NED MASSEY'S
"FOUR MESSAGES"
An Appreciation
By Steve Ludwig
There's a big locked door
But you have the key
-"Visitation Day," Ned Massey
Does God exist? If so, what kinds of signs does He send us to let us know of His existence? Is an insect landing on a windowsill a sign, or is it, simply, an insect landing on a windowsill and nothing more?
Ned Massey, singer/ songwriter/ actor, asks and answers these (and other) questions in his incredible play, FOUR MESSAGES.
Last night, along with my friend Evan Ginzburg, I had the privilege of attending Ned's play at Studio Theater on Theater Row, 410 42nd St., NYC.
I first learned of Ned Massey through Evan. I saw a post by Evan on Facebook about one of Ned's CD's, Bloodties.
I downloaded the album and was immediately hooked. There wasn't a clunker in the bunch. I'm a music lover, and was ashamed of myself; how come I hadn't heard of Ned Massey until only a few months ago? He's been recording for the past thirty years. The late John Hammond, the legendary producer who discovered Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen (among others) put Ned on a songwriting par with both Dylan and Bruce.
Why hadn't I learned of Ned until only recently?
My question was answered by Ned in Four Messages.
An intimate, sixty-seat theater houses the play. We sat in the second row; Ned and his fellow actors and musicians, Sarah Hund and Christopher Sutton, were practically within arm's length while on the stage. What a way to experience a play!
Four Messages is the true story of Ned's life's experiences, thus far. His story is certainly bittersweet (to say the least).
He grew up in a Catholic household, and, although I promise not to give up any spoilers, suffice to say, Ned has questioned & embraced, embraced & questioned God's existence more than a few times throughout his life in music.
He cites four specific moments in his amazing true story in which he received "messages" from God.
Ned sings songs from his music catalog, with an emphasis on songs from Bloodties and A Brief Appearance (which I've listened to twice already today). Both of these CD's were available at the performance. (Before the show began, Ned let all of us in the audience know that the CD's are there, take them if you want, at no cost [wow!!], or you can leave any donation you'd like. Well, I had already downloaded Bloodties, so I anxiously took A Brief Appearance. I figured out what it would have cost me to buy the CD online, added on the shipping, then tacked on an additional five bucks and gladly put my money in the donations bucket. I urge all of you to do the same; please support the independent arts.)
The very cool, albeit spare, scenery is very creative. Clever use of guitars and Polaroid snapshots, a few chairs and a table are it; but that's all that's needed.Ned, Sarah, and Christopher create the rest of the images through Ned's words.
I was really happy to hear that my two favorite songs from Bloodties, "The Car Swerved" and "In the Park" were included among the play's songs.
The first half of the play featured Ned playing guitar, singing (a breathtaking voice), as well as narrating between songs; Sarah accompanied superbly on violin, and Christopher, equally superb, played the second acoustic guitar. They also sang backup to Ned's lead vocals.
At strategic points in the play (and in his life), Ned speaks directly to God; and yes, he receives His answer.
The second half features Christopher and Sarah, playing the parts of Ned and his wife Kate, while Massey sits effectively and silently, on stage in full view of us. As the characters of Ned and Kate sing and act out Ned's life in heart-wrenching fashion, Massey interjects at key moments. His sad, almost dejected, countenance communicates his life's worth of angst to the point where I could hear audience members sniffling away the tears.
As promised, I won't offer any spoilers here. I hope you'll be able to experience Ned's brilliance just as all of us in last night's audience did.
If not, treat yourself; purchase Ned's music. Each song offers a personal glimpse into this, at times, tortured, artist's psyche.
I can't wait to see Ned (as well as other artists) in producer Evan Ginzburg's upcoming film, THE STAGE IS MY ALTAR.
In the meantime, listen to Ned Massey's recent interviews on Evan Ginzburg's Legends Radio.net as well as The Rendezvous Radio Show with Cris and Alysia. Search the shows' recent archives to find the interviews.
I'm hoping after FOUR MESSAGES' current run, Ned will continue to present his incredible story at other venues.
You still have time to catch it. It runs through May 4 at its present location: 410 42nd. St., NYC.
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So, hey, why not check out my radio show? You'll have fun...I promise!! www.PlanetLudwig.com
So, hey, why not check out my radio show? You'll have fun...I promise!! www.PlanetLudwig.com
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE OVER-17,000 PAGE VIEWS.
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: www.Twitter.com/LudGuy
Hey, did you know I survived quintuple open-heart bypass surgery, and I had the nerve to think it was funny?
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My brother Tom, aside from being a wiseguy, has a blog also! Together with his buddy since second grade, they debate all things political, sports, and pop culture. It's called Second Grade Minds:
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As always, thanks for reading and good health to you all!
-Steve Ludwig
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