Full Production: August 23-25, 2024
Bree: Claire Sligh
Harrison Robb: Andrew Mitakides
Josh Wright: Noah Eisengrien
Hamilton Birdwhistle: Brandon Ferguson
Tara Borders: Madison Fink-Ferguson
Christina: Alexis Griess
Carla Robb: Caroline Smith DeWaal
Richard Greissen: Ian Smith DeWaal
Yvonne: Grace Stephens
Trisha: Lily Tender
Roberta/Bobby: Nessa Amherst
Cameron/Waiter: Cameron Cole
Folksinger: Emma Markey
Director: Charlie Barnett
Assistant Director: Andrew Mitakides
Location: The Writer’s Center, Bethesda, Maryland
Barnstorm is an Americana and folk four-piece band featuring Charlie Barnett on guitar, banjo, and lead vocals; Michael Robert Taylor on fiddle, mandolin, and backing vocals; Greg Watkins on bass and backing vocals; and Mark Carson on drums. Their gigs feature both traditional and new music in a storytelling style, and the audience is encouraged to sing along.
For information or bookings, contact Charlie at 240-505-6642.
I don’t watch much TV, but I’ll admit I got addicted to The Pitt. Watching people be really good at their jobs — even fictionally — is a real pleasure for me, and because of the popularity of the series, I’ve learned there’s a name for that pleasure: “competence porn.”
I experienced my own version recently, after I wrote a concert march for full orchestra. While I was putting the final touches on the piece — the phrasing marks, the dynamic markings, etc. — I wanted to make sure I had gotten the standard tropes of a march just right.
So I called my good friend and Barnstorm bandmate, Mark Carson, a master percussionist. Mark played in the US Air Force band. He has played with every orchestra in the DC area and in every pit in every local theater. He also makes drums — both the wood parts and the metal parts.
Mark was kind enough to come over and help me edit the entire percussion section of the piece, which is called Good-Time Charlie’s Graduation March. It was a revelation to watch him work. In an increasingly automated world, I’m grateful for the things that can only be done by expert humans, by ear and by hand.
I just finished scoring a documentary for the filmmaker Cara Biasucci of the University of Texas on the ethical dangers of artificial intelligence. As I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, the dangers are plenty. Setting this story to music was a sobering experience. It’s work I enjoy, but I had to wonder: How long before this kind of job is taken over by A.I.?
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