This re-imagining of Franz Kafka's famed novella -- about an ordinary person who one day awakens as a giant insect -- explores the terribly human struggle for identity, the journey from seeing ourselves as others see us to accepting ourselves as we are. Now set within an American Jewish family in 1959, The Metamorphosis of Barry Schleckman expands on the original, adding comic Kafka elements and a few surprising twists. Conceived for the stage, this radio play was produced in an effort to prove that -- even in an era of jukebox musicals and commercially-safe spectacle -- audiences still hunger for theatre that asks difficult questions, and for musicals that leave them, in some small and beautiful way, transformed.
The Metamorphosis of Barry Schleckman is a story of survival.
It’s a story for every kid who’s ever had to do it on their own.
It’s for the resilient ones, the ones who make it,
the ones who somehow, finally, find their way.
Maybe it’s for you.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
IRA MARLOWE
(Book, Music, Lyrics
Herman, Agent One,)
NOTE: While the recording creates the effect of a full ensemble, this show was written to be performed by as few as eight actors --- the four principals and four additional players covering nine smaller roles.
After a series of fizzled major-label record deals and gigs ranging from concert halls to a Howard Johnson's, singer/songwriter Ira Marlowe finally found his true calling writing for the theatre. Between 2014-2018, he penned the songs for four shows by the San Francisco Mime Troupe, a Tony-winning political theater company. During the pandemic he created The Unseen World, a sci-fi podcast musical that was attracting raves until he tired of promoting it. He's taught songwriting at UC Berkeley and currently teaches and performs (solo and with his band The Slow Reveal) while also hosting assorted events at The Monkey House, the fifty-seat theater he founded in 2012. He lives in Oakland, CA. www.iramarlowe.com
Thank You
Thank you to the remarkable actors, singers and musicians who gave their time and talents to this production. Huge thanks as well to the fabulous folks at www.playcafe.org, especially Jamie Greenblatt, Loretta Janca, Richard Jennings, Ron Lytle, and Gary Graves -- all very helpful in the show's development. Grateful kudos also to Andi Burns, Ellen Callas, Joe Christiano, Tamsen Fynn, Mark Lemaire, Gwen Loeb, Virginia Morris, Sami Qreini, Esther Regelson, Ed Schneider, Tanya Shaffer, Maurice Tani, and Lauren Van Ham.