NEVER LEAVING THIS BOAT—Fragments of a Blues Opera (2021)
An outdoor performance on the waterfront- Steel House Amphitheater, Rockland, Maine
PREMIERE!
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY / MICHAEL GORMAN
MUSIC DIRECTOR / CHARLES DUKE
September 11 & 12, 2021 (National Recovery Month)
Steel House Amphitheater, Rockland, ME
About The Production: Never Leaving This Boat—Fragments of a Blues Opera, a provocative and challenging new work by Maine-based playwright Michael Gorman—premiered on the Rockland waterfront September 11th-12th, 2021 during National Recovery Month. The performance charts the rise and fall of a young commercial fisherman through the intrusion of addiction and explores the role of myth and storytelling as both sustaining and destructive forces in a Northeast coastal fishing community.
Using Melville’s 19th-century monster as a metaphor for the modern plague of opioid addiction, Gorman explores the ruinous effects of the opiate epidemic on the commercial fishing industry in a tale that stretches across generations and ancients—lost mariners, lost souls, lost lives.
Using the power of live performance to address the opioid epidemic, this epic tale tapped into the deep ritualistic healing power of the blues and incorporated original live music and song (with a full band), spoken word, and performance— to restore connections lost or frayed by the compound crises of the opiate epidemic and COVID. The 2 day/3 performance event celebrated the spirit of the blues and the inspiring strength of human connection in the wake of adversity.
The production was part of Gorman’s on-going project Chasing The New White Whale—Harpooning Addiction--a performance-based art & advocacy model created by the playwright and his production company The Forty Hour Club—a collective in independent artist’s dedicated to bringing awareness to the issue of opiate addiction in the commercial fishing community of Maine and New England
National Recovery Month is a National observance held every September to educate Americans about substance use disorder and treatment.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY / MICHAEL GORMAN
MUSIC DIRECTOR / CHARLES DUKE
September 11 & 12, 2021 (National Recovery Month)
Steel House Amphitheater, Rockland, ME
About The Production: Never Leaving This Boat—Fragments of a Blues Opera, a provocative and challenging new work by Maine-based playwright Michael Gorman—premiered on the Rockland waterfront September 11th-12th, 2021 during National Recovery Month. The performance charts the rise and fall of a young commercial fisherman through the intrusion of addiction and explores the role of myth and storytelling as both sustaining and destructive forces in a Northeast coastal fishing community.
Using Melville’s 19th-century monster as a metaphor for the modern plague of opioid addiction, Gorman explores the ruinous effects of the opiate epidemic on the commercial fishing industry in a tale that stretches across generations and ancients—lost mariners, lost souls, lost lives.
Using the power of live performance to address the opioid epidemic, this epic tale tapped into the deep ritualistic healing power of the blues and incorporated original live music and song (with a full band), spoken word, and performance— to restore connections lost or frayed by the compound crises of the opiate epidemic and COVID. The 2 day/3 performance event celebrated the spirit of the blues and the inspiring strength of human connection in the wake of adversity.
The production was part of Gorman’s on-going project Chasing The New White Whale—Harpooning Addiction--a performance-based art & advocacy model created by the playwright and his production company The Forty Hour Club—a collective in independent artist’s dedicated to bringing awareness to the issue of opiate addiction in the commercial fishing community of Maine and New England
National Recovery Month is a National observance held every September to educate Americans about substance use disorder and treatment.
Watch a short video about the production.
CAST:
Michael Gorman (The Chaplain/Robbie Sr), Carrie Beehan (The Hungry Ghost), Sheila Dabney (Fedallah), Doug Collins (Robbie Jr.),
Rob Porter (Ray), Robbie Carroll (Billy The Crab), Jim Reitz (Elijah), Bri White-Ortiz (Therese),
Roland Albert (Phantom/Fisherman #1), Tyler Weeks (Phantom/Fisherman #2)
and Harlem Lafayette as The Voice of Robbie's Soul.
Michael Gorman (The Chaplain/Robbie Sr), Carrie Beehan (The Hungry Ghost), Sheila Dabney (Fedallah), Doug Collins (Robbie Jr.),
Rob Porter (Ray), Robbie Carroll (Billy The Crab), Jim Reitz (Elijah), Bri White-Ortiz (Therese),
Roland Albert (Phantom/Fisherman #1), Tyler Weeks (Phantom/Fisherman #2)
and Harlem Lafayette as The Voice of Robbie's Soul.
MUSIC:
Music Director- Charles Duke
Lyrics Written by: Michael Gorman
Music Composed & Arranged by: Charles Duke, Carrie Beehan, Dan Boyden
Band- AC Davis (Bass), Joe Battista (Guitar), Donnie Savarese (Drums), Charles Duke (Keyboard & Vocals)
Sound Engineer: Ronne Wilbur
CREATIVE TEAM:
Set Concept & Design- Michael Gorman
Set Design & Construction- Dudley Merritt
Installation & Set Manager- Nick Roundtree
Set Construction- High Seas Builders, Hewn Construction, Ben Moore,
Nick Roundtree, Dudley Merritt, Andy White, Matthew Creisher
Scenic Artist- Tyler Weeks
Costume Design- Sarah Boyden
Produced by:
The Forty Hour Club: Michael Gorman, Donna Daly
Music Director- Charles Duke
Lyrics Written by: Michael Gorman
Music Composed & Arranged by: Charles Duke, Carrie Beehan, Dan Boyden
Band- AC Davis (Bass), Joe Battista (Guitar), Donnie Savarese (Drums), Charles Duke (Keyboard & Vocals)
Sound Engineer: Ronne Wilbur
CREATIVE TEAM:
Set Concept & Design- Michael Gorman
Set Design & Construction- Dudley Merritt
Installation & Set Manager- Nick Roundtree
Set Construction- High Seas Builders, Hewn Construction, Ben Moore,
Nick Roundtree, Dudley Merritt, Andy White, Matthew Creisher
Scenic Artist- Tyler Weeks
Costume Design- Sarah Boyden
Produced by:
The Forty Hour Club: Michael Gorman, Donna Daly
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & DONORS!
This production made possible by the generous support of these sponsors:
This production made possible by the generous support of these sponsors:
Funded in part by a grant from The Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by The National Endowment for the Arts.
And the many individual donors, supporters, and volunteer's who helped make this production possible!
The Steel House
Paul & Elysa Coster
Lincoln Street Center
ADW Maker
Myles P. Rogers
Antonia Daly
Peg Gorman
AC Davis
Dudley Merritt
Nick Roundtree
Tyler Weeks
High Sea's Builders
Hewn Construction
Ben Moore, Todd Weeks, Tristan Warner
Matt Creisher
Joe Godfrey
Roland Albert
Chris Biggart
Tavia Ito
Our Volunteers
And everyone else who helped us bring NLTB to Rockland!
The Steel House
Paul & Elysa Coster
Lincoln Street Center
ADW Maker
Myles P. Rogers
Antonia Daly
Peg Gorman
AC Davis
Dudley Merritt
Nick Roundtree
Tyler Weeks
High Sea's Builders
Hewn Construction
Ben Moore, Todd Weeks, Tristan Warner
Matt Creisher
Joe Godfrey
Roland Albert
Chris Biggart
Tavia Ito
Our Volunteers
And everyone else who helped us bring NLTB to Rockland!
