Tag Archive for: Max Baker

CHOP DOWN THE FORESTS

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I want to share the lyrics to CHOP DOWN THE FORESTS from The World Premiere of THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW by Max Baker and Lee Sellars:

                    IGNATZ

I’M NOT AFRAID OF ADMITTING

I’M JUST ANOTHER MONKEY ON THE EARTH

I’M ONE IN OVER 6 BILLION

SO WHAT I’VE GOT TO SAY

HAS PROBABLY BEEN HEARD

I’M NOT SO BLIND I CAN’T RECOGONIZE

WE’RE ALL PRETTY MUCH THE SAME

WE THINK WE’RE FREE BUT WE’RE HYPNOTIZED

BY THE PROPAGANDER IN OUR BRAINS

I’M SO WONDERFULLY SPECIAL AND I’M DIFFERENT

WIPE THAT NOTION FROM YOUR HEAD

BEING ALIVE IS SUFFICENT

BUT WE’RE ALL JUST SOON-TO-BE-DEADS

                    CHORUS

SO LET’S CHOP DOWN THE FORESTS

WHILE WE’RE AT IT

LET’S KILL AS MANY SPECIES AS WE CAN

LET’S DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT’S NATURAL AND

ALL…FOR THE GLORY OF MAN

                    IGNATZ

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FOR THE MONEY

GRAB AS MUCH OF IT AS YOU DESIRE

I BELIEVE BEING RICH WILL MAKE ME HAPPY

EVEN IF IT MAKES ME A LIAR

RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT ON THE ISSUES

JUSTIFYING EXCESS IN MY MIND

I CAN’T ESCAPE WHEN I WANT TO

IT’S STILL ILLEGAL TO GET HIGH

I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS CULTURE

 ADVERTISING EVERTHING I NEED

THE SIMPSONS SELLING WHOPPERS ON THE TV

A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF OUR GREED

                     CHORUS

SO LET’S CHOP DOWN THE FORESTS

WHILE WE’RE AT IT

LET’S KILL AS MANY SPECIES AS WE CAN

LET’S DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT’S NATURAL AND

ALL…FOR THE GLORY OF MAN

                    IGNATZ

LET’S DIVIDE THE WORLD INTO COUNTRIES

LET’S GENETICALLY MODIFY OUR FOOD

LET’S START ANOTHER WAR ABOUT RELIGION

AND TELL EVERONE GOD IS GOOD

                     CHORUS

SO LET’S CHOP DOWN THE FORESTS WHILE WE’RE AT IT

LET’S KILL AS MANY SPECIES AS WE CAN

LET’S DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT’S NATURAL

AND ALL FOR THE GLORY OF MAN

If you want to listen to this song go to www.catf.org and click on the EELWAX JESUS graphic.

Ed Herendeen

EELWAX JESUS IS COMING

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Max Baker and Lee Sellars have written an imaginative, entertaining and original ALTERNATIVE musical. It will blow your mind.

Some backstory:  I have had the pleasure of working with Lee Sellars for over 12 years. We first worked together in 1998 on Tom Strelich’s new play-BAFO. We instantly connected and over the years we have developed an extraordinary artistic relationship. I have such fond memories of working with Lee. Most memorable productions include: COMPLEAT FEMALE STAGE BEAUTY by Jeffrey Hatcher; COYOTE ON A FENCE by Bruce Graham;  SOMETHING IN THE AIR by Richard Dresser; THE PAVILION by Craig Wright; FLAG DAY by Lee Blessing; ROUNDING THIRD by Richard Dresser; and THE GOD OF HELL by Sam Shepard.

Our collaboration continues this summer with the World Premiere of THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW. Lee wrote the music for this amazing new work and Max Baker wrote the Book and Lyrics. Lee introduced me to Max several years ago in New York. Max is an actor, director and playwright and he is directing EELWAX for us this summer. So we have all known each other for many years… and I am thrilled that Max and Lee are giving me the opportunity to produce the Premiere.

If you want to hear the intro song for THE EELWAX JESUS 3-d POP MUSIC SHOW go to our web site www.catf.org  and click on the EELWAX graphic and take a listen. You can also hear more EELWAX JESUS songs on their web site www.eelwaxjesus.com 

After you listen to the songs please share your comments with me. I am looking forward to introducing you to this new ALTERNATIVE THEATRICAL EVENT. Please invite your friends to join you in Shepherdstown to experience the wild imaginations of Baker and Sellars. Please share this blog with your adventurous friends.

Ed Herendeen

EELWAX JESUS CAST

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Meet the cast of The World Premiere of THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW Book and Lyrics by Max Baker. Music by Lee Sellars:

Lee Sellars, composer will play Ignatz;

Lee Sellars: Ignatz

Kurt Zischke will play Mr. Shine and Mr. Rumple

Kurt Zischke: Mr. Shine and Mr. Rumple

Clare Schmidt will play Meredith

Clare Schmidt: Meredith

Margot White will play Esme

Margot White: Esme

Helen-Jean Arthur will play Mrs. Worthington:

Helen-Jean Arthur: Mrs. Worthington

Jonathan Raviv will play James

Jonathan Raviv: James

 

Ed Herendeen

MAX BAKER IN SHEPHERDSTOWN

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Max Baker Playwright /Director THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW

Playwright and Director Max Baker was in Shepherdstown over the weekend. He was meeting with the CATF Design team for our up-coming World Premiere of THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW. Max wrote the book and lyrics and is directing the premiere at the 2010 Contemporary American Theater Festival July 7th-August 1st.

     “So great to come down and meet Bob Klingelhoefer (set designer) and to nail down the set-design (which we did). Bob is a great guy and I am really impressed with his designs. I am happy with the final EELWAX design and can’t wait to see it operational…it was immensely useful for me to see the theater in its’ raw state…”  Max Baker

     “The concept for the show is…that it comes OUT OF THE TV! The band and Ignatz and Mr. Shine appear 3-Dimensionally in the Day Room…the focus should be on the band and Mr. Shine. They become the TV… My hope is to blow the walls off the theater and really feed the audience with EXCITEMENT and BUZZ!”  Max Baker

THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW is a performance art/theater piece set in the eclectically-furnished, highly sanitized Group Home Day Room. The Residents (each with their own set of anxieties, compulsions, hunger and clothes to iron) are fed a daily dose of Corporate-controlled entertainment in the form of a 3-Dimensional Music Show hosted by the charismatic, character-shifting Mr. Shine who literally pops out of the TV. The outside world is plagued by Swine Flu, there are cameras in the sky, and the intrusion of a seemingly scruffy old man who lives down the hall is greeted by the Residents with fear and animosity.

     “My overall thoughts at the moment are that the theater audience members are an extension of the Resident’s. After all, we are all Residents…”  Max Baker

We had a very productive weekend of design meetings. I am impressed with Max’s creative energy and imagination. THE EELWAX JESUS 3-D POP MUSIC SHOW is a collaboration between Max Baker who wrote the book and lyrics and CATF actor, Lee Sellars who composed the music. You can hear some of their music and songs at www.eelwaxjesus.com. So go to their web site and listen…send me a comment. I am interested in hearing from you. Please forward this posting to your friends and invite them to join you at this ALTERNATIVE THEATRICAL EVENT! This show will help you bend your mind…think… “the bastard love-child” of  Bowie…think… The Breeders…think… William S. Burroughs…thinktheater. This summer get saved by EELWAX JESUS!

Ed Herendeen