THERE is nothing like “Conversations With An Average Joe” on Broadway. It's subject matter of political and corporate corruption resonates with all the public who want to be educated and offered solutions to get their lives back on track. All the stories are true with all the news, even stuff that people would be shocked to hear, fact based with issues having both sides represented in conflict as the patrons and employees of Janes Bar gather to discuss how that corruption and the greed of politicians are destroying their future. It’s their insightful and amusing interactions that transports the audience through the years, the personalities, and issues, bringing us to a place where hard decisions reflect on our past and provides the only hope for the next generation. And it’s the next generation who needs to stake a claim and keep interest in that hope.
Conversations is a non-partisan expose’ with some intellect; some history; some economic analysis; a few outside the box ideas, and a lot of humor that may seem typical in a bar, until you leave and realize those were some pretty well-traveled Average Joes and Janes talking about life. And unless you’ve walked in their shoes, it may take a while to grasp the distance you’ve just experienced.
It’s when an Environmental Protection Agency community meeting dealing with the Flint water crisis turns ugly with accusations about government and corporate corruption, the residents are forced to leave by the Feds and head over to Janes Bar for further discussion.
Those who come over from that meeting tackle issues of diversity that divides them into agendas of such personal importance that unless they agree to provide for their general welfare, they’ll continue to be doomed to a subservient existence of our government’s making. They have to learn how to agree to disagree. And, it’s the continued debate of issues ranging from gun control to climate change and involving race relations, that can be resolved once they learn how to find a common ground in defense of their livelihoods and liberties and children’s future. These discussions in the familiar setting of their bar, offer the comfort and confidence to speak out and to listen and finally to join together in their best interests.
While it’s the content of the message that will attract audiences to Conversations, it is the pipeline of the enormous amount of publicity that will direct them to come to the theater. And they will come from around the country, from every generation, to be informed, entertained and to have something make sense of what is happening to our country. Especially when a few celebrities might want to join in and take sides, especially when it gets on TV.
I recently moved back to NYC to add my role of direction and now have my words properly expressed on stage. It’s now seamless and the timing is so right, as all the publicity just waits for a theater.
We need to give people young and old alike, a place to come to agree to disagree and realize they are not alone.
