michael raabe
crooner, pianist, music director, arranger,
lover of good music
upcoming shows
JUNE 25 - AUGUST 8, 2021
COMPOSER
THE ROSE AND THE BEAST
AN INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE ADVENTURE
freeFall Theatre
based on the Best Selling Novel by Francesca Lia Block
conceived by Eric Davis
Scenic designs by Tom Hansen, Rebekah Lazaridis,
and Steven K. Mitchell
Original music by Michael Raabe and Amanda Elend
“With language that is both lyrical and distinctly her own, Francesca Lia Block turns nine fairy tales inside out. Escaping the poisoned apple, Snow frees herself from possession to find the truth of love in an unexpected place. A club girl from L.A., awakening from a long sleep to the memories of her past, finally finds release from its curse. And Beauty learns that Beasts can understand more than men. Within these singular, timeless landscapes, the brutal and the magical collide, and the heroine triumphs because of the strength she finds in a pen, a paintbrush, a lover, a friend, a mother, and finally, in herself.”
This summer, step into an experience like none other. Through visual storytelling, theatre design, multimedia, and augmented reality – enter the world of The Rose and The Beast. This unique, interactive walk-through (fully accessible) experience will let you step into Block’s stunning retellings of nine classic fairy tales.Through a series of nine spaces, designed by a team of scenic designers, audiences will have the opportunity to interact with the environments in surprising ways. Guests will move through the experience with their own party. This groundbreaking and medium-blurring adaptation of the Los Angeles Times Best Seller marks our return to the air-conditioned comfort of our indoor space.
Note: This experience utilizes the Zappar app available for free on your iOS or Android device. If you have an iOS or Android device, please arrive with it fully charged. If you do not have one, we will be able to loan you one in order to experience this production.
Book your adventure now by visiting freefalltheatre.com or by calling 727-498-5205
JULY 23 - 25, 2020
MUSIC DIRECTOR/KEYS
(I AM) NOBODY'S LUNCH
The MAR - St. Pete
created by Steve Cosson
book by Steve Cosson
music and lyrics by Michael Friedman
Directed by Nick Hoop
I Am Nobody’s Lunch (a cabaret about how we know what we know when nobody knows if everyone else is lying and when someone or something wants to have you for lunch) July 24th-27th.
A dark ride through the landscape of American public culture, asking the thorny question — how do we know what we know when everyone in power seems to be lying? Is it possible to know what’s really going on in the world when information is manipulated to serve particular interests? Delving into the politics of information, the show consists of extensive interviews with subjects ranging from a policymaker at Homeland Security on the verge of a nervous breakdown to a plucky extraterrestrial (channeled by an equally funny human); from every Jessica Lynch in the phone book (who was willing to talk), to soldiers guarding the New York subway with unloaded weapons. Turning these interviews into a mercurial cabaret-play, a versatile cast inhabits an eccentric array of characters, all taken from real life. “A funny, searching, at times plaintive look at the dangerous blurring of fact and myth in American culture." Charles Isherwood, The New York Times