job. But what do you do?

LINDA

You sounds like a job application.

WILL

Well, I’ll tell you if you got the job once you stop deflecting my questions. Tell me about yourself.

LINDA

Well…

WILL

What makes you tick?

LINDA

(Playfully)

Well at the moment, you’re ticking me off!

WILL

Good. Now, tell me something!

LINDA

I went to school for art. I did mostly drawing, but I minored in business in case I couldn’t get a job.

WILL

Which you couldn’t

LINDA

So now I’m here.

WILL

Look at the silver lining like I did, you…

LINDA

There’s really no silver lining.

WILL

Well you’ve met me!

LINDA

You are full of yourself!

(She leans over his desk to look at a paint color)

LINDA

Exactly. I love this color! What do you call it?

WILL

“Heartbeat”

(Nervously)

Do you want to get some dinner?

LINDA

I’d love to.

NOBODY

I think I’m developing this plot line wonderfully!

(He sits down at the piano and begins to play. The WOMAN enters)

WOMAN

It’s late, honey. Why don’t you come to bed.

NOBODY continues to play. Woman exits. The stage transforms into a restaurant.

Scene 2

NOBODY

So let’s see what we’ve got so far. It’s a work relationship. Just dinner. Of course. But I think there could be something there.

(with Will)

So where did you go to school?

WILL

So where did you go to school?

LINDA

I studied undergrad at . . .

NOBODY

(Interrupting in the persona of an obnoxious French Waiter)

Good evening! You two, I assume, since of course you are here and you are of opposite gender and you are sitting together, are passionately in love. Yes?

WILL

No, no, we’re just…

NOBODY

No! No. Say no more!. I will bring you something special. Something unique. Something to bring out the romance this evening.

He backs away.

(Normal now)

This is fun!

LINDA

(giggling)

Well he’s very up front, isn’t he!

WILL

I just hope he doesn’t think…

LINDA

Shush, let’s have some fun!

WILL

I guess we…

NOBODY re-enters

NOBODY

(This time as an Italian chef)

Ah, so you are the two lovebirds my good friend was talking about! Hello, my special guests, do I have something special for you tonight!

LINDA

Will, what would you like?

WILL

Hey!

(to waiter)

No, no we’re really not looking for anything…

NOBODY

Nonsense! I insist! I will make your ladyfriend swoon. Let me work my magic! This meal will surpass any you have ever had. And your date, my good friends, will be spectacular!

He exits with a flourish, reentering a moment later with a tray of food.

NOBODY

This is my specialty, fresh from the kitchen! Please, enjoy!

He exits again, with an even bigger flourish.

WILL

Is this…

LINDA

I think that’s a…

WILL

(They both recoil)

Oh my G-d!

LINDA

Should we…

WILL

Drinks on me?

LINDA

(They look around for the waiter)

Let’s go.

The stage transforms into a bar with a piano and microphone. LINDA and WILL are sitting together at the bar. They are seemingly intoxicated.

NOBODY

“How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears!” That’s Romeo and Juliet, by the way. It’s the perfect love story. Shakespeare. Never did the heart of a writer beat so strongly!

(He goes to play the bartender)

WILL

You should go sing!

LINDA

No, no I can’t!

WILL

Why not?

LINDA

There are so many people around!

WILL

I’ll play for you.

LINDA

No!

WILL

Come on!

He gets up and takes her hand, pulling her towards the microphone.

LINDA

No, Will! No!

Will sits down and starts playing. LINDA gives up and sings the opening lines to “Desperado.”

LINDA

Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses? You’ve been out ridin’ fences…

WILL

(laughing)

You’re so good!

LINDA

You’re so good!

WILL

(He sings)

Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses?

LINDA

(sings simoultaneously with WILL)

come to your senses?

WILL

(Continues singing)

You’ve been out ridin’ fences for so long now. You’re a hard one, but I know that you’ve got your reasons…

WOMAN enters, and sits down at NOBODY’s bar. He gives her a drink. She begins to sing softly with Will.

WOMAN

Don’t your feet get cold in the winter-time? The sky won’t snow and the sun won’t shine…

As WILL sings, LINDA steps down from the microphone and comes over to WILL. She sits down at the piano with him. He smiles at her and keeps playing. When he turns away, she takes his head and turns it back towards her. She kisses him and exits. WILL stops playing. He starts to follow her, and then stops and smiles to himself. He walks calmly out after her. WOMAN exits.

NOBODY

We’ve met Will and Linda, yes? We’ve seen them start to fall for each other. This is a love story, if you hadn’t guessed by this point. I suppose if I needed to tell you that, I would have already failed miserably.

LINDA Enters

WILL

Linda!

She does not acknowledge him.

Linda, hey!

LINDA

Hey Will.

WILL

Hey look, I wanted to talk to you.

LINDA

Now’s not a great time, I’m already late.

WILL

Smith’s not even here yet, I was just up to his office. You won’t get in trouble.

LINDA

I’ve got papers to file.

WILL

Look, it won’t take too long. Just…the other night…

LINDA

I was drunk, so were you. I can’t talk about this.

WILL

I wasn’t drunk.

LINDA

Neither was I.

WILL

I really like you, Linda. I know it’s not right, since we work together. But it’s not up to me, right? Something else inside me decided I wanted to be with you, and I’m not going to stand by idly while it eats away at me. I can feel my heartbeat now.

WOMAN enters

LINDA

Will…

WILL

You don’t have to tell me yes. You just have to tell me.

LINDA

I…

WILL

Just give it a chance.

NOBODY

(Simultaneously with WILL)

Just give it a chance.

WOMAN

Okay.

They exit.

I gave you a chance. You gave me a chance. It’s just the way it works sometimes.

NOBODY

Not this time.

They exit. The stage is set as WILL’s apartment.

Scene 3

NOBODY

Alright, you get the picture. We’ll skip forward a little bit.

(He flips through his script)

Falling in love, going on dates, laughing, crying, playing, blah, blah, blah, Ah! Here we go; they’ve been dating a month.

WILL and LINDA enter holding hands.

LINDA

Come back to my place, we’ll watch a movie.

WILL

Alright.

LINDA sits on couch. WILL stands upstage on the phone.

NOBODY

A couple of months.

WILL

Come over to my place, I rented a couple of movies.

He hangs up and sits on the couch with her.

NOBODY

They didn’t watch the movie that time. 6 Months. Hear it?

(He imitates a heartbeat)

Bah-bum. Bah-bum. Bah-bum.

LINDA

Will?

WILL

Yeah?

LINDA

This is working.

WILL

Yeah. It is.

LINDA

It is?

WILL

Definitely.

LINDA

Good.

Linda goes upstage, reenters holding a box. It is clear she is moving in.

NOBODY

A year.

WILL

Just put that one on the table, we’ll take care of it later.

LINDA

Will?

WILL

Yeah?

LINDA

Nothing.

WILL

I love you.

LINDA

I love you too.

WILL goes upstage, reenters with flowers. LINDA is drawing.

NOBODY

A year and a month.

(He imitates the heartbeat again, continuing under the lines)

Bah-bum. Bah-bum. Bah-bum . . .

LINDA

Will?

WILL

Yeah?

LINDA

I think I’m pregnant.

NOBODY’s heartbeat stops.

WILL

What?

LINDA

Yeah.

WILL

You’re kidding.

LINDA

No, Will.

WILL

But we…

LINDA

Yeah. I know.

WILL

And you’re…

LINDA

Yeah I am.

WILL

Then how…

LINDA

I don’t know Will. It’s been a bit though.

WILL

A bit?

LINDA

Yeah.

WILL

How long is a bit?

LINDA

A week or so, I think.

WILL

A week?!

LINDA

Yeah.

WILL

I can’t believe…

LINDA

We don’t know yet though. It might just be… I don’t know. But let’s just wait a few days and see. Then we’ll figure it out.

WILL

What are we going to do?

LINDA

We’re going to go to bed.

WILL

And just…?

LINDA

Go to bed. Sleep. Be normal. Do something. Anything. Nothing. Don’t do anything. We can’t do anything. We have to think. Think and sleep. And hope and wish.

They exit.

NOBODY

I’ll be honest with you. I wrote this play. I wrote this damn play. This is not what I wrote; this isn’t how it goes.

(He writes furiously on his script, getting steadily more frustrated.)

WOMAN enters

WOMAN

Stop writing. You know the story. Tell the story.

NOBODY

I can’t.

WOMAN

The truth.

NOBODY

I won’t.

(Addressing audience again)

This isn’t over. This is still my play. Enter, Will!

Scene 4

WILL enters, alone onstage.

WILL

Line?

NOBODY enters, angry.

NOBODY

(Flipping through his script frantically)

No…no! No! We’re going back!

LINDA enters

WILL

Linda, I…

LINDA

Slept on it. So did I.

WILL

What do you think?

LINDA

I’m not sure yet. I don’t want to talk about it now.

NOBODY

Hold! We’re going back again. I am not going to put up with

this!

WILL

I can’t just drop this Linda….

NOBODY

Stop! Hold! I won’t tolerate this. We’re going back. We’re going back. Reset the couch. Linda has just entered. It’s Valentines Day. Will, offstage.

A year and a month. Valentines day.

LINDA

Will?

WILL

Yeah?

LINDA

I think I’m pregnant.

NOBODY

STOP!

WILL

(To NOBODY)

No.

NOBODY

What?

WILL

No.

NOBODY

Who do you…

LINDA

No. We’re not going to do this anymore. This is our story now.

NOBODY

No, you can’t just take…

WILL

It’s our story.

NOBODY

I gave you life! You were just lead in a pencil you know. I put you in pen! I put you on paper!

LINDA

You gave us life, now let us live it.

NOBODY

You would be nothing without me! I created you! Both of you!

WOMAN enters

WOMAN

And now you have to let go. Sooner or later we all have to let go. The sooner you can do that the sooner this will all be over and you can have your peace of mind. You’ve had your story. Now it’s their turn.

WILL

Sit down. You’ve had your go. It’s our turn.

The stage transforms back into the apartment.

Scene 5

LINDA

It’s been a few days Will.

WILL

I’ve been praying for that day you’ll be a bitch to me again.

(LINDA laughs nervously)

So… what are we going to do?

LINDA

I have to get rid of it.

WILL

Get rid of it?

LINDA

I never meant for this to happen, Will. I don’t know if we can do this together.

WILL

I won’t leave you, Linda.

LINDA

I’m not afraid of that. I’m just afraid. This wasn’t part of my plan. You weren’t part of my plan.

WILL

You can’t just plan everything. Some things just happen for the better.

LINDA

I don’t want to marry you, Will.

WILL

(Pauses for a minute to think and sit down)

Okay.

LINDA

I’m not ready for that.

WILL

You’re not ready for this.

LINDA

No. I’m not ready for this.

WILL begins to leave.

I have to get rid of it. Are you going to be okay with that?

WILL

I…

LINDA

No, wait. This is my decision. You have to be okay with it.

WILL

This isn’t just happening to you, Linda. It’s us. This is happening to us.

LINDA

Yeah. You’re right. Us. It’s us, not me.

WILL

I think that’s best.

LINDA

What?

WILL

To…

(hesitantly)

Get rid of it.

LINDA

Oh. Yeah.

WILL

Whatever we need to do. We can take care of it.

LINDA

Yeah. We.

WILL exits. LINDA cries. The WOMAN enters and watches empathetically.

WOMAN

(To LINDA, although LINDA is unaware of her existence)

Put away your tears, baby. It does you no good.

NOBODY

You! You’re doing this to me! Who do you think you are? What do you have to teach me? I am telling this story. What makes you think you can…

She exits before NOBODY can speak to her. WILL enters. NOBODY attempts to stop him, but he is ignored.

WILL

I can’t do this Linda.

LINDA

What…?

WILL

We have to talk about this.

LINDA

What, Will? What’s bothering you?

WILL

It’s just. We can’t just “get rid of it.” It’s not an it. I’m not saying I want you to keep it. I just want to acknowledge it. This is serious, to me at least.

LINDA

Will, this isn’t good.

WILL

I’m fine Linda. I just have to… We have to say “yes, this is happening to us.” We can’t just say we’re going to “get rid of it.” It’s not an it.

LINDA

I know this is happening Will, you think this isn’t real to me?

WILL

I just need to be with you on this. We need to be on the same page. I care and I want you to care with me.

LINDA

I can’t believe you’re saying this to me.

WILL

Let me finish. This is awful. Neither of us want this and neither of us are ready for this. But we have to accept this. I can’t just move on. I need to accept this and for that to happen, I need you to accept it with me. We’re together on this.

LINDA

There’s something inside me, Will.

WILL

Yeah, there is.

LINDA

I can’t stop thinking about that. There’s something inside me.

WILL

Yes. There is.

LINDA

It’s in my head Will. It won’t leave my body and it won’t leave my head.

WILL

Soon.

LINDA

It’s already too late.

WILL

It’s never too late.

LINDA

Anytime would have been too late.

WILL

I can’t stop thinking about this either, Linda.

LINDA

It’s not inside you.

WILL

It’s not inside my body but it’s inside my head too. It lives in my head just as much as it lives in your body.

LINDA

Don’t say that Will, please.

WILL

This isn’t just you, Linda. It’s me. It’s everything that is us. Share the weight with me. Take it off your shoulders.

The WOMAN enters.

WOMAN

(in unison with LINDA)

There’s something inside me, Will.

LINDA

There’s something inside me, Will.

WILL

Yeah, There is.

The stage goes dark.

Scene 6

Lights up on NOBODY

NOBODY

It was supposed to be perfect: Romeo and Juliet – the perfect love story. It’s easy, you know? You meet…you see someone…you just know. That’s how it works. But then…it didn’t work. If it wasn’t for…I keep finding someone to blame. Someone has to be to blame. It’s my fault. Something must have happened I know it must have been me but then…no. Nothing ever happened. And now…it’s happened. And it’s over.

THE WOMAN enters while NOBODY is speaking

WOMAN

Let go. It’s time to let go. It’s over, and we have to move on from it.

NOBODY

You! You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you. I had it all planned out. This was my story. This was my happy ending.

WOMAN

Happily ever after is only in fairytales-

NOBODY

Well maybe I’d like to live in a fairytale. Maybe the real world isn’t for me, right? I’m only the narrator. I’m

Nobody.

WILL enters.

You think you can live without me but you can’t. Without me, you have nothing. Without me, you are nothing. I gave you life, I gave you love. I gave you a story.

WOMAN

Everybody has a story. You can’t write the story for anyone else.

NOBODY

This is my story! Every one of us – we’re just stories. Every one. Story after story after story and you know what? A story has a happy ending. Yes, and a fairytale: those only happen in books. But a story is real. A story is life and this is my life and you can’t take that away. It will be with me forever and it will be mine forever.

LINDA enters, unseen by NOBODY and WILL

WOMAN

It’s time to move on. Write another story.

WOMAN and LINDA

Will.

NOBODY and WILL turn at the same time, called by their respective partners.

This is where the story ends.

Scene 7

The sound of a heartbeat is heard faintly, growing steadily louder as the scene progresses. It is early morning. WILL is seen putting on a jacket, gloves, and scarf. It is extremely cold. LINDA enters, and WILL stops putting on his clothing. After a pause, he resumes putting on his jacket and she reaches for hers. After dressing herself, LINDA sits and waits for WILL, who has gone outside. He returns. They walk out together.

The WOMAN enters, upset. NOBODY enters and attempts to comfort her. She barely responds to his touch. WILL and LINDA enter and sit as if they are in a waiting room. The WOMAN breaks away from NOBODY and crosses to LINDA. She leads her offstage. NOBODY and WILL remain onstage as the heartbeat grows louder, then suddenly stops as the stage goes dark except for the light at center, and a lamp on NOBODY’s writing desk. NOBODY walks over to sit at his desk. He writes. He pauses, to read what he wrote. He turns off the lamp, walks to center, and speaks to the audience.

NOBODY

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the theater this evening. I am Somebody. And this is my story.

Blackout

Click here for a PDF Version

Music, Performance and Creative Arts Resume

http://www.harrymeltzer.com (personal composition and performance)

http://www.meltzer.biz (online resume and portfolio)

Home: (508) 879-5143 · Cell: (508) 380-2285

10 Duggan Drive, Framingham, MA 01702

harry@meltzer.net

Honors and Awards

Individual Honors and Awards:

• Eastern Massachusetts District Chorus, Massachusetts Music Educators Association (2009, 2010, 2011).
• Excellence in Production Design/Execution, Massachusetts High School Drama Guild, Inc., The Caucasian Chalk Circle (March 13, 2010).
• Excellence in Projection Design and Execution, Massachusetts High School Drama Guild, Inc., The Caucasian Chalk Circle (February 27, 2010).
• Music Student of the Term, Framingham High School (Fall 2009).

Ensemble and Group Honors and Awards:

• Selected to Perform in Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Framingham High School Drama Company), American High School Theatre Festival, Once on this Island (2010).
• Excellence in Ensemble Acting (Framingham High School Drama Company), Massachusetts High School Drama Guild, Inc., ¡Bocón! (March 2009).
• Best Musical, Best Director, Best Ensemble, Best Lighting Design, Best Orchestra, Excellence in Scenic Design, Technical Crew (Framingham High School Drama Company), Northshore Music Theatre Spotlight Awards, Once on this Island (2008).
• Best Production (Framingham High School Drama Company), New England Theater Conference Moss Hart Memorial Award, Once on this Island (2008).

Musical Performance and Experience

• The Laramie Project (2010) - Composed piano and cello accompaniment score and performed during live performances of Framingham High School Drama Company production of The Laramie Project.
• Massachusetts Music Educators Association District Chorus (2009, 2010, 2011) - Vocal performance in Massachusetts Music Educators Association Eastern District audition-only chorus.
• Tonal Chaos Men’s A Capella (2007-present) - Conduct, direct, organize and arrange music for the Framingham High School men’s a capella group (“Tonal Choas”).
• Madrigal Chorus (2010-present) - Direct, conduct and perform in the Framingham High School Chorus.
• Solo Performance (2007-present) - Compose, arrange, record and perform cover and original music on voice, piano, guitar, saxophone, harmonica and other instruments as solo performances and in conjunction with other musicians (see http://harrymeltzer.com).
• Piano and Saxophone Instructor (2009-present) - Teach piano and saxophone to elementary school students.
• Guest Conductor (Spring 2010) - Guest conducted at the Framingham Walsh Middle School Wildcat Jazz Band
• Fcubed (2009-2010) - Organized, advertized, promoted and performed in a completely student-run concert highlighting local secondary school-aged musicians.
• Recording Engineering (2009-present) - Built and operate home-studio on a shoe-string budget, recording personal performance and other musician’s performances.

Technical Theater Experience

• Stage Manager/Technical Director, Reagle Music Theater of Greater Boston, Waltham MA (Summer 2010) - Managed technical crew, and acted as technical director and stage manager for the production of Footloose and Fancy Free Musical Revue.
• Sound Director, Framingham High School (2010-11) - Design, oversee and execute every element of the Framingham High School theater’s audio production for all facility users. Manage sound crew for all productions.
• Sound Operator/Designer, Framingham High School Music and Theater (Spring 2010) - Audio production operator, designer and director for Framingham High School Drama Company’s production of Guys and Dolls.
• Projection Director, Framingham High School (Winter 2010) - Designed, produced and performed projections for Framingham High School Drama Company’s  production of Caucasian Chalk Circle.

Theatrical Roles

• Leonardo, Blood Wedding (Federica García Lorca)(Spring 2011) - Framingham High School Drama Company (METG Drama Festival Entry).
• Lead Story Teller/Percussionist, Once on this Island (Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty)(Summer 2010) - Framingham High School Drama Company (Edinburgh Fringe Festival).
• Wickersham Brother, Suessical (Fall 2009) - Framingham High School Drama Company.
• Rolf, The Sound of Music (Rodgers and Hammerstein) (Spring 2009) - Framingham High School Drama Company
• Campesino, ¡Bocón! (Lisa Loomer)(Spring 2009) - Framingham High School Drama Company (METG Drama Festival Entry).
• Jack, Into the Woods (Summer 2008) - Framingham High School Drama Company
• Storyteller, Once on this Island (Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty)(Spring 2008) - Framingham High School Drama Company
• Sato, Kaguya Hime (Spring 2008) - Framingham High School Drama Company (METG Drama Festival Entry).

Photography

Portrait Photography (2010-11)

Training and Coursework

Theater

• Acting 1
• Acting 2
• Acting and Playstudy
• Mask-building Workshop
• Improvisation Workshop
• Vocal Workshop (Chris Brindley)
• Biomechanics (Meron Langser)
• Knife Fighting (Meron Langser)
• Audition workshop (Michael Allosso)
• Emerson Workshop (Dr. Robert Colby/Prof. Roxanne Schroeder)

Music

• Piano Lessons (11 years)
• Saxophone lessons (4 years)
• Voice (Chorus and independent study)
• Harmonica
• Advanced Placement Music Theory (4)
• Independent Study in Voice

Photography

• Photography Class
• Independent Study (Spring 2011)

Special Skills

• Self-taught guitar, ukulele, djembe, beatbox & juggling

Tonal Chaos:

Google’s Zeitgeist 2010:

Can I interest you in Chanukah?

Girl grows up on time-lapse photography:

12/10/2010:

11/29/2010:

11/24/2010:

We talk with one of America’s greatest guitar makers ever, Wayne Henderson, about the beauty of wood and music.

Helen White and Wayne Henderson

From a little workshop in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wayne Henderson makes what may be the most beautiful and beautifully-voiced guitars in the world.

Guitars that will make you weep and laugh and sing – and listen. Guitars of rosewood and spruce and mahogany and walnut, made with a craftsmanship so fine that the greatest guitarists in the world line up for years to have one: Eric Clapton, Doc Watson, many more. It is an American sound.

We speak with America’s guitar-maker – the Stradivarius of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Wayne Henderson.

-Tom Ashbrook

Guests:

Wayne Henderson, craftsman and musician renowned for his“pinch picking” guitar style and the guitars, mandolins and banjos he crafts in his shop in Rugby, Virginia. He has toured widely in Asia, Africa and the Middle East under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute and the Office of Arts America. He has presented his Appalachian guitar style on several tours entitled “Masters of the Steel String Guitar.”

Helen White, old-time fiddler and folk singer who has been playing with Wayne Henderson for about fifteen years. She is the founder and executive director of the Junior Appalachian Musicians Program (JAM) which introduces mountain children to their musical heritage.

**To help support JAM and Appalachian music, click here.

Here are some pictures of Wayne and his studio (courtesy of Harrol Blevins):

11/18/2010:

In case you need to know:

11/14/2010: