music by Lisa Heffter / book and lyrics by Jeffrey Couchman
directed by David Elliott / music direction by Vadim Feichtner

presented by Theatre Resources Unlimited (TRU) and Perry Street Theatricals
at The Engelman Recital Hall, Baruch College

with Joan Barber, Alexis Biesiada, Ari Butler, Elisabeth Cernadas, Bill Coyne, John Forbes, Harley Harrison, Emmett Hylands, Samantha Joy Pearlman, Christopher Pecoraro, Dee Roscioli, Matthew Scott, Bart Shatto, John Tedeschi, Hayden Wall

We presented Blood and Fire as a concert version - part of “TRU’s "New Voices” at the Engelman in 2016. The musical draws on the historical antagonism toward the newly formed ‘Salvation Army’ in 1890s London. The main characters, Michael, an idealistic (and atheist) doctor wants to open a clinic to help the poor of London, and the Madam-turned-Salvationist, Amelia, who tries to steer his heart toward the light. The Army's larger-than-life founder, General William Booth himself, marches across the stage alongside an array of Dickensian characters,

I had wanted to helm this show for years, having heard the original demo’s of the show in around 2002. Even directing this as a concert version was tremendously satisfying. It was a pleasure working again with Vadim Feichtner with whom we had worked with on My Life Is A Musical, and the brilliant Matthew Scott, who played Michael, and Dee Roscioli, who played Amelia.

Jeff, Lisa and I took this up to the Fingerlakes to the Merry Go Round Theatre a few summers before as part of their “Pitch” series. This is one of those shows I would dearly love to get a full crack at directing at some point.