LOVE LETTERS FROM VIETNAM Comes to Poway OnStage This Month
By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 06, 2017
Author and singer-songwriter Alex Woodard and Broadway veteran Jonathan Tessero will bring a one-night-only stage production of Woodard's book and album, "For The Sender: Love Letters from Vietnam," to the Poway Center for the Performing Arts on Nov. 18, 2017, at 8 p.m.
The show is presented by Poway OnStage as part of their 2017-18 Professional Performance Series.
Love Letters from Vietnam tells the poignant true story of Vietnam veteran Sgt. John K. Fuller through the letters he wrote home from the war, which were discovered and answered decades later by his daughter, Jennifer. Proceeds from the night will benefit Team Red, White & Blue (RWB)'s surf camp for veterans and the San Diego Team RWB chapter.
"I'm really excited to bring this book to life through a stage adaptation and raise funds for an amazing cause at the same time," said Woodard. "I've been deeply honored to get in the water with these veterans at previous surf camps supported by For The Sender shows. This show will be unlike any other For The Sender show, because the audience will experience a powerful marriage of performance and production designed to tell a true story with a beautiful soundtrack."
Woodard is bringing 'stories with a soundtrack' to audiences in a two-act show where this father-daughter relationship will unfold through the integration of letter and song. This musical adaptation will express the true story of service and sacrifice, love and redemption, and the power of forgiveness.
Sgt. Fuller's daughter, Jennifer, will be played by singer/songwriter Molly Jenson, who has spent a great amount of time with Jennifer to better understand her role.
The For The Sender book and album series, on which the Nov. 18 event is based, features powerful songs and true stories of love, loss, redemption and hope, and has earned nods from the likes of Ellen Degeneres ('I love this book!'), Billboard ('one of the year's most touching releases'), and Huffington Post ('important, enlightening, and ultimately inspiring'), together with endorsements from several #1 New York Times bestselling authors, including Deepak Chopra and Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Watch a preview for the show below!
IF YOU GO:
LOVE LETTERS
Saturday, November 18, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
At The Poway Center for The Performing Arts,, 15498 Espola Rd. Poway, CA. 92064.
Tickets range from $15 to $50.
Call 858-748-0505 or visit powayonstage.org/380/Love-Letters-From-Vietnam.
About Alex Woodard and For The Sender
Alex Woodard is a critically-acclaimed, award-winning songwriter (his duet Reno, sung with Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, stayed at #1 on CMT's Pure Country Countdown for almost a month) who made his entrance as a published author through the back door, when he invited fans of his music to send him letters that he would turn into songs. The response inspired a highly emotive collection of songs, letters, and stories called FOR THE SENDER: Four Letters. Twelve Songs. One Story. which fell into the hands of #1 New York Times bestselling author Dr. Wayne Dyer, who shepherded the small self-published work into the first of a three-book, multi-year recording and publishing deal with one of the world's largest independent publishers.
About Poway OnStage
Poway OnStage, (a dba of The Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation), is a 27-year-old non-profit organization that offers a professional performing arts series, including music, dance, theater, comedy and more by nationally and internationally-renowned performers. Poway OnStage also hosts an Arts in Education Initiative that serves more than 4,300 students in the Poway Unified School District. Its Arts in Education Initiative programs include a free, one-week musical theater camp; Introduction to Instruments assemblies; partners with the nonprofit Natural High hosting assemblies for teens encouraging them to find their natural alternative to drugs and alcohol; Master Classes with visiting artists; and reduced price youth theater tickets, made possible by GEICO. Visit our website at www.powayonstage.org
Molly Jenson is a singer/songwriter whose sparkling, heartfelt songs nod to Sheryl Crow and Aimee Mann. She began to make a name for herself in small venues throughout California in the early 2000s. Jenson completed her first album, Maybe Tomorrow, in the spring of 2005.
Harley Jay is a professional actor and musician who has performed on Broadway and participated in two Broadway national tours. He toured for a year and a half as Mark Cohen in the hit musical RENT. He has shared the stage with numerous well-known musicians, performing with The Gin Blossoms, Marc Broussard, Wilson Phillips, American Idol winner Kris Allen, Rick Springfield, Eddie Money and former Paul McCartney/ Wings guitar player and Grammy winner Laurence Juber.
Jonathan Tessero (Stage Adaptation) is an award-nominated Creative Director, Music Director and Live Event Producer whose work has appeared on Broadway, Network Television, and in concert and event venues around the country. His creative direction for CBS' coverage of Super Bowl XLVII earned the network a Sports Emmy Nomination for Best Art Direction / Studio Design and under his creative leadership the rebooted and renamed Essence Fest experienced a record-setting 125,000 person increase in attendance to total more than 550,000 attendees for the Beyonce, Janelle Monae, Maxwell, LL Cool J headlined weekend. He directed the media assets for the Opening Season Presentation of an NBA team, lead the creation of a branded 12-story projection map installation, created the Christmas experience for a 10-acre casino, and wrote and directed a documentary starring Angela Lansbury and Branford Marsalis for the National WWII Museum.
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