The Ahab Inside Me
THE AHAB INSIDE ME—A High-Seas Blues Opera (2022)
WRITTEN BY / MICHAEL GORMAN
DIRECTED BY / JOE JOHN BATTISTA
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / KRISTY ZORNES BEAUVAIS
September 2, 3, 4, 2022 , Colonial Theater, Augusta, ME (Premiere)
About The Production:
Acclaimed Maine playwright Michael Gorman's NEW ground-breaking recitative blues opera and epic tale of addiction, obsession, & recovery.
In a tale that stretches across generations and ancients—lost mariners, lost souls, lost lives—“The Ahab Inside Me” is a provocative and challenging recitative blues opera/musical theater production that explores the traumatic impact of a fatal overdose on a New England fishing family and the inspiring efforts of the community to address the destructive roots of addiction. The work draws inspiration from Melville’s Moby Dick and Ahabs obsessive pursuit of the White Whale.
The production incorporated original live music and song (with full blues/rock band), spoken word, dramatic performance, commentary choruses, and community participation, and included professional and non-professional performer's from both the theater and recovery communities.
The production is part of an 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.
"The Ahab Inside Me" premiered during National Recovery Month-a National observance held every September to educate Americans about substance use disorder and treatment.
WRITTEN BY / MICHAEL GORMAN
DIRECTED BY / JOE JOHN BATTISTA
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / KRISTY ZORNES BEAUVAIS
September 2, 3, 4, 2022 , Colonial Theater, Augusta, ME (Premiere)
About The Production:
Acclaimed Maine playwright Michael Gorman's NEW ground-breaking recitative blues opera and epic tale of addiction, obsession, & recovery.
In a tale that stretches across generations and ancients—lost mariners, lost souls, lost lives—“The Ahab Inside Me” is a provocative and challenging recitative blues opera/musical theater production that explores the traumatic impact of a fatal overdose on a New England fishing family and the inspiring efforts of the community to address the destructive roots of addiction. The work draws inspiration from Melville’s Moby Dick and Ahabs obsessive pursuit of the White Whale.
The production incorporated original live music and song (with full blues/rock band), spoken word, dramatic performance, commentary choruses, and community participation, and included professional and non-professional performer's from both the theater and recovery communities.
The production is part of an 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.
"The Ahab Inside Me" premiered during National Recovery Month-a National observance held every September to educate Americans about substance use disorder and treatment.
READ THE PRESS!
Portland Press Herald (Front page Feature Story, 9/2/22)
Maine Public Radio (Feature Story by Keith Shortall. 9/2/22)
Bangor Daily News (Feature Story, 9/1/22)
Television Feature Story/Interview (ABC 7/WFVX Bangor, ME. 9/18 & 9/19 2022)
Portland Press Herald (Front page Feature Story, 9/2/22)
Maine Public Radio (Feature Story by Keith Shortall. 9/2/22)
Bangor Daily News (Feature Story, 9/1/22)
Television Feature Story/Interview (ABC 7/WFVX Bangor, ME. 9/18 & 9/19 2022)
CAST:
Teddy Lytle (Robbie Jr.), Andrew Ryan Perry (Ahab), Jim O'Brien (Robbie Sr.), Jenne Vath (Therese/Hungry Ghost),
Rob Porter (Ray), Kristy Zornes Beauvais (Billy The Crab), Roland Albert (Fedallah)
Dipper Castaldo (Phantom/Fisherman #1), Andre Van Poelvoorde (Phantom/Fisherman #2), Anthony Davis (Phantom/Fisherman #3)
Tristan Morgan (young Robbie)
and
Gabbi Beauvais (Woman on The Rocks / Lead Vocals)
Teddy Lytle (Robbie Jr.), Andrew Ryan Perry (Ahab), Jim O'Brien (Robbie Sr.), Jenne Vath (Therese/Hungry Ghost),
Rob Porter (Ray), Kristy Zornes Beauvais (Billy The Crab), Roland Albert (Fedallah)
Dipper Castaldo (Phantom/Fisherman #1), Andre Van Poelvoorde (Phantom/Fisherman #2), Anthony Davis (Phantom/Fisherman #3)
Tristan Morgan (young Robbie)
and
Gabbi Beauvais (Woman on The Rocks / Lead Vocals)
MUSIC / BAND:
Guitar: Eenor
Guitar: Joe Battista
Bass: AC Davis
Drums: Tyler Lee
Sound Engineer: Tucker DeCosta
Lyrics/Spoken Word Written by: Michael Gorman
CREATIVE TEAM:
Set Concept & Design: Michael Gorman, Dudley Merritt, Mark Tambella, Donna Daly
Costumes / Front of House Manager: Sarah Boyden
PRODUCED BY:
The Forty Hour Club: Michael Gorman, Donna Daly
Guitar: Eenor
Guitar: Joe Battista
Bass: AC Davis
Drums: Tyler Lee
Sound Engineer: Tucker DeCosta
Lyrics/Spoken Word Written by: Michael Gorman
CREATIVE TEAM:
Set Concept & Design: Michael Gorman, Dudley Merritt, Mark Tambella, Donna Daly
Costumes / Front of House Manager: 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.
A Special THANK YOU to:
Bruce Noddin / Maine Prisoner Reentry Network
Augusta Recovery Reentry Center
Recovery Advocacy Project Maine / Courtney Gary-Allen
Maine Office of Behavioral Health OPTIONS Program / Dawn Kearns, Rob Porter
LINC Wellness & Recovery Center / Bobbi Jo Bechard
Richard Parkhurst
Kristy Beauvais
Sarah Boyden
Mark Tambella
Cross Insurance
Camden National Bank
Rockport Post & Beam
Sherwin Williams, Augusta
Tom Hibbert
The Augusta & Central Maine Addiction & Recovery Community.
Our Talk-Back Panelists:
Gordon Smith, Director of Maine Opioid Response
Courtney Gary-Allen / Dawn Kearns / Raegan LaRochelle
Peter Bruun / David Greenham, Maine Arts Commission
And all of our individual donors, volunteers, and supporters who helped us bring THE AHAB INSIDE ME to Augusta!
