Photos: Thomas Sweitzer's  20 SECONDS Celebrates Opening Night

Thomas Sweitzer's award-winning tale of love, forgiveness, resilience and the extraordinary power of music, 20 Seconds just celebrated its opening night! Written and performed by Sweitzer, with direction and development by Jeremy Scott Blaustein (Producing Artistic Director of Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre), 20 Seconds is now in performances at The Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street) through October 21. 

To a young Tom Sweitzer in 1970s blue-collar Pennsylvania, homemade meatballs were an Italian mom’s cure-all. Husky pants from Sears were a necessary evil. And dad’s schizophrenia and alcoholism were the fuel to a nightmarish fire. That is the life Tom knew and endured until one day, he ran out of the house and into the church across the street. There, he met a woman who gave him a gift that would alter the course of his life: music. Through song, Tom found a haven, a passion, a career, and a purpose. But above all, it gave him the language to accept loss, let in love, and forgive the demons of his past.

20 Seconds is an inspiring testimony to the uplifting power of music at all stages of life. Music provided companionship when Tom couldn’t find it in a destructive home. Years later, music shaped Tom’s career as a therapist, allowing him to augment his penchant for song with clinical, research-based practices.

In his inviting solo performance, Tom weaves storytelling with original song and nearly a dozen colorful characters. Over the 90 minutes, audiences meet the Sunday school savior, the compassionate but ailing mother, the tortured father, one foul-mouthed parrot, and many more. As you follow him through his journey, you’ll hear the music that shaped his healing, and, as the church bells chime across the street, experience the powerful 20 seconds that mended a scarred relationship between a father and son.

20 Seconds features scenic design by Lindsay Fuori, costume design by Emilee McVey-Lee, lighting design by Jamie Roderick, and sound design by Bill Toles, who also serves as production manager. Melissa Erikson is the production supervisor and Aaron Grant Theatrical is the general manager.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski