Last night I had the pleasure of watching the preview performance of The Arts Bubble’s Alice by Heart, which opens tonight (July 24) and runs through the weekend. From what I saw, it’s really quite an amazing production that you won’t want to miss. For one thing, it is presented in the round and environmentally (meaning the actors are all around the audience and even interact with them) which I now believe is how this show should always be done. It does a great job of making the story clear, which is hard to do because of all the clever wordplay in the dialogue, in the spirit of the source material. These young actors understand the script, and bring incredible physicality and energy to their performances. Plus, there is a live band!
Since I am good friends with the director, I was there from the ground up watching this production come together. I remember how exciting it was when The Arts Bubble got the rights to Alice by Heart, because it is the kind of show, in my opinion, that fits the project’s pattern of showcasing the more interesting, whimsical yet meaningful musicals that aren’t being done over and over elsewhere. This is, after all, the company that did The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals last year. There were some harrowing weeks when they temporarily lost the rights for admininstrative reasons, but luckily that all worked out. Some perspectives needed to be changed.
In her program note, director Aileen Lynch-McCulloch starts off with some physics, discussing quantum entanglement and relativity, and how reality isn’t fixed or solid. It varies based on frame of reference, like a surrealist painting. Our ability to shift our frame or perspective gives us power over our lives, a message at the heart of this show. Through our dreams and our imaginations, we are all creating this Universe together, and we can choose to create a world defined by love and understanding. This deep spiritual realization is something I’ve always admired in Aileen, and a reason why I am proud to be her friend and love to see her shows.
The opening performance tonight is sold out. There are three more performances: Friday, July 25 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, July 27 at 2 p.m. Reserve your tickets here: https://vagabondgal.wixsite.com/artsbubble/alice-by-heart
A scene from The Arts Bubble production of Alice by Heart
In the summer of 2025, I was thrilled to discover a copy of a 2015 Princeton University Press 150th anniversary edition of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” featuring art by Salvador Dali, in a little free library in Arlington, Viriginia. This is a trade version of a limited edition that was first published in 1969, copies of which are rare and pricey. Dali’s thirteen illustrations are fascinating, dark and somewhat abstract, a bit hard at times to connect to the chapters in the book, though elements are there that tie into the story. Dual introductions to this edition, one by editor Mark Burstein and one by mathematician Thomas Banchoff, expose the connection between Dali and Lewis Carroll, who was a mathematician as well as a writer of children’s books. The introductions are far more about Dali than about Alice, touching on his mathematical obsessions, and his artistic technique that focuses on perspective and subjectivity. This edition puts Dali in the center, with Carroll’s story as a kind of filling. If there is a synergy, it is that Alice’s adventures are indeed a dream, where perspective shifts suddenly and unexpectedly, and meaning is always ambiguous, if it’s there at all. As for Lewis Carroll’s story, as I re-read it after I don’t know how many years since the first time, I found it amusing, but sometimes maddening in its refusal to make sense. Carroll’s wordplay and marvellous nonsense verse are certainly delightful. Alice, it struck me, was kind-hearted, and always doing her best to behave as she must have thought a young girl should, under the circumstances. She takes the bizarre events happening to her at face value, at most admitting they are “curious.” As almost all of the denizens of Wonderland are self-involved, incompetent, and utterly irrational, I couldn’t help wondering if this was how children see the adult world, with Alice’s incomprehension at the stupidity of adults being the subconscious source material for her dream reality. How relieved she must have been, upon being attacked by a deck of playing cards, to awaken in the familiar comfort of her sister’s lap, on a lazy summer day, though as the memory fades she only remembers her dream as something wonderful.
Here is a picture of the copy of the book that I found, in the little free library. Pretty cool, huh?
I was so excited to find it, because Aileen is currently directing Alice by Heart for the Arts Bubble, so Alice’s adventures are prominent in our minds.
Like Dali’s unique illustrations, Alice by Heart interprets Lewis Carroll’s work in its own way. The Alice in the musical is an adolescent, not a child of tender years as in the book, and consequently has a different perspective and different priorities. Lyrics and book are by Steven Slater, who also wrote Spring Awakening, so you can imagine.
Both Dali and Slater manage to find darker, more mature themes than are in the original source material. The book(s), as written by Carroll, are whimsical children’s literature, and it takes an effort to find deeper meaning than that they are a vehicle for playful riddles and word games. But searching for meaning is what makes us human, and is, after all, why we dream.
Aileen, the vagabond gal who has been doing theater her whole life, continues each summer to direct a show with the Arts Bubble. Last summer was City of Angels, which was Tiernan’s first lead role and he was excellent at it. This summer was a newly available show, with Tiernan in multiple supporting roles, and really it’s just a whole lot of fun. Below is my mini-review and promotional post.
The Arts Bubble Presents: The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
I hope you can make the time this week to see Starkid’s The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, presented by The Arts Bubble at Cosmic Art Studios in Pottstown, PA, because you don’t want to miss this amazing production. The Arts Bubble continues its tradition of putting on the cool shows that no one else does, and in this case are presenting a regional premiere of a show whose rights recently released. If you are familiar with the Starkid show from their online channels and come to see The Arts Bubble’s production, you will be delighted by the matching set design, and by the leads expertly capturing the characterizations of the original performances. You will also enjoy how well The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals works with a much larger cast. If you are not familiar, well, I don’t want to spoil the show for you. I’ll just say it’s like a campy old sci-fi B-movie, except it’s a darkly humorous musical, and it’s a lot of fun. The Arts Bubble makes excellent use of the generous space on the second floor of Cosmic Art Studios, and gives its audience fantastic performances, with a live band and plenty of thrills and laughs. The show does have some strong language and mature themes, but it stays (just barely) at a PG-13 rating. The audience clearly loved it on opening night, and if you want to be entertained as well, then make sure to reserve your tickets now! It’s “pay what you can afford” but you do need to reserve a seat (see the link below).
Remaining performances are Tuesday July 2 at 7pm, Friday July 5 at 6pm, Saturday July 6 at 2pm, and Sunday July 7 at 2pm, at Cosmic Art Studios, 310 E High St, Pottstown, PA, 19464.
I am over three months into my new remote job, and things are going swimmingly. It’s interesting because I get to work for a new kind of company (agricultural sector as opposed to finance), and also pick up on a new corporate culture. The IT department there isn’t very mature, in part because it has been expanding rapidly (how I got the job, essentially), so I get not only to prove my chops but also to help the folks who aren’t as seasoned as I am to understand the software development lifecycle. It’s very gratifying that my experience is being put to good use, and to know that despite my advanced years I am still relevant in the workforce.
Aileen, meanwhile, is working on the summer Arts Bubble musical, which this year will be City of Angels, a satirical noir comedy (not to be confused with a Nic Cage movie of the same name). As usual, she is committed 100% to all aspects of the production and putting in tons of work. Equally committed is our son, Tiernan, who is cast in his first lead role, as the hard boiled private eye from the movies. I hope you will be able to come see it (many friends and family already have confirmed they will, thank you all). The show dates are July 14-17; message me for details if you want to attend. But note that opening night is sold out. Woo hoo!
Our other son, Lionel, has just come back from a month in France, where he took a French immersion course with his University, and had a taste of life in another culture. This included going clubbing and he had some interesting stories there. He’s becoming such a worldly young man. Back home, Gavin continues his relentless work maintaining the region’s water infrastructure. He is a wizard with programming PLCs, which are these logical circuit board thingies that basically hold our entire civilization together. Aileen goes over to his house more often these days, since that’s where the best computer is, which is great for Potato, the cat who lives there, since it means she gets more attention now.
There is still a big hole in our heart and home that used to be filled by our sweet kitty, Sashimi, our magical girl. Aileen made this portrait of her after she died. It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost two months. Have we really moved on?
Is it ok to move on?
Is it ok to die?
We all will. Already this year two FB friends have died from cancer. Another, a very dear friend from back in the day, is sick and currently hospitalized. The clock is always ticking, ticking away to midnight.
Last night we watched a video on YouTube that informed us that the Doomsday Clock is the closest it’s ever been to midnight: 90 seconds away. The war in Ukraine is not helping here. The video we watched was actually about how scarily sophisticated A.I. is getting, and speculated on whether it might just decide to destroy the human race. It really terrified Aileen and gave her nightmares. I tried Stevesplaining to her that A.I. chatbots aren’t sentient beings with a will, just really impressive pattern-seeking algorithms, but I don’t think I reassured her.
In any event, just because A.I.s are “merely” computer programs doesn’t mean they won’t be put in charge of everything and then God knows what will happen. And if that doesn’t get us, we just might end up cooking to death anyway when Earth turns into a Venus-like planet. All we can do is carry on with our usual business while the summer broils us.
Oh dear, sorry to end on such a heavy note. Here’s a poem about cats by Jane Hirshfield to hopefully lighten your mood. Have a great summer, everyone, if you can. And come see our show!
The Arts Bubble’s production of Starmites at Pottsgrove High School is an absolute delight. This talented bunch of teens puts on a super fun show, with great production values and a big heart. It tells the story of a troubled teenage girl who escapes into a comic book fantasy world – or is it real? – only to discover her true potential. The production has a wonderful 1980s sci-fi/superhero comic feel and smoothly carries the plot, involving the machinations of a wicked villain and the conflict between two groups who have more in common than they think. It has lots of colorful, well-defined characters, brilliant comic book effects, and lovely singing and dance numbers. You won’t want to miss it!
If you saw the show on opening night you might consider coming to see it again on Friday or Saturday night, since it’s double cast! Different performers will be playing the roles of Eleanor, Bizarbara, and the Diva.
The last show that the Vagabond Acting Troupe put up before Aileen merged the company with another theater company was the musical Starmites. This was also one of the first of her shows that I saw after we got together around 2014. Her company used to put on shows in an old church that was out in the country, but since they left the building was torn down.
I remember how enchanting the show was and how impressed I was with the production values and with the talent of the kids. This show was done with kids and young teens! And it’s a tough one, too, with complicated songs with challenging harmonies.
Some set pieces from Aileen’s 2015 production of Starmites
Challenging kids to take on difficult work and discover their power to get it done is Aileen’s specialty. It’s what makes her such a great educator. There’s even a quote from this show that is apropos: “to a Starmite there is no such word as can’t.”
What is a Starmite, you might ask? Well, they’re kind of like a superhero. They kind of live in an imaginary world in a girl’s mind, called Innerspace, and they help her to find her courage and unleash her full potential. So maybe they’re a real part of her, inside?
Do we all have a superhero dwelling in our inner space? Yes, and that is essentially the message of the show. You have to dig deep inside yourself to find them. That’s what Aileen has been doing with young people for her entire career, which is why this is one of her (our) favorite shows.
Another reason Aileen likes this show is because it has a lot of great parts for actors to play. It provides opportunities for many individuals to stand out with a special character, and has multiple strong supporting roles. That’s important for Aileen, because the point of her shows is to be inclusive and give everyone who auditions a chance to participate.
Why have you never heard of this show? Well, it’s not often done. Possibly because it’s so challenging, or because it’s so nerdy. Aileen thinks it needs better marketing. It’s hard to tell from the title that it has a comic book superhero theme. Since those are big these days, maybe it would get more press if it were subtitled “A Superhero Musical.”
Why do I bring this up? Because Aileen is doing the show again! The same group of teens that she did Chicago with last summer asked her to come back for another summer production, and they picked this show. I’m really proud of her for continuing to shine as a theater educator, in spite of the troubles these past couple of years have brought.
The show is going up this weekend at Pottsgrove High School, which is in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, to the northwest of Philadelphia. Below is an article about it in the local paper.
This blog is probably not the best promotional platform in the world, but on the off-chance that one of my two readers other than my Mom is in the area, you should think about getting a ticket! You can do it at this link:
A year ago we were deep in the pandemic, and my best friend and partner, who works in the theater industry, was not able to work. All of the summer work that she had lined up in 2020 evaporated with the lockdown. She could have just stayed at home for all I cared, but she is too driven and needed to do something, so she ended up taking up a job as a census enumerator. This stressed me out a bit, as she spent the late summer and early fall wandering the area, visiting the homes of recalcitrant people. I mean, people who don’t do their census aren’t going to want to be bothered about the census, right? I thought she was very brave for taking on this job. After that gig ended, she worked for a high school as a Covid safety officer, which entailed patrolling the halls and making sure the kids were following protocols (they weren’t). That job ended with the school year.
Now it’s summer, and with the pandemic “over” – or at least “winding down” – she has gone back to work in her field. I’m glad for that, because she is clearly much happier. She just finished running a production workshop for teens, producing the musical Chicago: High School Edition. If you don’t know what this means: a production workshop is an educational program, like a summer camp, where each student pays a fee to participate. Chicago is a famous musical by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb which satirizes celebrity crime culture in the 1920s. “High School Edition” just means that the script is shortened and cleaned up a bit, so it is appropriate for younger people.
The fees the students pay cover costs like rent to the space, and the licensing fee to the rights holders. This latter cost is substantial – as in three figures – and depends on the number of performances. In this case, there were four live performances (as opposed to streaming online performances, which was a popular way to do it during the pandemic). Rehearsals started while there were still significant restrictions on group gatherings, so they were online at first. In fact, the auditions were all done by having the students submit videos. Note that every kid who auditioned was going to get cast (that’s kind of the point of an educational workshop), but auditions are still used to cast the specific roles.
Once restrictions eased, some time in June, rehearsals moved to the theater space. At first, many kids weren’t yet fully vaccinated, so everyone wore masks while rehearsing, and temps were taken. By the end of rehearsals, almost all of the kids were vaccinated. I got to see a couple of the dress rehearsals during tech week! If you don’t know what “tech week” means, it’s the final rehearsal phase when the lighting and sound is integrated into the show. Here’s a photo from dress rehearsal, of the merry murderesses performing the Cell Block Tango:
The show went up in early July, on the weekend after Independence Day. Audience members were required to wear masks, though the performers did not, except for two who wore face shields. Those were the two cast members who were not vaccinated. Some audience members refused to come see the show because masks were required. This was actually the desired outcome, and it was probably for the best, since the Delta variant is now spreading like wildfire.
Here’s a short review I posted after the first show:
It’s too bad there are only four performances of this show, since the cast and crew have pulled together a tight and energetic production, showcasing the talents of multiple young performers, directors and designers, and you won’t want to miss it. A teen production of Chicago HS Edition, on the heels of the pandemic, was a gutsy choice for director/producer Aileen Lynch-McCulloch, but as is usual for her, she has pulled it off. She demonstrates her knack for finding the perfect cast, and for translating a script onto the stage in a tight time window and with a shoestring budget. Minimalist set and costume choices, on a stark stage with smooth lighting, succeed in conveying the characterizations and the storyline, giving the talent the opportunity to shine. The director’s faith in the ability of youth and commitment to helping them find their voice have once again resulted in an amazing production. Get a ticket if you can!
I wrote this blog post to extol the talents of my good friend, Aileen, and to raise awareness of the challenges facing the theater industry as we emerge from the pandemic. This production of Chicago was slipped right in between the beginning of vaccinations and the surge of the Delta variant; it may have been a fortuitous occasion that can’t be repeated in the near future. In her role as Artistic Director at The Center Theater, Aileen would like to plan more productions, as part of her program called The Arts Bubble, “a healing project created to help audiences return to the live performance spaces.” But obviously this depends on the state of the pandemic.
I’ve been following Aileen’s work for many years, and it really is amazing to behold. She can handle all aspects of a production – directing, producing, costuming, set design, tech, PR, you name it. When she is working on a project, her commitment is total, and she seems to have an endless reservoir of energy on which to draw. But luckily she has people to help her, so she doesn’t have to do it all herself. She only needs to do three or four people’s jobs instead of ten or twelve.
She has people to help her because over her career she has built up a network of supportive friends, as well as young people who want to come back and work with her time and time again. Many of the teens and young adults who worked with her on Chicago have known her since they were children, when they first acted in a show which she directed. For a long time she ran her own theater company, Vagabond Acting Troupe, and she has also worked as an educator in schools and at other theaters. And she hasn’t changed her fees for over 30 years, while others around her have taken her approach and then raised the cost. Many of her students have gone on to Broadway tours, Cruise Ship entertainment and some have even started their own companies.
I mean, just the fact that Aileen was able to get large audiences to see Chicago and all willingly wear face masks is impressive. And if you think that wearing a mask is just “pandemic theater,” then I submit to you this thought: not wearing a mask is “pandemic theater.” Because everything we do socially, how we dress and how we act, is meant as a signal to others; it’s all a performance. Life is theater, and theater is life. As Shakespeare put it, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
So please join me in congratulating my dear friend Aileen Lynch-McCulloch on another successful theater production. And please get vaccinated, because if we don’t get this pandemic under control, we may all have to climb back into our cocoons, and wait another year before live theater can emerge once more.
