F r o m S t o r y t o S t a g e
t h e r i d e t h u s f a r
“The narrative had everything: Powerful story. Music. Children. Joy. Despair. Conflict. Love. Every element of brilliant musical theater.” – Patti Mactas, Act3 Artistic Director
The Parnes family lived this story, starting in turn of the century Skalat. Their matriarch, Esther, always believed that future generations had to know what she and her family endured. And on a fateful day in 2009, on an airplane from New York to Atlanta, the youngest child, Genie (then close to 70 years old), told the story to her seatmate, Patti Mactas. Mactas, the Artistic Director of the Act3 Productions community theatre in Sandy Springs, Georgia, recalls, “Here was this family of Yiddish musical theatre stars, who survived the Holocaust in such an unusual way – never even seeing a concentration camp – and they survived it completely intact. The narrative had everything: Powerful story. Music. Children. Joy. Despair. Conflict. Love. Every element of brilliant musical theatre.”
Since most of the Parnes children were adolescents during the time of their ordeal, Mactas insisted that teenagers would be the best people to bring the story to life. She published a brief introduction to the project on Act3’s website, not entirely sure how things would proceed, but certain that the project had to move forward. She reached out to playwright, songwriter and educator Corey-Jan Albert to help lead the creative process – at the same time that Albert was asking, “What do I have to do to get to be part of this show?” And 10 local teenage playwrights, lyricists and composers were selected from a group of applicants to bring the Parnes’s story to dramatic life through story and song.
Since most of the Parnes children were adolescents during the time of their ordeal, Mactas insisted that teenagers would be the best people to bring the story to life. She published a brief introduction to the project on Act3’s website, not entirely sure how things would proceed, but certain that the project had to move forward. She reached out to playwright, songwriter and educator Corey-Jan Albert to help lead the creative process – at the same time that Albert was asking, “What do I have to do to get to be part of this show?” And 10 local teenage playwrights, lyricists and composers were selected from a group of applicants to bring the Parnes’s story to dramatic life through story and song.
A first draft of the script and score was completed in only 8 months, culminating in a May 2011 staged reading that played to three nights of full houses. The reading generated even more interest – and over $35,000 in grants and contributions from those who shared our passion to see By Wheel and By Wing fully produced for the stage.
Once again, every person who touched this show – actors, musicians, lighting and stage designers, an arrangement and musical direction team – was captivated by its power and potential. And each of those people made the show even better than before. The June 2012 production directed by Patti Mactas was so popular that the initial run had to be extended to 11 sold out performances. It was nominated for a coveted Suzi Bass Award and won the 2012 Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Award for Best New Work.
Once again, every person who touched this show – actors, musicians, lighting and stage designers, an arrangement and musical direction team – was captivated by its power and potential. And each of those people made the show even better than before. The June 2012 production directed by Patti Mactas was so popular that the initial run had to be extended to 11 sold out performances. It was nominated for a coveted Suzi Bass Award and won the 2012 Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Award for Best New Work.
The show's power and potential caught the attention of NYC theatre professionals, who came together to further strengthen the piece for an invite-only staged reading of BY WHEEL AND BY WING, directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Jayne Atkinson:
Monday, November 3rd, 2014
Edmond J. Safra Hall
The Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York, New York
Cast members include Broadway, Touring, and TV Series alums from: 13 The Musical, 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, Grease, House Of Cards, Louie, Matilda The Musical, Ragtime, Sesame Street, Shrek The Musical, Spring Awakening, Wicked, and more.
Monday, November 3rd, 2014
Edmond J. Safra Hall
The Museum of Jewish Heritage
New York, New York
Cast members include Broadway, Touring, and TV Series alums from: 13 The Musical, 30 Rock, Gossip Girl, Grease, House Of Cards, Louie, Matilda The Musical, Ragtime, Sesame Street, Shrek The Musical, Spring Awakening, Wicked, and more.
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Parnes siblings before the show with photos of their late mother & family
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Cast, Creative Director, & Parnes family members in attendance of Staged Reading
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Actors after the show, paired with the family members they portayed on stage
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(Click photos to enlarge)