In January 2019, I wrote an essay, “The Year I Couldn’t Speak At All”, about my bizarre, year-long experience of voice loss caused by muscle tension dysphonia. The essay was published in The Walrus online and attracted the attention of Deena Kamm, a talented and experienced singer/songwriter, vocal coach and performer, who came across my essay online. Deena emailed me and explained how she’d been wanting to write a musical about the myriad vocal issues she'd encountered with her clients for years, and proposed that we write a musical together. A few months later we met up in Los Angeles to see if we got along as collaborators. We got along.

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By Summer 2020, we had Draft One of the script (called "the Book" in musical theatre, but people kept thinking it meant our musical was based on a book - so we're going with "Written by" in our promo material!). Deena wrote the music and lyrics for over 20 sensational songs, which she also sang and digitally recorded. We held two online Table Reads with friends (Covid), and did numerous revisions and drafts as we searched for a producer who could help us get our show onto the stage.

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In 2023, we began a beautiful collaboration with two community theatre companies in Bend, Oregon (Ellipse Theatre Community and Silent Echo Theater Co.). We held two Table Reads in 2024, as well as a Workshop Production that sold out both nights and gave us invaluable feedback (see "Review Highlights from our 2024 Workshop Production," below.).

 

In January 2025 we began auditioning for our Mainstage Premiere (July 24-Aug. 3, 2025). With Deena starring in the lead role, we have an outstanding cast and production crew, and two of Oregon's brightest talents in musical theatre, Richard Choate (Director), and Michelle Mejaski (Choreographer). We couldn't be more excited and hope you can make it!

 

For more information, please email me directly, or check out our website:  https://www.voicelessamusical.com/

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REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS from our 2024 Workshop Production: 

• Such a fascinating topic to bring to the musical stage!

• I loved the music. Beautiful mix of emotions. Am very impressed.

• The show is amazing! I can’t believe it's the first show because it’s so wonderfully developed.

• I enjoyed the humor and how the characters developed. 

• I loved the story and accessible education and exposure to topics like mental health, neurodivergence and spirituality. Powerful.

• This play touched my heart. In fact, I'm crying now just thinking about it.

• I thought the show was outstanding! I was expecting great music but didn’t realize it would be so funny, too.

• The entire show was brilliant and so real/authentic/accurate to someone who struggles with being heard/using their voice.

• It had a beautiful message to me about resilience, being a survivor, lifting yourself up, having a voice. Also about the role our emotions play and how it affects our well-being physically and mentally. I loved the show.

• I was so moved by this story and its characters. The music was exceptional.

• I absolutely loved it. I laughed, I was touched, I told everyone about it.

• What an incredible story, people, production. . . the whole thing! Thank you.