The Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford commissioned me to compose an original, new work for children in celebration of its 25th anniversary in March 2010. The project began when the director of the Center, Dr. Richard Freund heard a performance of Yiddish Choruses and suggested combining the songs with the famous folk tale, Some-Thing from No-Thing, and elements of the creation story to create a musical drama. The gifted playwright Amy Fellner Dominy skillfully threaded the story line with Dr. Freund’s ideas and my music to create this funny and entertaining stage production. Rhonda Turman designed the costumes and Ms. Fellner Dominy directed the talented cast.
Something from Nothing is based upon a medieval Yiddish folk tale called in the original Yiddish-Epes fun Gornisht. The story tells of a child whose blanket is transformed as he grows older into a coat, a vest, a scarf, a handkerchief and finally a button. It is recycled until it exists no more but in his memory. The story can be very meaningful in very difficult economic times (learning to do with less) but also can be understood as a modern eco-drama, of how we have to learn to live in the world with a smaller carbon foot-print, with recycling items, etc. and is a particularly uplifting message for the modern world and in particular in this economic cycle.