Studio Newsletter Issue #23

Spring 2011

Hi Friends,
Spring is in the air!

WHAT'S NEW:
I’m proud to announce the studio has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. We are entering our 9th year of business and I’m grateful to all our clients for the opportunity to continue to serve your creative visions.

COMPLETED
• "The North Pole Express" completed an 81-performance sellout for the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in 2010. Expansion plans are in the works to add more performance dates. We’ll also be adding another 1st Class Car complete with cash bar. Actress Jessica Ferraday (Princess Snowflake) and I are collaborating on a new song for the 2011 season. Visit www.essexsteamtrain.com

• In January I led an improvisational theatre workshop in collaboration with the Bridgeport Theatre Company. This new theatrical group is bringing outstanding theatre to the Bridgeport area. Please visit them at www.bridgeporttheatre.org

• 13 year old singer Ashlyn Salafia (right) was one of 5 vocalists out of 800 picked for the Eastern Regional Finals competition. L.A.’s Right Bank Music company has expressed interested in Ashlyn and penned a song "Sweet Dreams" for which we recorded vocals.

• A performance of "The Band Slayed On" was presented to the Lyman Orchards management and staff for a holiday event.

• Our lastest Shagbark commercial featuring Jed the dog, Casey O’Neill, Anastasia Lepore and yours truly on vocals, will be airing this Spring. For a sneak peek visit YouTube and enter “Shagbark – Summer Party” in the search box. Todd Little manned the camera and video editing. Anna Maria Trusky contributed story ideas.

CURRENT
• Esteemed actor Peter Walker (left)recently graced the studio, recording his original Christmas story," A Wonderful Christmas Eve Morning." This whimsical tale revolves around the creation of the timeless classic song Silent Night.

• Jeanie Rapp, artistic director for Margreta Stage company and talented actress is working on a voiceover demo. Visit Margretastage.org

• Helena Valentini is working on her latest song "Blue Atlantis."

• The Disciples CD project continues production work. This Christian-based album is full of beautiful 4 part harmonies.

• "Wonderville," a children’s story that I co-wrote with my wife Monica Sakolsky is back in motion. Another draft is currently underway.

• Diane Tracy (right) debuted her first CD of Christmas-themed songs.

• The song "Forevermore" is almost near completion on my debut album "Pieces of the Puzzle."

• "The Sarabande Song," a tune I penned for "The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t" is now included in the music service of Omnifone Group Limited, a UK-based mobile music company and Slacker, Inc, an internet radio service, in addition to Microsoft’s music service. The song features Metallica’s Robert Trujillo on bass, Leif Garrett on vocals and yours truly on all the other sounds ;)

FUTURE
• Development work is ongoing for "The Band Slayed On" (left). Plans are in motion to bring this wild and murderous musical mystery tour to more venues in the coming years. We’ll be performing in a dinner theatre setting for a fundraising event on April 29th at 8pm at the Cugino’s Italian Restaurant in Cheshire. Check our website for more information.

• I’ll be creating and directing some clown routines for "Circus Train" a new show produced by the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat. This event promises to be a crowd-pleaser complete with acrobatic performances, amusement park rides, a petting zoo and festive circus fare. Performance dates are July 23-24 and 30-31.

• Writer Anna Maria Trusky is hard at work writing "Deadend Rodeo", the studio’s latest murder mystery offering to be performed this summer on the Essex Clipper.

Thanks!
xo

Riverway Studio
P.O. Box 320
East Haddam, CT 06423
860-873-3404
ira@riverwaystudio.com
www.riverwaystudio.com

Click here for the Hartford Courant Article, Aug. 1, 2009 –Essex Train Murder Mystery Show